Population 31,170 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Austin County: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Austin County
Household size in Austin County
| Period | Austin County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.70 | 2.96 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.67 | 3.00 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.63 | 2.98 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.55 | 2.91 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.14 | −0.05 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Austin County run a little small, averaging 2.55 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.70, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the south and smallest in the center.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Austin County
| Period | Austin County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.4 | 34.0 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.6 | 34.8 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.4 | 35.6 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.7 | 36.4 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.3 | +2.3 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Austin County skews older than the country: its median age is 43.7, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 40.4 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the south, the oldest in the northwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Austin County
| Period | Austin County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 13.3% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 13.5% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Austin County (11.7%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are less common here than in the wider Houston area (13.5%). Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 1.7 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Austin County
Renters in Austin County
| Period | Austin County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.5% | 36.6% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.4% | 38.6% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.8% | 39.5% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.5% | 38.8% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +2.2 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Austin County is largely a place of homeowners: only 23.5% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 55.6% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 1.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Austin County
| Period | Austin County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.9% | 11.3% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.5% | 10.1% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.9% | 9.3% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.4% | 8.6% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Austin County: 14.4% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy has fallen 2.5 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Austin County
| Period | Austin County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1985 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1987 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1987 | 1988 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1989 | 1993 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +8 | +8 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Austin County is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1989, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1979 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the north has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Austin County
| Period | Austin County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $656 | $1,018 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $835 | $1,103 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $891 | $1,300 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,154 | $1,649 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$498 | +$631 | +$639 | +$606 |
The median renter in Austin County pays $1,154 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $498 a month since 2006–10, up 76%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 31.0% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the south; the most affordable are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Austin County
Bachelor's degrees in Austin County
| Period | Austin County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.6% | 29.2% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.2% | 30.4% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.0% | 32.5% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.9% | 35.9% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.3 pts | +6.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Austin County: 24.9% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.3 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the east.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Austin County
| Period | Austin County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.8% | 80.9% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.4% | 81.9% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.7% | 83.6% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.1% | 84.8% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +3.9 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Austin County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Houston area. The share with a diploma is up 5.3 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Austin County
| Period | Austin County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 6.9% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 7.7% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 5.6% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 6.2% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Austin County runs below the national rate: 4.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 1.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Austin County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin County | 2.55 | 43.7 | 11.7% | 23.5% | 14.4% | 1989 | $1,154 | 24.9% | 86.1% | 4.0% |
| Waller County | 3.05 | 34.3 | 13.1% | 28.0% | 10.8% | 1999 | $1,511 | 28.8% | 86.5% | 6.5% |
| Colorado County | 2.68 | 45.7 | 8.7% | 20.5% | 18.8% | 1980 | $1,001 | 23.2% | 88.8% | 3.2% |
| Washington County | 2.27 | 42.6 | 8.8% | 30.2% | 12.7% | 1987 | $1,192 | 30.7% | 90.5% | 3.1% |
| Fort Bend County | 3.14 | 37.8 | 10.3% | 23.0% | 5.6% | 2004 | $2,000 | 51.1% | 92.1% | 4.9% |
| Fayette County | 2.38 | 47.7 | 11.1% | 20.6% | 20.9% | 1985 | $1,037 | 27.1% | 91.1% | 2.2% |
| Harris County | 2.88 | 35.6 | 15.0% | 45.3% | 8.6% | 1989 | $1,605 | 33.6% | 82.1% | 6.9% |
| Montgomery County | 2.87 | 38.1 | 10.0% | 28.2% | 8.0% | 2003 | $1,665 | 38.4% | 89.7% | 4.5% |
| Lee County | 2.56 | 45.3 | 13.6% | 22.2% | 14.5% | 1991 | $1,034 | 22.6% | 85.2% | 6.0% |
| Lavaca County | 2.39 | 44.3 | 8.4% | 21.7% | 18.4% | 1977 | $1,131 | 22.0% | 88.4% | 3.1% |
| Brazoria County | 2.93 | 37.2 | 11.9% | 25.9% | 11.7% | 1995 | $1,626 | 34.7% | 88.9% | 4.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Houghton County, MI · Avoyelles Parish, LA · Albany County, WY · Elk County, PA · Hatillo Municipio, PR · Guayama Municipio, PR · Green County, WI · Graham County, AZ · Glenn County, CA · Geneva County, AL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Austin County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.