Population 21,275 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bay City
Household size in Bay City
| Period | Bay City | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.62 | 2.96 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.81 | 3.00 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.83 | 2.98 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.44 | 2.91 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.18 | −0.05 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
The average household in Bay City has 2.44 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has dropped from 2.62 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the north and smallest in the south.
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 Bay City
| Period | Bay City | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.2 | 34.0 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.7 | 34.8 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.3 | 35.6 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.8 | 36.4 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | −3.4 | +2.3 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 34.8, Bay City is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has dropped from 38.2 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose.
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 Bay City
| Period | Bay City | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.4% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.0% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.6% | 13.3% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.1% | 13.5% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in eight households in Bay City (13.1%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. The picture is much the same across the Houston area. The single-parent share is down 4.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Bay City
Renters in Bay City
| Period | Bay City | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.6% | 36.6% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.3% | 38.6% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.4% | 39.5% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 45.1% | 38.8% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.5 pts | +2.2 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Bay City than nationally: 45.1% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Nearly six in ten owners (56.5%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 8.5 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 545 Texas cities with 5,000+ people, only 49 have a higher share of renters.
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 Bay City
| Period | Bay City | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.9% | 11.3% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.5% | 10.1% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 23.4% | 9.3% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.5% | 8.6% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.4 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Bay City than nationally: 13.5%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is down 7.4 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 Bay City
| Period | Bay City | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1985 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1987 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1988 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1993 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +8 | +8 | +6 |
Homes in Bay City are the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1980. Homes here are older than in the Houston area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1993. The median year built has moved up from 1971 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, 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 Bay City
| Period | Bay City | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $595 | $1,018 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $693 | $1,103 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $900 | $1,300 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,014 | $1,649 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$419 | +$631 | +$639 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Bay City costs $1,014 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $419 a month since 2006–10, up 70%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 29.9% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the center; the most affordable are in the northwest.
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 Bay City
Bachelor's degrees in Bay City
| Period | Bay City | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.0% | 29.2% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.4% | 30.4% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.4% | 32.5% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.5% | 35.9% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +6.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Bay City: 21.5% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 4.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the southwest.
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 Bay City
| Period | Bay City | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.2% | 80.9% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 78.0% | 81.9% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 77.8% | 83.6% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 82.0% | 84.8% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | +3.9 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in six adults in Bay City never finished high school, well above the national share: only 82.0% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.8 points, 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 Bay City
| Period | Bay City | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.8% | 6.9% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 7.7% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 5.6% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.4% | 6.2% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Bay City runs well above the national rate: 12.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Of the 545 Texas cities with 5,000+ people, only 14 have higher unemployment. 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).
Bay City compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay City | 2.44 | 34.8 | 13.1% | 45.1% | 13.5% | 1980 | $1,014 | 21.5% | 82.0% | 12.4% |
| Caney | 1.63 | 49.2 | 8.6% | 17.2% | 8.5% | 1989 | $1,010 | 31.1% | 96.3% | 0.1% |
| Buckeye | 2.75 | 35.2 | 10.7% | 27.1% | 16.5% | 1985 | $998 | 11.5% | 81.9% | 24.2% |
| Van Vleck | 3.29 | 25.3 | 21.1% | 11.3% | 28.2% | 1980 | $1,335 | 20.0% | 74.0% | 1.8% |
| Markham | 3.82 | 25.4 | 14.2% | 3.1% | 12.8% | 1986 | $997 | 14.7% | 85.1% | 0.6% |
| Sugar Valley | 2.39 | 49.7 | 1.4% | 0.2% | 9.0% | 2008 | $1,417 | 33.1% | 81.2% | 7.4% |
| Wadsworth | 1.86 | 53.4 | 3.6% | 17.3% | 41.7% | 1979 | $1,005 | 29.9% | 91.6% | 5.8% |
| Clemville | 4.84 | 18.9 | 15.2% | 10.3% | 16.8% | 1982 | $1,010 | 4.8% | 77.8% | 0.0% |
| Cedar Lane | 2.47 | 42.5 | 12.9% | 7.5% | 13.1% | 1991 | $1,116 | 17.7% | 84.5% | 5.1% |
| Elmaton | 3.05 | 41.2 | 8.8% | 5.7% | 16.7% | 1980 | $888 | 16.3% | 84.8% | 7.3% |
| Sweeny | 2.58 | 42.0 | 7.9% | 21.5% | 15.6% | 1977 | $1,382 | 22.7% | 92.9% | 3.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Payson, AZ · Newtown Square, PA · Niles, OH · North Myrtle Beach, SC · North Plainfield, NJ · North Tustin, CA · Orocovis, PR · Owens Cross Roads, AL · Palm Valley, FL · Danville, KY
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 Bay City. 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.
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