Population 6,943 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Brooks County
Household size in Brooks County
| Period | Brooks County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.73 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.97 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.08 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.23 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.51 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Brooks County is a place of small households, averaging 2.23 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.73, a much bigger shift than nationally. Few Texas counties have smaller households: only 15 of 254.
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 Brooks County
| Period | Brooks County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.9 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.0 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.9 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.8 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Brooks County skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.8, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.9, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the east.
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 Brooks County
| Period | Brooks County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.8% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.3% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 22.2% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 23.4% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly a quarter of households in Brooks County (23.4%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 3.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Only six of Texas' 254 counties have a higher share of single-parent households.
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 Brooks County
Renters in Brooks County
| Period | Brooks County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.9% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.2% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.7% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 47.2% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +14.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Brooks County than nationally: 47.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Nearly nine in ten owners (86.9%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 14.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only six of Texas' 254 counties 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 Brooks County
| Period | Brooks County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.6% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 27.0% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 31.0% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.7% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +7.1 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 24.7% of the housing in Brooks County, 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 7.1 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 Brooks County
| Period | Brooks County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1966 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1971 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +8 | +6 |
The housing in Brooks County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1969, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the center has the oldest housing. Brooks County has older homes than at least four in five Texas counties.
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 Brooks County
| Period | Brooks County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $468 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $539 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $559 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $807 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$339 | +$639 | +$606 |
Rent in Brooks County runs $807 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $339 a month since 2006–10, up 72%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 23.1% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the center and lowest in the east.
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 Brooks County
Bachelor's degrees in Brooks County
| Period | Brooks County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.2% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.9% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.0% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Brooks County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 18.0%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 4.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Brooks County
| Period | Brooks County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.9% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 67.9% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 68.9% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 82.8% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +27.0 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Brooks County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 82.8% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 27.0 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Brooks County
| Period | Brooks County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.0% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.6% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.8% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | +9.8 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Brooks County runs well above the national rate: 17.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Brooks County has the highest unemployment rate of any Texas county. Unemployment has risen 9.8 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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).
Brooks 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooks County | 2.23 | 42.8 | 23.4% | 47.2% | 24.7% | 1969 | $807 | 18.0% | 82.8% | 17.8% |
| Kenedy County | 2.53 | 54.8 | 12.2% | 47.3% | 56.7% | 1957 | $1,374 | 13.0% | 52.8% | 0.0% |
| Kleberg County | 2.47 | 32.8 | 17.0% | 47.5% | 16.1% | 1978 | $983 | 23.4% | 83.6% | 7.5% |
| Jim Hogg County | 3.83 | 28.7 | 27.7% | 43.6% | 28.0% | 1977 | $849 | 15.7% | 76.5% | 5.7% |
| Jim Wells County | 2.93 | 37.7 | 20.8% | 31.5% | 17.0% | 1983 | $870 | 15.7% | 79.6% | 6.6% |
| Duval County | 3.21 | 35.9 | 18.7% | 29.6% | 27.3% | 1979 | $823 | 6.4% | 74.5% | 10.6% |
| Nueces County | 2.71 | 38.0 | 14.1% | 40.3% | 13.0% | 1983 | $1,392 | 24.7% | 85.8% | 4.9% |
| Willacy County | 3.32 | 36.7 | 21.3% | 25.3% | 16.0% | 1987 | $727 | 13.9% | 70.2% | 8.6% |
| Hidalgo County | 3.42 | 31.9 | 18.6% | 32.5% | 12.4% | 1998 | $987 | 20.3% | 69.8% | 7.6% |
| San Patricio County | 2.80 | 36.4 | 13.9% | 33.1% | 15.2% | 1984 | $1,399 | 17.8% | 84.4% | 4.6% |
| Starr County | 3.55 | 30.0 | 22.1% | 30.5% | 16.9% | 1995 | $734 | 14.7% | 60.2% | 10.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Potter County, SD · Scott County, AR · Charles Mix County, SD · Charlotte County, VA · Chase County, KS · Chattahoochee County, GA · Schleicher County, TX · Sargent County, ND · San Miguel County, CO · San Juan County, UT
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 Brooks 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.
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