Population 164,654 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ector County
Household size in Ector County
| Period | Ector County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.83 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.89 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.11 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.64 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.19 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Ector County average 2.64 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is smaller than in Texas as a whole, where it has 2.83 people. Household size has dropped from 2.83 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Ector County
| Period | Ector County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.6 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.1 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.0 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 32.4 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.2 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Ector County is young: half of its residents are under 32.4, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults and children. Only 18 of Texas' 254 counties are younger.
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 Ector County
| Period | Ector County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.8% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.0% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.9% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.4% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in six households in Ector County (17.4%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 0.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Ector County has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Texas counties.
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 Ector County
Renters in Ector County
| Period | Ector County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.5% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.5% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.1% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.3% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a third of households in Ector County rent their homes (35.3%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Just over half of owners (51.8%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the northeast; owners are most common in the west. The renter share has risen 2.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Ector County
| Period | Ector County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.7% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.6% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Ector County: 7.6% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy is down 1.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 18 of Texas' 254 counties have a lower vacancy rate.
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 Ector County
| Period | Ector County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +13 | +8 | +6 |
Homes in Ector County are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1987, versus 1980 across the U.S. Even so, homes here are older than in Texas as a whole, where the median home dates to 1992. The median year built has moved up from 1974 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the center.
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 Ector County
| Period | Ector County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $665 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $855 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,054 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,233 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$568 | +$639 | +$606 |
The median renter in Ector County pays $1,233 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $568 a month from 2006–10, an 85% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 30.9% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the northeast.
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 Ector County
Bachelor's degrees in Ector County
| Period | Ector County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.8% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.4% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.7% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.3% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Ector County: 18.3% 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 4.5 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the southeast.
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 Ector County
| Period | Ector County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 72.9% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 74.1% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 75.4% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 78.3% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
More than one in five adults in Ector County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 78.3% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.4 points, mirroring the country. Ector County has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Texas counties.
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 Ector County
| Period | Ector County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.6% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.6%, unemployment in Ector County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Ector 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ector County | 2.64 | 32.4 | 17.4% | 35.3% | 7.6% | 1987 | $1,233 | 18.3% | 78.3% | 5.6% |
| Winkler County | 2.71 | 38.0 | 14.1% | 14.0% | 14.3% | 1969 | $895 | 10.3% | 73.5% | 3.7% |
| Glasscock County | 2.31 | 40.0 | 7.3% | 31.5% | 9.9% | 1979 | $642 | 28.7% | 88.4% | 1.0% |
| Loving County | 1.22 | 86.2 | 11.6% | 88.9% | 18.2% | 1938 | $1,403 | 33.8% | 90.3% | 0.0% |
| Sterling County | 3.59 | 32.1 | 12.8% | 22.3% | 23.9% | 1983 | $952 | 24.5% | 84.0% | 2.1% |
| Coke County | 2.06 | 48.3 | 8.7% | 28.9% | 26.0% | 1975 | $663 | 23.9% | 88.4% | 6.6% |
| Runnels County | 2.58 | 42.4 | 12.3% | 25.0% | 23.3% | 1961 | $908 | 19.2% | 86.7% | 4.9% |
| Coleman County | 2.42 | 49.0 | 9.9% | 22.8% | 29.7% | 1969 | $715 | 19.1% | 88.0% | 7.2% |
| Brown County | 2.48 | 42.8 | 11.6% | 31.7% | 19.7% | 1977 | $939 | 20.3% | 87.7% | 5.1% |
| Comanche County | 2.58 | 44.2 | 13.8% | 19.6% | 22.1% | 1977 | $853 | 20.8% | 83.6% | 6.8% |
| El Paso County | 3.01 | 34.9 | 16.9% | 35.8% | 8.0% | 1990 | $1,234 | 25.8% | 81.7% | 6.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Winnebago County, WI · Scott County, IA · Portage County, OH · Kootenai County, ID · Aiken County, SC · Madera County, CA · Martin County, FL · Maui County, HI · McLean County, IL · Mesa County, CO
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 Ector 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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