Population 358,990 · 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 Galveston County: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Galveston County
Household size in Galveston County
| Period | Galveston County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.72 | 2.96 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.73 | 3.00 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.76 | 2.98 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.66 | 2.91 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | −0.05 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
At 2.66 people per household, Galveston County sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is smaller than in the Houston area overall, where it has 2.91 people. Household size has edged down from 2.72 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Galveston County
| Period | Galveston County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5 | 34.0 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.1 | 34.8 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.5 | 35.6 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.6 | 36.4 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +2.3 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Galveston County are younger than 39.6 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in the Houston area overall, where the median age is 36.4. The median age has climbed from 37.5 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Galveston County
| Period | Galveston County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.0% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.6% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.1% | 13.3% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.2% | 13.5% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in Galveston County (11.2%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are less common here than in the Houston area overall (13.5%). The single-parent share is down 0.8 points from 2006–10, as it has 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 Galveston County
Renters in Galveston County
| Period | Galveston County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.5% | 36.6% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.7% | 38.6% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.5% | 39.5% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.4% | 38.8% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +2.2 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Galveston County is about as common as it is nationally: 32.4% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in the Houston area as a whole (38.8%). Among homeowners, 41.7% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share has risen 1.9 points since 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 Galveston County
| Period | Galveston County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.6% | 11.3% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.9% | 10.1% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.0% | 9.3% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.1% | 8.6% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Galveston County as nationally: 10.1%, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.5 points, as it has nationally. Galveston County has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Texas counties.
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 Galveston County
| Period | Galveston County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1983 | 1985 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1985 | 1987 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1988 | 1988 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1992 | 1993 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +8 | +8 | +6 |
Galveston County has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1992, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1983 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the southeast.
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 Galveston County
| Period | Galveston County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $969 | $1,018 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,112 | $1,103 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,220 | $1,300 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,583 | $1,649 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$614 | +$631 | +$639 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Galveston County costs $1,583 a month with utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $614 a month from 2006–10, a 63% jump, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 32.8% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southeast; the highest 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 Galveston County
Bachelor's degrees in Galveston County
| Period | Galveston County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.5% | 29.2% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.8% | 30.4% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.3% | 32.5% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 36.6% | 35.9% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.1 pts | +6.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a third of adults 25 and older in Galveston County (36.6%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 8.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Few Texas counties have a higher share of college graduates: only 16 of 254.
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 Galveston County
| Period | Galveston County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.9% | 80.9% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.7% | 81.9% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.3% | 83.6% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.3% | 84.8% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +3.9 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Galveston County have finished high school as nationally: 90.3%, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in the Houston area overall (84.8%). The share with a diploma has risen 3.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Galveston County
| Period | Galveston County | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 6.9% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 7.7% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 5.6% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 6.2% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Galveston County is close to the national rate: 5.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 1.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Galveston 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galveston County | 2.66 | 39.6 | 11.2% | 32.4% | 10.1% | 1992 | $1,583 | 36.6% | 90.3% | 5.8% |
| Brazoria County | 2.93 | 37.2 | 11.9% | 25.9% | 11.7% | 1995 | $1,626 | 34.7% | 88.9% | 4.4% |
| Chambers County | 3.03 | 36.1 | 8.6% | 18.4% | 7.4% | 2002 | $1,816 | 22.6% | 89.0% | 6.8% |
| Harris County | 2.88 | 35.6 | 15.0% | 45.3% | 8.6% | 1989 | $1,605 | 33.6% | 82.1% | 6.9% |
| Fort Bend County | 3.14 | 37.8 | 10.3% | 23.0% | 5.6% | 2004 | $2,000 | 51.1% | 92.1% | 4.9% |
| Waller County | 3.05 | 34.3 | 13.1% | 28.0% | 10.8% | 1999 | $1,511 | 28.8% | 86.5% | 6.5% |
| Matagorda County | 2.58 | 36.2 | 14.7% | 31.9% | 17.8% | 1979 | $1,020 | 22.1% | 80.0% | 8.3% |
| Wharton County | 2.64 | 38.7 | 12.1% | 27.7% | 11.5% | 1980 | $1,068 | 20.5% | 85.0% | 4.9% |
| Austin County | 2.55 | 43.7 | 11.7% | 23.5% | 14.4% | 1989 | $1,154 | 24.9% | 86.1% | 4.0% |
| Colorado County | 2.68 | 45.7 | 8.7% | 20.5% | 18.8% | 1980 | $1,001 | 23.2% | 88.8% | 3.2% |
| Jackson County | 2.50 | 42.5 | 12.2% | 29.2% | 13.9% | 1979 | $1,014 | 17.1% | 84.3% | 4.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Webb County, TX · St. Tammany Parish, LA · Stark County, OH · Thurston County, WA · Alachua County, FL · Lehigh County, PA · Washington County, MN · Lane County, OR · Washtenaw County, MI · Lake County, FL
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 Galveston 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.