Population 14,968 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Karnes County
Household size in Karnes County
| Period | Karnes County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.90 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.69 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.74 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.44 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.54 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
The average household in Karnes County has 2.44 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has climbed from 1.90 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the west.
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 Karnes County
| Period | Karnes County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.3 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.9 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.6 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.5 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | −3.8 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Karnes County is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 38.5, against 40.1 nationally. Even so, the population here is older than in Texas as a whole, where the median age is 36.7. The median age has dropped from 42.3 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 Karnes County
| Period | Karnes County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.2% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.0% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.0% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.0% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in seven households in Karnes County (15.0%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Karnes 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 Karnes County
Renters in Karnes County
| Period | Karnes County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.2% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.3% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.5% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 37.6% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Karnes County is about as common as it is nationally: 37.6% of households rent, against 34.8%. About seven in ten owners (71.7%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southeast; owners are most common in the northwest. The renter share is up 6.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Karnes County
| Period | Karnes County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.2% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.1% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 30.1% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.0% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 20.0% of the housing in Karnes 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. Vacancy has risen 1.8 points since 2006–10, 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 Karnes County
| Period | Karnes County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1967 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1989 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +21 | +8 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Karnes 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 1967 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center 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 Karnes County
| Period | Karnes County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $546 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $574 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $736 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $980 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$434 | +$639 | +$606 |
The median renter in Karnes County pays $980 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $434 a month from 2006–10, an 80% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 26.2% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the west; the highest are in the south.
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 Karnes County
Bachelor's degrees in Karnes County
| Period | Karnes County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.4% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.1% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.1% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Karnes County: 14.1% 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 4.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the south.
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 Karnes County
| Period | Karnes County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 69.5% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 71.5% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 74.5% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 78.4% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.0 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in five adults in Karnes County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 78.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 9.0 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Karnes County has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five 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 Karnes County
| Period | Karnes County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.2% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.0% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Karnes County has been strong: just 3.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below 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).
Karnes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karnes County | 2.44 | 38.5 | 15.0% | 37.6% | 20.0% | 1989 | $980 | 14.1% | 78.4% | 3.1% |
| Wilson County | 2.95 | 41.1 | 9.2% | 15.3% | 6.5% | 1999 | $1,095 | 25.9% | 89.6% | 3.6% |
| Goliad County | 2.64 | 45.5 | 5.1% | 13.2% | 21.1% | 1987 | $775 | 21.5% | 88.2% | 5.1% |
| Bee County | 2.83 | 35.0 | 13.2% | 29.2% | 17.5% | 1979 | $1,084 | 14.6% | 82.8% | 4.7% |
| DeWitt County | 2.68 | 41.6 | 10.2% | 26.1% | 23.5% | 1979 | $864 | 17.4% | 86.0% | 3.2% |
| Live Oak County | 2.32 | 42.0 | 9.2% | 28.7% | 25.3% | 1990 | $949 | 15.6% | 79.9% | 5.0% |
| Atascosa County | 3.13 | 36.9 | 12.4% | 22.6% | 12.5% | 1990 | $1,135 | 15.5% | 80.6% | 4.0% |
| McMullen County | 3.38 | 31.8 | 35.7% | 21.7% | 40.5% | 1986 | $758 | 20.1% | 85.6% | 0.0% |
| Victoria County | 2.65 | 37.8 | 13.5% | 34.7% | 12.1% | 1983 | $1,161 | 19.4% | 84.8% | 4.6% |
| Medina County | 2.99 | 41.1 | 8.6% | 16.2% | 11.5% | 1994 | $1,310 | 23.7% | 86.6% | 4.3% |
| Frio County | 3.11 | 31.0 | 16.8% | 41.1% | 16.7% | 1990 | $995 | 12.5% | 74.2% | 5.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Yalobusha County, MS · Boone County, WV · Bosque County, TX · Bottineau County, ND · Boundary County, ID · Bourbon County, KS · Bourbon County, KY · Box Butte County, NE · Bracken County, KY · Bradley County, AR
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 Karnes 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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