Population 2,533 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Marfa
Household size in Marfa
| Period | Marfa | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.44 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.46 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.67 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.27 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.16 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Marfa are small: just 2.27 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.44, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 Marfa
| Period | Marfa | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.0 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.5 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.7 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.2 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.3 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Marfa skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.2, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
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 Marfa
| Period | Marfa | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.2% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Marfa: 3.3% of households, against 11.6% 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 Marfa
Renters in Marfa
| Period | Marfa | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.3% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.7% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.0% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.3% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Marfa is largely a place of homeowners: only 23.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 64.7% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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 Marfa
| Period | Marfa | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.1% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.1% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 38.5% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.6% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.5 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Marfa: 28.6% of homes are empty, 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.
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 Marfa
| Period | Marfa | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1951 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1952 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1955 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +8 | +6 |
The housing in Marfa is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1955, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.
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 Marfa
| Period | Marfa | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $454 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $472 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $624 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $477 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$22 | +$639 | +$606 |
The median renter in Marfa pays $477 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 32.2% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Marfa
Bachelor's degrees in Marfa
| Period | Marfa | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.5% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 36.2% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.2% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 40.0% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +16.5 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Marfa than nationally: 40.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.
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 Marfa
| Period | Marfa | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 71.1% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.8% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 76.6% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 84.8% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +13.7 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in seven adults in Marfa never finished high school, more than nationally: 84.8% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. That is in line with the rest of Texas.
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 Marfa
| Period | Marfa | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.0% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −9.2 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The survey found almost no one in Marfa out of work and looking, against 5.4% of the labor force nationally. 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).
Marfa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marfa | 2.27 | 47.2 | 3.3% | 23.3% | 28.6% | 1955 | $477 | 40.0% | 84.8% | 0.0% |
| Ruidosa | 2.02 | 41.8 | 2.4% | 12.7% | 32.9% | 1959 | $483 | 48.5% | 89.7% | 0.0% |
| Alpine | 1.94 | 45.8 | 13.0% | 32.9% | 15.2% | 1979 | $1,031 | 48.2% | 87.6% | 5.3% |
| Valentine | 1.93 | 52.7 | 4.4% | 7.0% | 37.7% | 1980 | $919 | 41.4% | 90.9% | 0.3% |
| Pandale | 2.06 | 52.2 | 4.8% | 18.3% | 42.5% | 1970 | $1,233 | 42.3% | 95.9% | 0.0% |
| Juno | 2.10 | 36.6 | 4.2% | 25.7% | 45.5% | 1973 | $838 | 42.5% | 91.3% | 0.0% |
| Roosevelt | 2.39 | 43.7 | 3.3% | 13.9% | 29.0% | 1983 | $543 | 35.0% | 76.8% | 0.0% |
| Telegraph | 2.58 | 52.6 | 4.6% | 13.8% | 35.0% | 1993 | $701 | 31.1% | 84.5% | 0.0% |
| Junction | 2.18 | 42.2 | 5.2% | 24.1% | 18.2% | 1977 | $713 | 26.1% | 77.6% | 1.8% |
| Segovia | 2.06 | 66.3 | 4.8% | 13.9% | 27.1% | 2003 | $857 | 19.7% | 86.9% | 0.0% |
| Noxville | 2.07 | 66.4 | 4.8% | 14.4% | 27.2% | 2003 | $818 | 19.1% | 86.2% | 0.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Westville, FL · Dedeaux, MS · Depoy, KY · Doerun, GA · Douglas, AK · Durham, OR · Erie, IL · French Settlement, LA · Garden Valley, CA · Yachats, OR
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 Marfa. 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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