Population 3,955 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Mason County
Household size in Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.56 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.42 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.46 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.27 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.29 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Mason County is a place of small households, averaging 2.27 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 2.56, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next. Few Texas counties have smaller households: only 17 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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.8 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 50.9 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.5 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 51.8 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +7.0 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 51.8, Mason County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Few Texas counties are older: only 12 of 254.
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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.8% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.0% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −7.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Mason County: 2.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Only one other Texas county has a lower 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 Mason County
Renters in Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.2% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.9% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.4% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 20.3% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Mason County is largely a place of homeowners: only 20.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Nearly two-thirds of owners (64.4%) have paid off their mortgages, 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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.5% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.7% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 35.6% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.6% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.9 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Mason County: 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. Mason County has a higher vacancy rate than at least four in five 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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1951 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1962 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +26 | +8 | +6 |
Homes in Mason County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1977, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in Texas overall, where the median home dates to 1992.
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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $585 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $564 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $842 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $731 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$146 | +$639 | +$606 |
The median renter in Mason County pays $731 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 24.9% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Mason County has lower rents than the great majority of Texas counties.
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 Mason County
Bachelor's degrees in Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.2% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.6% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.6% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 37.2% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.0 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Mason County as nationally: 37.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is higher than in Texas as a whole (34.0%). Only 14 of Texas' 254 counties have a higher share of college graduates.
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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.7% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.0% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.0% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 82.7% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Mason County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 82.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Compared with other Texas counties, Mason County has a lower share of high school graduates than most.
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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.8% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.2% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Mason County runs below the national rate: 4.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% 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).
Mason 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason County | 2.27 | 51.8 | 2.0% | 20.3% | 28.6% | 1977 | $731 | 37.2% | 82.7% | 4.1% |
| Llano County | 2.14 | 54.7 | 9.7% | 23.5% | 27.8% | 1990 | $1,091 | 31.8% | 90.0% | 3.8% |
| Burnet County | 2.49 | 45.5 | 8.3% | 23.7% | 15.2% | 1995 | $1,242 | 27.9% | 88.6% | 2.7% |
| Schleicher County | 2.42 | 42.0 | 12.9% | 15.7% | 25.4% | 1977 | $649 | 17.7% | 80.2% | 5.7% |
| Crockett County | 2.56 | 41.5 | 4.3% | 26.3% | 24.0% | 1975 | $558 | 15.8% | 56.5% | 0.1% |
| Milam County | 2.49 | 42.7 | 8.5% | 23.1% | 13.1% | 1984 | $1,106 | 20.4% | 88.9% | 5.2% |
| Brazos County | 2.48 | 30.1 | 10.7% | 53.2% | 11.6% | 1998 | $1,405 | 50.2% | 91.1% | 6.7% |
| Pecos County | 2.60 | 37.3 | 14.5% | 28.0% | 11.2% | 1984 | $888 | 15.8% | 83.5% | 2.3% |
| Walker County | 2.57 | 37.9 | 9.3% | 43.5% | 16.9% | 1989 | $1,026 | 22.7% | 85.0% | 10.5% |
| Polk County | 2.59 | 44.4 | 13.9% | 21.9% | 24.8% | 1990 | $1,027 | 17.6% | 83.8% | 9.6% |
| Jeff Davis County | 1.93 | 52.2 | 8.0% | 12.0% | 35.8% | 1991 | $1,258 | 35.5% | 92.2% | 0.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Oliver County, ND · Mineral County, CO · Mineral County, MT · Mineral County, NV · Mississippi County, MO · Mitchell County, IA · Mitchell County, KS · Mitchell County, TX · Modoc County, CA · Moffat 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 Mason 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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