Panola County, TX Demographics

Population 22,726 · Census ACS 2020–24

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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Panola County, TX map of median age by neighborhood
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Population and households in Panola County

Household size in Panola County

Household size, people per household
PeriodPanola CountyTexasU.S.
2006–102.682.872.68
2010–142.622.932.73
2015–192.672.952.71
2020–242.522.832.65
Change−0.16−0.05−0.03
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The average household in Panola County has 2.52 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has dropped from 2.68 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the northwest and smallest in the southeast.

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 Panola County

Median age, years
PeriodPanola CountyTexasU.S.
2006–1041.534.737.7
2010–1439.535.438.6
2015–1940.936.139.6
2020–2442.136.740.1
Change+0.6+2.0+2.3
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Panola County skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.1, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has crept up from 41.5 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.

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 Panola County

Single-parent households, % of households
PeriodPanola CountyTexasU.S.
2006–1013.0%13.7%12.3%
2010–1414.0%13.7%12.3%
2015–1914.1%13.1%11.6%
2020–2410.0%12.9%11.6%
Change−3.0 pts−0.8 pts−0.6 pts
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Single parents head about one in ten households in Panola County (10.0%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.0 points, a much bigger shift than 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 Panola County

Renters in Panola County

Renters, % of occupied homes
PeriodPanola CountyTexasU.S.
2006–1019.0%35.2%33.3%
2010–1420.3%37.3%35.6%
2015–1923.3%38.0%36.0%
2020–2420.1%37.4%34.8%
Change+1.1 pts+2.3 pts+1.5 pts
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Only 20.1% of households in Panola County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 58.4% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the northeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 1.1 points, 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 Panola County

Vacant homes, % of all homes
PeriodPanola CountyTexasU.S.
2006–1020.1%11.8%11.4%
2010–1417.7%10.9%11.4%
2015–1923.1%10.9%11.1%
2020–2418.0%9.4%9.6%
Change−2.2 pts−2.4 pts−1.8 pts
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Vacancy is high in Panola County: 18.0% 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.2 points, as it has nationally.

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 Panola County

Age of homes, median year built
PeriodPanola CountyTexasU.S.
2006–10197119831974
2010–14197819851975
2015–19198219871977
2020–24198519921980
Change+14+8+6
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Homes in Panola County are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1985, versus 1980 across the U.S. Still, 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 1971 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, 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 Panola County

Rent, per month
PeriodPanola CountyTexasU.S.
2006–10$617$921$965
2010–14$677$1,005$1,040
2015–19$786$1,178$1,213
2020–24$891$1,560$1,571
Change+$273+$639+$606
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A typical rental in Panola County costs $891 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $273 a month since 2006–10, up 44%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 27.4% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the northwest; the most affordable are in the center.

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 Panola County

Bachelor's degrees in Panola County

Bachelor's degrees, % of adults 25+
PeriodPanola CountyTexasU.S.
2006–1012.2%27.0%28.4%
2010–1411.6%27.9%29.6%
2015–1916.6%30.0%32.1%
2020–2417.5%34.0%35.6%
Change+5.3 pts+7.1 pts+7.2 pts
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Fewer adults in Panola County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 17.5%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 5.3 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.

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 Panola County

High school graduates, % of adults 25+
PeriodPanola CountyTexasU.S.
2006–1081.4%80.7%84.9%
2010–1484.0%82.0%86.1%
2015–1982.5%83.6%87.7%
2020–2486.2%85.8%89.3%
Change+4.8 pts+5.1 pts+4.3 pts
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About one in seven adults in Panola County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Texas as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.8 points, mirroring the country.

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 Panola County

Unemployment, % of the labor force
PeriodPanola CountyTexasU.S.
2006–105.8%7.0%8.1%
2010–144.7%7.7%9.4%
2015–195.0%5.1%5.6%
2020–242.6%5.3%5.4%
Change−3.2 pts−1.7 pts−2.7 pts
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The job market in Panola County has been strong: just 2.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 3.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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).

Panola County compared with nearby counties

CountyHousehold sizeMedian ageSingle parentsRentersVacant homesMedian year builtMedian rentBachelor's degreeHigh school diplomaUnemployment
Panola County2.5242.110.0%20.1%18.0%1985$89117.5%86.2%2.6%
Rusk County2.6840.110.0%21.2%15.2%1982$1,03318.1%84.9%4.3%
De Soto Parish2.6839.812.5%22.8%18.0%1989$73716.1%85.6%6.6%
Red River Parish2.4142.613.4%22.7%13.3%1983$78113.9%83.1%5.4%
Henderson County2.5544.111.1%22.2%17.4%1989$1,06720.3%88.0%4.9%
Jackson Parish2.6142.013.7%30.0%23.4%1979$79914.4%85.7%8.1%
Navarro County2.8637.912.1%30.6%13.5%1983$1,11918.0%78.8%4.6%
Caldwell Parish2.4940.217.4%31.1%19.6%1987$98311.7%81.6%10.1%
Franklin Parish2.5240.815.5%26.8%15.7%1979$83218.2%80.8%7.9%
Somervell County2.5444.312.3%20.0%7.7%1993$77028.8%92.0%3.9%
Erath County2.4233.28.7%36.9%10.1%1990$1,24328.9%88.6%6.1%

All figures 2020–24.

Counties with similar populations: Lewis County, NY · Lawrence County, SD · Le Sueur County, MN · Leake County, MS · Lee County, SC · Lee County, TX · Lee County, VA · Leelanau County, MI · Leflore County, MS · Leon County, TX

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 Panola 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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