Population 241,740 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Smith County
Household size in Smith County
| Period | Smith County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.68 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.71 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.90 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.94 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.26 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Smith County are large by national standards, averaging 2.94 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Household size has climbed from 2.68 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
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 Smith County
| Period | Smith County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.8 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.5 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.2 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.7 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
At 38.7, the median age in Smith County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is older than in Texas as a whole, where the median age is 36.7. The median age has climbed from 36.8 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 Smith County
| Period | Smith County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.7% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.1% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Smith County than nationally: 13.1%, against 11.6%. The picture is much the same across Texas. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 0.7 points, even as the national share fell.
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 Smith County
Renters in Smith County
| Period | Smith County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.6% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.1% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.6% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 31.2% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Smith County own their homes; 31.2% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 47.5% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the east; owners are most common in the southwest. The renter share is up 0.6 points from 2006–10, 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 Smith County
| Period | Smith County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.4% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.3% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Smith County: 17.3% 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. Vacancy is up 6.8 points from 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 Smith County
| Period | Smith County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1983 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +8 | +6 |
Homes in Smith County are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1986, versus 1980 across the U.S. Even so, 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 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the center.
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 Smith County
| Period | Smith County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $811 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $923 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $997 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,291 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$480 | +$639 | +$606 |
The median renter in Smith County pays $1,291 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $480 a month since 2006–10, up 59%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.0% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the north.
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 Smith County
Bachelor's degrees in Smith County
| Period | Smith County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.1% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.1% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.6% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.5% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Smith County than nationally: 28.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 4.4 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the northeast.
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 Smith County
| Period | Smith County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.8% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.2% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.5% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.4% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Smith County have finished high school as nationally: 88.4%, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in Texas as a whole (85.8%). The share with a diploma has risen 4.6 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 Smith County
| Period | Smith County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Smith County than nationally: unemployment was 4.1%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 3.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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).
Smith 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith County | 2.94 | 38.7 | 13.1% | 31.2% | 17.3% | 1986 | $1,291 | 28.5% | 88.4% | 4.1% |
| Gregg County | 2.62 | 37.5 | 16.7% | 39.7% | 11.5% | 1980 | $1,181 | 22.6% | 86.9% | 3.9% |
| Henderson County | 2.55 | 44.1 | 11.1% | 22.2% | 17.4% | 1989 | $1,067 | 20.3% | 88.0% | 4.9% |
| Caddo Parish | 2.42 | 40.8 | 17.6% | 39.8% | 15.0% | 1977 | $1,028 | 26.0% | 88.0% | 9.0% |
| Ellis County | 2.99 | 36.9 | 11.9% | 24.2% | 5.7% | 1999 | $1,749 | 30.7% | 88.5% | 4.5% |
| Johnson County | 3.02 | 38.0 | 9.6% | 25.3% | 8.8% | 1997 | $1,492 | 26.6% | 87.9% | 3.3% |
| Bienville Parish | 2.29 | 45.3 | 11.4% | 29.8% | 19.5% | 1979 | $571 | 13.2% | 86.9% | 7.1% |
| Somervell County | 2.54 | 44.3 | 12.3% | 20.0% | 7.7% | 1993 | $770 | 28.8% | 92.0% | 3.9% |
| Hood County | 2.57 | 47.2 | 7.0% | 18.8% | 11.9% | 1996 | $1,676 | 32.2% | 92.0% | 4.9% |
| Jackson Parish | 2.61 | 42.0 | 13.7% | 30.0% | 23.4% | 1979 | $799 | 14.4% | 85.7% | 8.1% |
| Erath County | 2.42 | 33.2 | 8.7% | 36.9% | 10.1% | 1990 | $1,243 | 28.9% | 88.6% | 6.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Montgomery County, TN · Kitsap County, WA · Luzerne County, PA · Mahoning County, OH · McHenry County, IL · McLennan County, TX · Merced County, CA · Minnehaha County, SD · Mohave County, AZ · Montgomery County, AL
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 Smith 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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