Population 11,144 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ward County
Household size in Ward County
| Period | Ward County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.73 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.75 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.90 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.53 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.20 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Ward County run a little small, averaging 2.53 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.73, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the north and smallest in the south.
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 Ward County
| Period | Ward County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.4 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.6 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.4 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.1 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.3 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Ward County is young: half of its residents are under 35.1, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has dropped from 36.4 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 Ward County
| Period | Ward County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.7% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.9% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in seven households in Ward County (14.9%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged up 1.2 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Ward County has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of 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 Ward County
Renters in Ward County
| Period | Ward County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.0% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.2% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.5% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.5% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.5 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Ward County is largely a place of homeowners: only 21.5% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 70.7% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 4.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Ward County
| Period | Ward County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.8% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.1% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.4% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.6% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.2 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 14.6% of the housing in Ward 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 4.2 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Ward County
| Period | Ward County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1966 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1969 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1972 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +8 | +6 |
Housing in Ward County leans older: the median home dates to 1972, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1966 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Ward County
| Period | Ward County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $528 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $596 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $904 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,179 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$651 | +$639 | +$606 |
Rent in Ward County runs $1,179 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $651 a month since 2006–10, up 123%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 26.6% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the south; the most affordable are in the northeast.
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 Ward County
Bachelor's degrees in Ward County
| Period | Ward County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.3% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 12.9% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.9% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Ward County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 12.9%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 2.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of Texas' 254 counties, only 20 have a lower 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 Ward County
| Period | Ward County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 69.7% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 72.2% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 79.2% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 78.3% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.6 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
More than one in five adults in Ward County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 78.3% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 8.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Ward 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 Ward County
| Period | Ward County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.7% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.1% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Ward County has been low: just 2.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Ward 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ward County | 2.53 | 35.1 | 14.9% | 21.5% | 14.6% | 1972 | $1,179 | 12.9% | 78.3% | 2.8% |
| Crane County | 2.92 | 37.3 | 7.9% | 16.2% | 12.7% | 1977 | $877 | 13.9% | 73.8% | 5.5% |
| Tom Green County | 2.50 | 39.1 | 12.6% | 34.9% | 11.5% | 1981 | $1,263 | 25.3% | 87.6% | 3.7% |
| Mills County | 2.43 | 47.1 | 10.8% | 19.7% | 29.8% | 1980 | $686 | 27.7% | 88.3% | 2.8% |
| McLennan County | 2.70 | 36.3 | 12.5% | 38.2% | 10.4% | 1984 | $1,301 | 30.0% | 88.2% | 4.3% |
| Limestone County | 2.60 | 42.8 | 14.1% | 27.9% | 17.8% | 1983 | $1,008 | 19.0% | 86.1% | 3.5% |
| Cochise County | 2.47 | 44.7 | 11.1% | 29.0% | 14.0% | 1986 | $1,026 | 28.4% | 89.1% | 7.0% |
| Santa Cruz County | 2.94 | 39.2 | 16.9% | 30.7% | 10.0% | 1990 | $997 | 22.0% | 76.2% | 12.6% |
| Nacogdoches County | 2.43 | 36.1 | 14.0% | 40.7% | 12.6% | 1984 | $1,036 | 28.3% | 85.6% | 6.6% |
| San Augustine County | 2.68 | 50.9 | 11.6% | 24.9% | 35.2% | 1986 | $619 | 13.7% | 83.7% | 9.4% |
| Sabine Parish | 2.53 | 43.0 | 13.6% | 19.7% | 31.6% | 1986 | $812 | 14.7% | 87.0% | 6.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Glascock County, GA · Gates County, NC · Gem County, ID · Gentry County, MO · Gilchrist County, FL · Giles County, VA · Gilliam County, OR · Gilmer County, WV · Gilpin County, CO · Glacier County, MT
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 Ward 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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