Willacy County, Texas
Located in Texas, Willacy County has a population of 20,139 residents and a median age of 34.3 years, making it the #1,873 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 24.0%. The median home value is $73,600, and the median household income is $54,180, which is 28% below the national median.
Demographics
Willacy County has a population of 20,139, making it the #1,873 most populous county in the US. The median age is 34.3 years, which is 11.8% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Willacy County is $54,180, ranking #2,522 out of 3,222 counties — 27.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 24.0% and unemployment stands at 7.5%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Willacy County is $73,600 (-73.9% vs national). Renters pay a median of $809/mo and the homeownership rate is 74.7%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Willacy County, 14.0% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 58.3% below the national average, ranking #2,927 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Willacy County is 72.8 years. 36.8% of adults report poor or fair health and 21.6% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
17.7% of adults in Willacy County smoke , 48.8% are obese , and 16.7% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 11.9 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 22.3 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
34.9% of children in Willacy County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 37.0 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Willacy County is 37.3%. The mean commute time is 21.3 min, which is 22.9% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Willacy County voted Republican with a margin of 3.3%. The vote was 48% Dem / 51.3% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 15.3 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Willacy County, Texas
Willacy County, Texas has a total population of 20,139, making it the 1,873rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Willacy County is 34.3 years, which is 11.8% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Willacy County is $54,180, which ranks #2,522 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 27.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 24.0%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 7.5%.
The median home value in Willacy County is $73,600, 73.9% below the national median. Renters in Willacy County pay a median gross rent of $809 per month. The homeownership rate is 74.7%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Willacy County, 14.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 58.3% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 76.1% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 21.3 min.
Willacy County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is Hispanic or Latino at 87.3% of the population, followed by White (non-Hispanic) (9.8%) and Black (non-Hispanic) (1.5%).
All data for Willacy County, Texas comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.