Zapata County, Texas
Located in Texas, Zapata County has a population of 13,841 residents and a median age of 32.3 years, making it the #2,234 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 38.4%. The median home value is $97,100, and the median household income is $39,239, which is 48% below the national median.
Demographics
Zapata County has a population of 13,841, making it the #2,234 most populous county in the US. The median age is 32.3 years, which is 17.0% 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 Zapata County is $39,239, ranking #3,086 out of 3,222 counties — 47.8% below the national median. The poverty rate is 38.4% and unemployment stands at 7.3%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Zapata County is $97,100 (-65.6% vs national). Renters pay a median of $617/mo and the homeownership rate is 72.0%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Zapata County, 15.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 55.0% below the national average, ranking #2,791 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Zapata County is 74.7 years. 41.0% of adults report poor or fair health and 23.7% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
20.6% of adults in Zapata County smoke , 46.1% are obese , and 15.5% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 14.5 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 13.1 per 100,000.
Motor Vehicle Deaths Trend
Families & Children
43.9% of children in Zapata County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 36.7 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Zapata County is 53.7%. The mean commute time is 25.3 min, which is 8.4% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Zapata County voted Republican with a margin of 22.5%. The vote was 38.5% Dem / 61% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 17.1 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Zapata County, Texas
Zapata County, Texas has a total population of 13,841, making it the 2,234th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Zapata County is 32.3 years, which is 17.0% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Zapata County is $39,239, which ranks #3,086 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 47.8% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 38.4%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 7.3%.
The median home value in Zapata County is $97,100, 65.6% below the national median. Renters in Zapata County pay a median gross rent of $617 per month. The homeownership rate is 72.0%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Zapata County, 15.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 55.0% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 72.4% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 25.3 min.
Zapata County is a community. The largest racial or ethnic group is Hispanic or Latino at 93.9% of the population, followed by White (non-Hispanic) (4.8%).
All data for Zapata 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.