Higher Education in the Lubbock, TX Metro Area

Lubbock, TX Metro Area can be considered to have a moderately-educated population of the working age, with 25.8 percent of the population (+25) having received at least a Bachelors Degree, as reported in the 2005 American Community Survey. The Lubbock MSA has a higher percent of individuals with higher educations than the State of Texas's proportion of 25.2 percent and a lower percent than United States proportion of 27.2 percent.

From the years 2000 to 2005, the proportion of the male population that could be considered highly educated has decreased by 0.4 percent. As reported in 2005, 25.6 percent of the total male population, in the area, has obtained at least a Bachelors Degree. From 2000 to 2005, the percent of women with a Bachelors or Higher has increased by a total of 2.8 percent. By 2005, a total of 26 percent of the female population had achieved this level of education.

In 2005, the American Community Survey reported that in the Lubbock, TX Metro Area, a high proportion of the male population in the area have reached the High School Diploma category, with 29.8 percent receiving this level of education. The women in the Lubbock metro area have attainment on average a lower level of higher education (Bachelors or Higher) than men -- 25.6 percent (Men) versus 26 percent (Women). The most common level of education for women in the area is Some College or Associates Degree category, with 28 percent of the women population in the area achieving this level of education.

In the Lubbock, TX Metro Area according the 2005 American Community Survey, 28 percent of the White Alone, 11.4 percent of Black or African American, . percent of the Asian alone and 6 percent of the Hispanic or Latino (+25) population has achieved at least a Bachelors Degree.

From the year 2000, the Lubbock metro area has increased in the percent of the population that is over the age of 25 with a BA or Higher. This population cohort has grown by 1.4 percent to a total of 25.8 percent in 2005, according to the American Community Survey. The 2005 proportion of highly educated population is greater than the 2005 State of Texas percent of 25.2 and less than the average US percent of 27.2.

Datasource: U.S. Bureau of the Census. 2000 Decennial Census. 2005 American Community Survey.

Demographic Profile for Lubbock, TX

When measuring the total land area, the Lubbock metro area spans a total of 1799 square miles. The MSA has a medium-low density of 144 persons per square mile, in 2005. Similar metro areas, in terms of density, in the US include: -- more densely populated -- Florence (146 per sq. mile ), Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta (146 per sq. mile ), Columbus (147 per sq. mile ), -- less densely populated -- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario (143 per sq. mile ), Lafayette (143 per sq. mile ), Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol (142 per sq. mile ).

The Lubbock metro area had a population of 258,970 in 2005. The estimated population has increased, since the population in 2000 of 249,919. This growth denotes an increase of 3.6 percent. Lubbock ranks 14 of 25 MSAs when calculating total change in population for Texas and the metro area ranks 182 of 361 metro areas when calculating the total change in MSA population across the US.

In the year 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates the median age in the Lubbock metro area to be 30.9 years old. The median in Lubbock is less than the median age in the State of Texas of 33.2. Since 2000, the area has experienced an increase in the median, when the median age was 30.5 years of age. With a total of 14.1 percent of the 2005 population being comprised of individuals under the age of 18, Lubbock can be described as having a medium-high proportion of youths. The working age population group (18-64) has a medium-low representation within the population, making up 61.6 percent of the population makes up this age category. The retirement (65 and over) age group comprises 13.4 percent of the population in the area. When compared to other metro areas throughout the United States, this represents a medium-low proportion of the population.

The Lubbock metropolitan statistical area (MSA) has a population that is made up of 60.3 percent White, 7.2 percent African American, 1.3 percent Asian, and 30.1 percent Hispanic. The area population base can be described as having a high amount of racial and ethnic diversity, with 38.6 percent minorities. This is less than the State of Texas percent of 49.5. Since 2000, Lubbock has increased the level of diversity when 37.0 percent of the population were minorities.

Since the year 2000, a medium-high amount of people migrated into the Lubbock metro area, with 1,602 people migrating in from outside the country. The immigration into Lubbock accounts for 0.2 percent of the total migration into the State of Texas. This percent of international migration is medium-high when comparing levels of immigration per population in 2005.

Datasource: Population Estimates Program, U.S. Bureau of the Census.