Income and Poverty in the State of Texas

According to the 2000 Census, the counties in the State of Texas range, in terms of total household income, from a high of $82,877 in Collin County to a low of $19,310 in Starr County.

Top ten counties in highest household income in the State of Texas
Total Annual Household Income (Adjusted to 2005 Dollars)

1. Collin County ($82,877)
2. Rockwall County ($76,242 )
3. Fort Bend County ($74,682)
4. Williamson County ($70,951)
5. Denton County ($68,113)
6. Montgomery County ($59,511)
7. Ellis County ($58,910)
8. Kendall County ($57,940)
9. Brazoria County ($56,899)
10. Chambers County ($56,118)


The poverty rate in the State of Texas has increased by 2.2 percent since the 2000 rates, moving from 15.4 percent to 17.6 percent.

Black or African American headed households had median income levels that were 26.6 percent less than the total 2000 reported median, with a their median reported to be $34,287. It was reported in 2000 that the Asian headed households had median household incomes of $58,557. This income level is 25.3 percent greater than the reported median household income for all households in the state. Hispanic households in Texas, as reported in 2000, had a median household income of $34,951, which is 25.2 percent less than the reported median household income for all households in the area. The American Indian and Alaska Native headed households in Texas reported a median household income of $40,863, which was 12.5 percent less than the median income level in this area. In the State of Texas, White householders had a median household income (in 2005 Dollars) of $50,241 as reported in 2000 by the census, which was 7.5 percent greater than the median in the year 2000.

When compared to other States throughout the United States, the State of Texas was reported to have a medium-low median income for all households of $46,715 (2005 Dollars). This median is 5.2 percent lower than the median household income in the United States of $49,133.

As the median household income witnessed a decline since 2000 in the State of Texas, the Race/Ethnicity group that went through the most dramatic decline in median household income was the American Indian and Alaska Native category. This category saw a decline of 39.4 percent since the year 2000. The White population category was least influenced by the median household income decline in Texas, experiencing a 34.3 percent increase in median household income from 2000 to 2005.

Evaluated with other States across the nation, the State of Texas may be understood as having a relatively high poverty rate amid the residents with a poverty rate of 15.4 percent of people living in a family with an income below the poverty level in 1999. The Hispanic race/ethnicity population cohort, has the uppermost poverty rate with 25.4 percent of the people in 2000 living in poverty. The population that is aged Under 5 years have the most percent of people living in poverty in Texas, reporting 22.4 percent of the population in this age category living in poverty.

According to the 2000 Census, the counties in the State of Texas range, in terms of rate a poverty, from a high of 50.9 percent in Starr County to a low of . percent in Loving County.

Top ten counties in terms of poverty rate in the State of Texas
Total Percent of Population Living Below Poverty

1. Starr County (50.9 percent)
2. Zavala County (41.8 )
3. Brooks County (40.2 percent)
4. Presidio County (36.4 percent)
5. Hidalgo County (35.9 percent)
6. Zapata County (35.8 percent)
7. Hudspeth County (35.8 percent)
8. Maverick County (34.8 percent)
9. Dimmit County (33.2 percent)
10. Willacy County (33.2 percent)


The median household income in the area has declined from the 2000 values (inflation adjusted). The median income has decreased to $42,139, representing a 9.8 percent decline. The State of Texas ranks 6 of 46 states when comparing the decline in household income across the nation.

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