Texas Demographics 2026: Population, Income, Race & Trends Explained, Population Review

Population & Growth

Texas's 29,640,343 residents make it the 2nd-most populous US state. Over the long term, the state has been gaining population — +703.0% from 1910 to 2024.

Population density: 113 people per square mile. By comparison, the US national average is roughly 94/sq mi, while New Jersey leads with ~1,260/sq mi and Alaska is the lowest at ~1.3/sq mi.

Race & Ethnicity

By Census ACS classification, Texas is:

53.9% White (alone)
12.2% Black or African American
0.0% Asian
2.0% Hispanic or Latino (any race)
0.0% two or more races

Hispanic/Latino is counted as an ethnicity separate from race under Census methodology, so totals can exceed 100% in some breakdowns. The full racial composition (including Native Hawaiian, American Indian, etc.) is available on the Texas state page.

Income & Economy

Median household income in Texas is $76,292, with per-capita income at $39,446. 10.5% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Unemployment rate: 3.3%.

Income is concentrated in metro counties — see the county-level rankings on the cities ranking page and counties ranking page for sub-state variation.

Age & Households

Median age in Texas: 35.5 years (US median ~39). The population is 49.9% male and 50.1% female. Texas is among the younger states by median age — typically driven by higher birth rates or in-migration of working-age adults.

Largest Cities in Texas

Houston city — population 2,300,419
San Antonio city — population 1,458,954
Dallas city — population 1,299,553
Austin city — population 967,862
Fort Worth city — population 941,311

Largest Counties in Texas

Harris County — population 4,758,579
Dallas County — population 2,603,816
Tarrant County — population 2,135,743
Bexar County — population 2,037,344
Travis County — population 1,307,625

How Texas Compares Nationally

By population: ranked 2nd of 50 states. By median household income: see the richest states ranking. By population growth: see fastest growing states. By cost of living: see cheapest states to live.

See the complete Texas state page with full demographic breakdown, age pyramid, languages, education, housing, and commute data →

Frequently Asked Questions

Texas has a population of 29,640,343 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, ranking 2nd among the 50 states. Population density is 113 people per square mile.

Texas is gaining population, with a +703.0% change since 1910 (3,896,542 → 29,640,343). This is reported via Census ACS rolling 5-year estimates; for monthly/annual estimates between Census years, see the Census Population Estimates Program.

53.9% of Texas's population identifies as White, 12.2% as Black or African American, 0.0% as Asian, and 2.0% as Hispanic or Latino (any race). Hispanic/Latino is counted as an ethnicity separate from race under Census methodology, so totals may exceed 100%.

Median household income in Texas is $76,292 per the 2023 ACS. Per-capita income: $39,446. 10.5% of residents live below the federal poverty line.

The median age in Texas is 35.5 years. The population is 49.9% male and 50.1% female. Age distribution and population pyramids by 5-year age bands are visible on the Texas state page.

The largest cities in Texas by population: Houston city (2,300,419), San Antonio city (1,458,954), Dallas city (1,299,553), Austin city (967,862), Fort Worth city (941,311).

California is the most populous US state at roughly 39 million, followed by Texas (~30M), Florida (~22M), New York (~20M), and Pennsylvania (~13M). Texas ranks 2nd. Detailed rankings update each ACS release cycle.

Across recent Census Population Estimates, West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Illinois have shown the largest sustained population declines. Texas's own trend is gaining. National state-by-state rankings are published annually by the Census Population Estimates Program.

All demographic data on this page comes from the US Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, currently the 2023 release. Historical population figures use Census Population Estimates Program annual estimates. Data is public domain and freely available at census.gov.