1st Advantage MortgageBailey County households have a median income of $61,420 and median rent of $931 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Texas license first.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Bailey County
- What Bailey County households earn
- How Bailey County residents earn a living
- Housing costs in Bailey County
- Regional comparison for Bailey County
- Places inside Bailey County
- Room for a loan payment in Bailey County
- Who lives in Bailey County, in numbers
- What the numbers mean for Bailey County borrowers
- Before you sign
- Lender oversight for Bailey County
- More guides for Bailey County
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Bailey County
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Bailey County's population at 6,913; only 186 of Texas's 254 county-level areas are larger. Spread over 827 square miles, that works out to roughly 8.4 residents per square mile. Under the July 2023 OMB definitions, Bailey County is not part of any metropolitan area. Muleshoe, with about 5,667 people, is the only Census place mainly inside the county. Small populations mean wide margins of error, so read every Bailey County figure on this page as a rough guide.
What Bailey County households earn
The median household income in Bailey County is $61,420; statewide it is $78,476, so Bailey County runs 22% below Texas as a whole. Only 149 Texas counties post a higher median.
| Yearly household income | Bailey County | Gap to Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 30.3% | +8.9 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 35.8% | -3.6 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 29.2% | +2.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 4.8% | -7.7 pts |
About 30% of households earn under $35,000, while 34% clear $100,000. 12.0% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 13.8%). If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Bailey County median.
How Bailey County residents earn a living
The biggest employer of Bailey County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 25% of workers, followed by agriculture, forestry and mining (18%). The sharpest difference from the state is in agriculture, forestry and mining, at 18% locally and 2% for Texas. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 0.0% in Bailey County. 12% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 7% work from home.
| Top industries | Bailey County share | +/- vs Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.3% | +3.7 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 17.7% | +15.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 15.7% | +4.7 pts |
| Manufacturing | 14.9% | +6.4 pts |
| Information | 4.7% | +3.1 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 4.0% | -2.7 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Housing costs in Bailey County
A typical Bailey County rental runs $931 a month including utilities, which is 34% below Texas. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 44% of renter households here. With a median value of $105,300, a typical Bailey County house costs 1.7 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 80%. Half the housing stock was built before 1969.
| Home costs | Bailey County | Texas | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $931/mo | $1,403/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $105,300 | $283,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 80% | 63% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 44% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 14% | 29% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 3.0% | 6.4% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 19% | 9% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Bailey County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Regional comparison for Bailey County
Six nearby counties, 28 to 46 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Parmer County leads the group on income ($69,735), Cochran County trails ($45,313), and Bailey County out-earns 4 of the six. Some neighbors are in New Mexico. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Bailey County resident follows Texas rules.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bailey County | - | $61,420 | $931/mo | 80% |
| Lamb County, TX | 28 mi | $60,760 | $968/mo | 74% |
| Cochran County, TX | 32 mi | $45,313 | $697/mo | 65% |
| Parmer County, TX | 32 mi | $69,735 | $1,081/mo | 72% |
| Roosevelt County, NM | 38 mi | $52,685 | $898/mo | 61% |
| Hockley County, TX | 42 mi | $63,140 | $850/mo | 72% |
| Curry County, NM | 46 mi | $57,309 | $1,024/mo | 63% |
Places inside Bailey County
Muleshoe is the only Census place mainly inside Bailey County, with about 5,667 of the county's 6,913 residents. Muleshoe has no separate guide, so this county page serves it.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muleshoe | city | 5,667 | $69,097 | $938 | 13 mi |
Room for a loan payment in Bailey County
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Bailey County's medians:
- Median income divided by twelve: $5,118 before taxes
- Median rent: $931, or 18 cents of every gross dollar
- 35% debt-to-income limit: $860 left for all other debt payments
- 45% debt-to-income limit: $1,372 left for all other debt payments
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Who lives in Bailey County, in numbers
Degree holders: 15% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 28.6%, against 17.1% for Texas.
| Bailey County | Texas | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.3 | 35.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 15.2% | 33.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 25.7% | 14.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 28.6% | 17.1% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 10.2% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 14.4% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 0.0% | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Bailey County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 50.4% |
| 15 to 29 min | 21.5% |
| 30 to 44 min | 15.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 8.1% |
| 60+ min | 4.3% |
What the numbers mean for Bailey County borrowers
A few patterns in the Bailey County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Medical bills. 29% of Bailey County residents are uninsured. Before borrowing for care, ask the provider about financial assistance and payment plans.
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Bailey County borrower sees (free reports).
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
Before you sign
Before you apply, wherever you live in Bailey County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Texas borrowers.
- Ask a Bailey County credit union about member loans.
Lender oversight for Bailey County
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Bailey County borrowers answers to the Texas Department of Banking. The Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner handles consumer-credit questions as well. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. More on Texas: Texas personal loans.
More guides for Bailey County
The Texas guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Bailey County household make?
About $61,420 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 22% below the Texas median.
How much is rent in Bailey County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $931 a month; 44% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I own my home in Bailey County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 80% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
I live in a small Bailey County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Muleshoe.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Bailey County or elsewhere in Texas, the same rules apply.