1st Advantage MortgageChildress County households have a median income of $58,654 and median rent of $913 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- A quick profile of Childress County
- How much Childress County households make
- Work, industries and travel time in Childress County
- Housing costs in Childress County
- Childress County towns compared
- Childress County next to its neighbors
- What a median Childress County budget can carry
- Childress County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Before borrowing in Childress County
- Before you sign
- Licensing and complaints for Childress County
- More guides for Childress County
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Childress County
Childress County is home to about 6,743 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 189th most populous of 254 county-level areas in Texas. Spread over 697 square miles, that works out to roughly 9.7 residents per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Childress County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Childress, with about 5,834 people, is the only Census place mainly inside the county. Because Childress County is small, the survey's margins of error are wide; treat the numbers as approximate.
How much Childress County households make
Childress County households have a median income of $58,654 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 182nd of 254 in Texas.
| Income band | Share in Childress County | Difference from Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 28.8% | +7.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.2% | +3.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 18.4% | -8.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 9.6% | -2.9 pts |
Some 29% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 28% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 15.3%, 2 points higher than the state's 13.8%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.509 (0 is perfect equality). A household earning below the $58,654 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Work, industries and travel time in Childress County
By the Census industry count, 22% of employed Childress County residents work in education and health care and 21% in agriculture, forestry and mining. The sharpest difference from the state is in agriculture, forestry and mining, at 21% locally and 2% for Texas. Averaged over the five survey years, 0.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are common here: 16% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 4.7% of the total (5.4% statewide).
| Industry | Share of Childress County workers | vs Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.2% | +0.6 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 20.9% | +18.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 13.0% | +2.0 pts |
| Manufacturing | 9.3% | +0.7 pts |
| Construction | 8.7% | +0.1 pts |
| Public administration | 6.9% | +2.8 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Childress County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Housing costs in Childress County
Renters in Childress County pay a median of $913 a month, 35% below the Texas figure of $1,403. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 52% of renter households here. With a median value of $125,400, a typical Childress County house costs 2.1 times what the median household earns in a year. 71% of Childress County households own their home and 29% rent. Half the housing stock was built before 1963.
| Childress County | Texas | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $913/mo | $1,403/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $125,400 | $283,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 71% | 63% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 52% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 34% | 29% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 34% | 9% | n/a |
Rent pressure is real here, so run any payment through the debt-to-income calculator before you apply.
Childress County towns compared
Childress is the only Census place mainly inside Childress County, with about 5,834 of the county's 6,743 residents. Live in one of these Childress County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Childress | city | 5,834 | $57,644 | $910 | 7 mi |
Childress County next to its neighbors
Six nearby counties, 22 to 45 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $43,333 in Harmon County to $63,333 in Hardeman County; 4 of these neighbors top Childress County's median. Some neighbors are in Oklahoma. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Childress County resident follows Texas rules.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Childress County | - | $58,654 | $913/mo | 71% |
| Hall County, TX | 22 mi | $48,459 | $529/mo | 74% |
| Harmon County, OK | 26 mi | $43,333 | $694/mo | 70% |
| Cottle County, TX | 30 mi | $59,063 | $264/mo | 83% |
| Collingsworth County, TX | 31 mi | $61,280 | $714/mo | 74% |
| Hardeman County, TX | 31 mi | $63,333 | $684/mo | 74% |
| Foard County, TX | 45 mi | $61,563 | $572/mo | 76% |
What a median Childress County budget can carry
Childress County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- $58,654 a year is $4,888 of gross monthly income
- Less median rent of $913, which is 19% of it
- With a 35% ceiling, about $798 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
- Under a 45% cap, $2,200 total minus rent leaves $1,287
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Childress County residents: age, schooling, coverage
Degree holders: 12% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 14.2%, against 17.1% for Texas.
| Indicator | Childress County | All of Texas | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.9 | 35.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 11.8% | 33.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 20.6% | 14.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 14.2% | 17.1% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.7% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 1.1% | 14.4% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 15.3% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 0.5% | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 57.9% |
| 15 to 29 min | 5.2% |
| 30 to 44 min | 20.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 1.8% |
| 60+ min | 14.7% |
Before borrowing in Childress County
Based on the Childress County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Uninsured care. 14% lack coverage here; nonprofit hospitals must publish an assistance policy, so ask for it first (guide).
- Renters under pressure. When 52% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Childress County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
Before you sign
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Licensing and complaints for Childress County
The Texas Department of Banking is the place to verify any lender's Texas license. Consumer lending in Texas is also overseen by the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. More on Texas: Texas personal loans.
More guides for Childress County
For statewide rules and data, see the Texas guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Childress County household make?
About $58,654 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 25% below the Texas median.
What do renters pay in Childress County?
$913 a month at the median, about 19% of median household income.
I live in a small Childress County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Childress.
Can Childress County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Texas county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Childress County?
Start with the Texas Department of Banking, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.