1st Advantage MortgageIn Cochran County, Texas, the typical household earns $45,313 a year and the typical rent is $697. 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
- Cochran County by the numbers
- What Cochran County households earn
- Housing costs in Cochran County
- Work, industries and travel time in Cochran County
- Towns and communities in Cochran County
- Counties near Cochran County
- Cochran County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Local borrowing considerations for Cochran County
- Budget math at the Cochran County median
- Licensing and complaints for Cochran County
- Before you sign
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Cochran County by the numbers
Roughly 2,550 residents live in Cochran County, Texas, 228th by population among the state's 254 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 775 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 3 per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Lubbock, TX metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Morton is the biggest of its 3 Census places, at roughly 1,513 people (59% of the county total). Small populations mean wide margins of error, so read every Cochran County figure on this page as a rough guide.
What Cochran County households earn
Half of Cochran County households take in less than $45,313 a year and half take in more, 42% below the Texas median of $78,476. In the state ranking that is 239th of 254.
| Yearly household income | Cochran County | Gap to Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 41.1% | +19.7 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.0% | +3.6 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 13.7% | -13.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 2.3% | -10.2 pts |
About 41% of households earn under $35,000, while 16% clear $100,000. 27.8% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 13.8%). The Gini index of income inequality is 0.477 (0 is perfect equality). A household earning below the $45,313 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Housing costs in Cochran County
A typical Cochran County rental runs $697 a month including utilities, which is 50% below Texas. 31% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 12% spend half or more. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $53,200, about 1.2 times the median household income. 65% of Cochran County households own their home and 35% rent.
| Home costs | Cochran County | Texas | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $697/mo | $1,403/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $53,200 | $283,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 65% | 63% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 31% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 18% | 29% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 27% | 9% | n/a |
Work, industries and travel time in Cochran County
By the Census industry count, 22% of employed Cochran County residents work in agriculture, forestry and mining and 19% in education and health care. Compared with Texas, the county leans toward agriculture, forestry and mining (22% against 2%). Averaged over the five survey years, 4.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 15% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 5% work from home.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Cochran County | Gap to Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 22.0% | +19.7 pts |
| Education and health care | 19.2% | -2.4 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 12.0% | +5.2 pts |
| Construction | 9.7% | +1.2 pts |
| Public administration | 9.2% | +5.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 7.8% | -3.2 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
Towns and communities in Cochran County
The table lists the 3 largest of 3 Census places in Cochran County, by population. Together all 3 hold about 2,004 people, so roughly 21% of residents live outside any named place. None of the 3 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morton | city | 1,513 | $38,438 | $687 | 9 mi |
| Whiteface | town | 361 | $39,821 | $1,025 | 13 mi |
| Bledsoe | CDP | 130 | $27,375 | n/a | 11 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
Counties near Cochran County
Six nearby counties, 28 to 47 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $44,100 in Terry County to $84,925 in Yoakum County; 5 of these neighbors top Cochran County's median. Some neighbors are in New Mexico. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Cochran County resident follows Texas rules.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cochran County | - | $45,313 | $697/mo | 65% |
| Hockley County, TX | 28 mi | $63,140 | $850/mo | 72% |
| Yoakum County, TX | 31 mi | $84,925 | $973/mo | 67% |
| Bailey County, TX | 32 mi | $61,420 | $931/mo | 80% |
| Terry County, TX | 41 mi | $44,100 | $817/mo | 67% |
| Lamb County, TX | 42 mi | $60,760 | $968/mo | 74% |
| Roosevelt County, NM | 47 mi | $52,685 | $898/mo | 61% |
Cochran County residents: age, schooling, coverage
8% of Cochran County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 27% go without health insurance.
| Residents | Cochran County | Texas | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 35.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 8.2% | 33.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 33.9% | 14.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 27.2% | 17.1% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.4% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 4.6% | 14.4% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 27.8% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.8% | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 42.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 12.5% |
| 30 to 44 min | 30.6% |
| 45 to 59 min | 6.2% |
| 60+ min | 8.4% |
Local borrowing considerations for Cochran County
What the Cochran County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Health costs. With 27% of the county uninsured, an interest-free hospital payment plan usually beats a loan (medical bills).
- Assistance before credit. With a 28% poverty rate, check no-cost options before any Cochran County loan.
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Cochran County borrower sees (free reports).
Budget math at the Cochran County median
Here is the Cochran County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- Median income divided by twelve: $3,776 before taxes
- Less median rent of $697, which is 18% of it
- 36% debt-to-income limit: $662 left for all other debt payments
If your rent is above $697, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Licensing and complaints for Cochran County
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Cochran County borrowers answers to the Texas Department of Banking. Consumer lending in Texas is also overseen by the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. Statewide data and rules: Texas guide.
Before you sign
Quick steps for Cochran County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- A Texas license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Texas guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cochran County a high-income county?
Its $45,313 median ranks 239th of 254 Texas counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How much is rent in Cochran County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $697 a month; 31% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I live in a small Cochran County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Morton, Whiteface, Bledsoe.
Will a Cochran County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Texas as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Is there a Cochran County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Texas it is the Texas Department of Banking.