1st Advantage MortgageAbout 67% of Deaf Smith County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $60,799. Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in Texas before sharing details.
On this page
- A quick profile of Deaf Smith County
- What stands out in Deaf Smith County
- Household income in Deaf Smith County
- The Deaf Smith County job picture
- Where Deaf Smith County households live
- Towns and communities in Deaf Smith County
- Deaf Smith County next to its neighbors
- Deaf Smith County demographics against Texas
- $5,067 a month: the Deaf Smith County median budget
- What the numbers mean for Deaf Smith County borrowers
- Texas lender licensing
- Steps before you apply in Deaf Smith County
- Other Texas guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Deaf Smith County
Deaf Smith County is home to about 18,460 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 130th most populous of 254 county-level areas in Texas. Spread over 1,497 square miles, that works out to roughly 12.3 residents per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Of the 1 Census place inside Deaf Smith County, Hereford leads by population with about 14,840.
What stands out in Deaf Smith County
The 3 Deaf Smith County numbers that rank furthest from typical in Texas, and what each means for a borrower:
- On median age, Deaf Smith County sits near the bottom of Texas at 31.3, 14th lowest of 254. A young county means many first-time borrowers; read every fee line.
- Few Texas counties match Deaf Smith County on the share of adults with a bachelor's degree: 11% here, 34% for the state, ranking 13th lowest of 253. No degree is required for a personal loan; documented income is.
- The share of workers who work from home: 2.5% in Deaf Smith County. Only 17 of 253 Texas counties are lower. Few remote jobs means most pay stubs come from local employers.
Household income in Deaf Smith County
The median household income in Deaf Smith County is $60,799; statewide it is $78,476, so Deaf Smith County runs 23% below Texas as a whole.
| Household income | Deaf Smith County | vs Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 25.2% | +3.8 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 48.7% | +9.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 21.2% | -5.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.0% | -7.5 pts |
Some 25% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 26% have six-figure incomes. Poverty rate, Deaf Smith County: 17.7%; Texas: 13.8%. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.416 here. For a borrower in Deaf Smith County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
The Deaf Smith County job picture
Manufacturing (22%), education and health care (15%) and retail trade (10%) lead Deaf Smith County's job mix. Manufacturing stands out: 22% of workers here, versus 9% statewide. Averaged over the five survey years, 3.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Commutes of 45 minutes-plus: 8%; under 15 minutes: 51%. Households without a car make up 4.6% of the total (5.4% statewide).
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Deaf Smith County | Gap to Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 22.2% | +13.6 pts |
| Education and health care | 14.7% | -6.9 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.8% | -1.2 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 9.4% | +7.1 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.6% | +0.2 pts |
| Other services | 8.1% | +3.2 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Where Deaf Smith County households live
A typical Deaf Smith County rental runs $926 a month including utilities, which is 34% below Texas. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 35% of renter households here. Home values center on $121,300, or 2.0 years of median income. The ownership rate is 67%. Median construction year: 1971. Against the median U.S. county, Deaf Smith County rent is 6% above.
| Cost | Deaf Smith County | Texas figure | Higher or lower |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent-burdened renters | 35% | 52% | -16.6 pts |
| Burdened owners | 20% | 29% | -9.4 pts |
| Median home value | $121,300 | $283,800 | 57% lower |
| Owners | 67% | 63% | +4.2 pts |
| Vacant units | 13% | 9% | +4.0 pts |
| Median gross rent | $926/mo | $1,403/mo | 34% lower |
Towns and communities in Deaf Smith County
Hereford is the only Census place mainly inside Deaf Smith County, with about 14,840 of the county's 18,460 residents. None of the 1 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hereford | city | 14,840 | $56,868 | $953 | 14 mi |
Deaf Smith County next to its neighbors
Parmer County is closest, 30 miles from center to center; the sixth, Potter County, is 51 miles off. Richest neighbor: Randall County, $83,864. Poorest: Potter County, $53,249. Deaf Smith County: $60,799. The list crosses into New Mexico, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deaf Smith County | - | $60,799 | $926/mo | 67% |
| Parmer County, TX | 30 mi | $69,735 | $1,081/mo | 72% |
| Oldham County, TX | 32 mi | $79,900 | $1,111/mo | 74% |
| Castro County, TX | 34 mi | $56,776 | $896/mo | 64% |
| Randall County, TX | 40 mi | $83,864 | $1,170/mo | 68% |
| Curry County, NM | 49 mi | $57,309 | $1,024/mo | 63% |
| Potter County, TX | 51 mi | $53,249 | $1,022/mo | 57% |
Deaf Smith County demographics against Texas
Degree holders: 11% of adults over 25. About 21% go without health insurance.
| Residents | Deaf Smith County | Difference from Texas | Difference from middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.3 | -4.3 yrs | -10.2 yrs |
| Bachelor's or higher | 11.4% | -22.4 pts | -10.7 pts |
| No high school diploma | 29.8% | +15.8 pts | n/a |
| No health insurance | 21.0% | +3.9 pts | +13.2 pts |
| No vehicle | 4.6% | -0.9 pts | -0.9 pts |
| Work from home | 2.5% | -11.8 pts | -6.1 pts |
| Poverty rate | 17.7% | +3.9 pts | +4.5 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.5% | -1.8 pts | -1.0 pts |
| One-way commute | Share of Deaf Smith County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 51.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 27.9% |
| 30 to 44 min | 13.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.2% |
| 60+ min | 4.3% |
$5,067 a month: the Deaf Smith County median budget
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Deaf Smith County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Start: $5,067 gross per month ($60,799 / 12)
- 18% goes to median rent ($926)
- Under a 35% cap, $1,773 total minus rent leaves $847
- At 45%, room after rent is $1,354 a month
Homeowners in Deaf Smith County should swap in their mortgage, taxes and insurance for rent.
What the numbers mean for Deaf Smith County borrowers
Based on the Deaf Smith County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Hospital bills in Deaf Smith County. For the 21% of residents without coverage, the provider's charity-care program comes before any loan (details).
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
- Know your credit. Review all three bureau reports for free (AnnualCreditReport.com).
Texas lender licensing
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Deaf Smith County borrowers answers to the Texas Department of Banking. Texas also has the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner for consumer credit. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. More on Texas: Texas personal loans.
Steps before you apply in Deaf Smith County
Quick steps for Deaf Smith County:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Verify the Texas license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Other Texas guides
No city in Deaf Smith County has its own guide yet; the state page is next up.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Deaf Smith County?
$60,799 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $78,476 for Texas. It ranks 157th of 254 in the state.
How does Deaf Smith County rent compare with Texas?
$926 locally versus $1,403 for the state, 34% below.
How many towns are in Deaf Smith County?
The Census Bureau counts 1 place mainly in the county, led by Hereford.
Will a Deaf Smith 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 Deaf Smith County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Texas it is the Texas Department of Banking.