1st Advantage MortgageThe median Hartley County household earns $75,841, and 9% of residents live below the poverty line. 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
- Getting oriented in Hartley County
- What it costs to live in Hartley County
- Household income in Hartley County
- Employment and commuting in Hartley County
- Hartley County and the counties next door
- The communities that make up Hartley County
- Room for a loan payment in Hartley County
- More Hartley County figures
- Reading the Hartley County data as a borrower
- Before you sign
- Checking a lender's license in Texas
- More guides for Hartley County
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Hartley County
Roughly 5,215 residents live in Hartley County, Texas, 199th by population among the state's 254 counties and county equivalents. It covers 1,462 square miles of land, or about 4 people per square mile. Under the July 2023 OMB definitions, Hartley County is not part of any metropolitan area. Of the 3 Census places inside Hartley County, Dalhart leads by population with about 7,902; 2 of the 3 are incorporated. With so few households sampled, Hartley County estimates can move a lot between releases.
What it costs to live in Hartley County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,028 in Hartley County versus $1,403 statewide. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 30% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $262,500, about 3.5 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 74%. The median home was built in 1979, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Hartley County | Texas | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,028/mo | $1,403/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $262,500 | $283,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 74% | 63% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 30% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 41% | 29% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 12.0% | 6.4% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 10% | 9% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Hartley 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.
Household income in Hartley County
Hartley County households have a median income of $75,841 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 48th of 254 in Texas.
| Households earning | Hartley County | +/- vs Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 11.8% | -9.6 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 52.5% | +13.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 26.4% | -0.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 9.3% | -3.2 pts |
About 12% of households earn under $35,000, while 36% clear $100,000. The poverty rate is 9.4%, 4 points lower than the state's 13.8%. For a borrower in Hartley 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.
Employment and commuting in Hartley County
Education and health care employs 22% of working residents, the largest share; agriculture, forestry and mining is next with 21%. Agriculture, forestry and mining stands out: 21% of workers here, versus 2% statewide. Averaged over the five survey years, 1.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking. About 79% drive to work alone and 4% have trips of 45 minutes or more.
| Where residents work | Hartley County | Difference from Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.8% | +0.2 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 20.9% | +18.7 pts |
| Manufacturing | 13.7% | +5.2 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 7.6% | +0.6 pts |
| Other services | 7.0% | +2.2 pts |
| Construction | 5.2% | -3.3 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Hartley County and the counties next door
Oldham County is closest, 30 miles from center to center; the sixth, Deaf Smith County, is 62 miles off. Income ranges from $53,249 in Potter County to $79,900 in Oldham County; 1 of these neighbors top Hartley County's median.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartley County | - | $75,841 | $1,028/mo | 74% |
| Oldham County, TX | 30 mi | $79,900 | $1,111/mo | 74% |
| Dallam County, TX | 31 mi | $71,500 | $1,081/mo | 64% |
| Moore County, TX | 40 mi | $61,762 | $939/mo | 62% |
| Sherman County, TX | 50 mi | $61,250 | $835/mo | 76% |
| Potter County, TX | 50 mi | $53,249 | $1,022/mo | 57% |
| Deaf Smith County, TX | 62 mi | $60,799 | $926/mo | 67% |
The communities that make up Hartley County
3 Census places fall mainly inside Hartley County; the 3 biggest are below. They account for 8,648 residents, leaving about 0% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalhart | city | 7,902 | $71,630 | $1,069 | 16 mi |
| Hartley | CDP | 504 | $56,528 | $1,604 | 13 mi |
| Channing | city | 242 | $76,667 | $913 | 19 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
Room for a loan payment in Hartley County
Hartley County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- Monthly gross at the median, Hartley County: $6,320
- Rent at the median, $1,028, takes 16% of that
- 36% debt-to-income limit: $1,247 left for all other debt payments
If your rent is above $1,028, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
More Hartley County figures
Degree holders: 21% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 16.5%, against 17.1% for Texas.
| Residents | Hartley County | Texas | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.7 | 35.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 20.7% | 33.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 19.5% | 14.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 16.5% | 17.1% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 2.7% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 5.5% | 14.4% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 9.4% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 1.6% | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Hartley County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 70.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 18.8% |
| 30 to 44 min | 6.9% |
| 45 to 59 min | 1.9% |
| 60+ min | 2.1% |
Reading the Hartley County data as a borrower
Where the Hartley County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Hospital bills in Hartley County. For the 16% of residents without coverage, the provider's charity-care program comes before any loan (details).
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Hartley County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
Before you sign
A short checklist for Hartley County borrowers:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- A Texas license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Checking a lender's license in Texas
Hartley County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Texas Department of Banking. Texas also has the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner for consumer credit. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. The Texas guide covers state rules in more detail.
More guides for Hartley County
The Texas guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Hartley County?
$75,841 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $78,476 for Texas. It ranks 48th of 254 in the state.
Is Hartley County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $1,028 against $1,403 statewide, and 30% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Should Hartley County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 74% of Hartley County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
What are the biggest places in Hartley County?
By population: Dalhart, Hartley, Channing. The county has 3 Census places in all.
Will a Hartley County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Texas as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.