1st Advantage MortgageAbout 81% of Hood County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $88,160. Borrow only what the expense needs, pick the shortest affordable term, and walk away from any lender asking a Hood County applicant for an upfront fee.
On this page
- First look: Hood County, TX
- Work, industries and travel time in Hood County
- How Hood County ranks in Texas
- Hood County income bands
- Renting and owning in Hood County
- Regional comparison for Hood County
- Hood County communities by population
- Room for a loan payment in Hood County
- Hood County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Reading the Hood County data as a borrower
- Who licenses lenders for Hood County residents
- Four steps for Hood County borrowers
- More guides for Hood County
- Frequently asked questions
First look: Hood County, TX
With an estimated 65,894 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Hood County ranks 55th of 254 in Texas for population. Hood County spans 421 square miles; with 65,894 people, that is 156.6 per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. The Census Bureau counts 9 places in the county (6 incorporated, 3 census-designated); the largest is Granbury, with about 12,136 residents, or 18% of the county.
Work, industries and travel time in Hood County
By the Census industry count, 22% of employed Hood County residents work in education and health care and 12% in retail trade. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 5.6% in Hood County. 24% of Hood County workers get to work in under 15 minutes, while 31% need 45 or more.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Hood County | Gap to Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.8% | +0.2 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.7% | +0.7 pts |
| Construction | 10.2% | +1.7 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 9.9% | -3.0 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 8.4% | +1.7 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.5% | -0.9 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
How Hood County ranks in Texas
Ranked against the other 252 county-level areas in Texas, these are the Hood County figures furthest from the middle.
- Few Texas counties match Hood County on the share of commutes over 45 minutes: 31% here, 17% for the state, ranking 16th highest of 253. With long commutes, a reliable car is part of keeping the job.
- Hood County ranks 23rd lowest of 254 Texas counties for the poverty rate: 7.7%, against 13.8% statewide. A low poverty rate does not mean every budget has room; test the payment.
- Hood County ranks 23rd highest of 254 Texas counties for median household income: $88,160, against $78,476 statewide. Higher local incomes do not change lender rules; your documented income is what counts.
- On median gross rent, Hood County sits near the top of Texas at $1,428/mo, 20th highest of 249. Rent this high leaves less room in a debt-to-income test.
Hood County income bands
$88,160 is the median household income for Hood County, set against $78,476 for Texas.
| Band | Hood County | Compared with Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 18.6% | -2.8 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 38.0% | -1.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 31.5% | +4.7 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 12.0% | -0.5 pts |
19% under $35,000 and 43% at $100,000 or more: that is the Hood County income split. 7.7% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 13.8%). Gini index for Hood County: 0.444. A household earning below the $88,160 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Renting and owning in Hood County
A typical Hood County rental runs $1,428 a month including utilities, which is 2% above Texas. Cost-burdened renters, paying 30%-plus of income: 46% in Hood County, 52% statewide. Home values center on $306,400, or 3.5 years of median income. The ownership rate is 81%. Median construction year: 1998.
| Home costs | Hood County | Texas | Compared with Texas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owners | 81% | 63% | +18.6 pts |
| Mobile homes | 15.7% | 6.4% | +9.3 pts |
| Rent-burdened renters | 46% | 52% | -5.8 pts |
| Vacant units | 12% | 9% | +2.8 pts |
| Burdened owners | 30% | 29% | +0.9 pts |
| Median home value | $306,400 | $283,800 | 8% higher |
| Median gross rent | $1,428/mo | $1,403/mo | 2% higher |
In an owner-heavy county like Hood 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 Hood County
Somervell County is closest, 15 miles from center to center; the sixth, Bosque County, is 38 miles off. Parker County leads the group on income ($104,443), Erath County trails ($65,115), and Hood County out-earns 5 of the six.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hood County | - | $88,160 | $1,428/mo | 81% |
| Somervell County, TX | 15 mi | $79,825 | $773/mo | 80% |
| Parker County, TX | 24 mi | $104,443 | $1,500/mo | 81% |
| Erath County, TX | 26 mi | $65,115 | $1,146/mo | 63% |
| Johnson County, TX | 27 mi | $84,859 | $1,398/mo | 75% |
| Palo Pinto County, TX | 36 mi | $67,674 | $1,093/mo | 71% |
| Bosque County, TX | 38 mi | $68,914 | $928/mo | 76% |
Hood County communities by population
Places, by size: the top 9 of 9. Roughly 54% of Hood County lives outside all of them, in open country or unnamed settlements. Stockton Bend has the highest median household income on the list ($180,450) and Oak Trail Shores the lowest ($34,344), counting places with at least 500 residents. Rent is cheapest in Granbury ($1,386) and steepest in Pecan Plantation ($2,167). From Granbury to the smallest crossroads, Hood County residents share this guide.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Granbury | city | 12,136 | $73,516 | $1,386 | 3 mi |
| Pecan Plantation | CDP | 6,452 | $104,993 | $2,167 | 11 mi |
| DeCordova | city | 3,152 | $106,106 | n/a | 8 mi |
| Oak Trail Shores | CDP | 3,040 | $34,344 | $1,456 | 4 mi |
| Canyon Creek | CDP | 1,646 | $92,109 | $2,036 | 6 mi |
| Tolar | city | 1,585 | $91,250 | $1,700 | 6 mi |
| Cresson | city | 1,313 | $91,518 | $1,680 | 14 mi |
| Stockton Bend | city | 600 | $180,450 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Lipan | city | 490 | $77,500 | $1,234 | 14 mi |
Room for a loan payment in Hood County
How much room does a median Hood County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Monthly gross at the median, Hood County: $7,347
- Less median rent of $1,428, which is 19% of it
- 43% debt-to-income limit: $1,731 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.
Hood County residents: age, schooling, coverage
Degree holders: 33% of adults over 25. Uninsured, Hood County: 14.2%; Texas: 17.1%.
| Residents | Hood County | Difference from Texas | Difference from middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.9 | +10.3 yrs | +4.4 yrs |
| No high school diploma | 7.6% | -6.5 pts | n/a |
| Poverty rate | 7.7% | -6.1 pts | -5.5 pts |
| No health insurance | 14.2% | -2.9 pts | +6.3 pts |
| No vehicle | 2.6% | -2.9 pts | -2.8 pts |
| Bachelor's or higher | 32.9% | -0.9 pts | +10.8 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.6% | +0.4 pts | +1.2 pts |
| Work from home | 14.4% | +0.1 pts | +5.8 pts |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 23.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 30.5% |
| 30 to 44 min | 14.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 13.2% |
| 60+ min | 17.8% |
Reading the Hood County data as a borrower
Hood County-specific points to check:
- Care without coverage. About 9,345 Hood County residents lack insurance; check charity care before a loan (how).
- Long drives. With 31% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Hood County budgets.
- Repairs on manufactured housing. With 16% of homes here, compare a personal loan with any dealer or park repair program.
- Age 45.9 at the median. Many Hood County applicants document income with award letters; ask about early payoff.
Who licenses lenders for Hood County residents
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Hood County, check 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. The Texas guide covers state rules in more detail.
Four steps for Hood County borrowers
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Hood County.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Texas.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
More guides for Hood County
For statewide rules and data, see the Texas guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hood County a high-income county?
Its $88,160 median ranks 23rd of 254 Texas counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
Is Hood County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $1,428 against $1,403 statewide, and 46% of renter households are cost-burdened.
I live near Granbury. Which guide is mine?
This one. Granbury and the rest of Hood County have no separate city guide.
Will a Hood County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Texas as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Where can someone in Hood County check a lender's license?
With the Texas Department of Banking. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.