1st Advantage MortgageThe median Lamb County household earns $60,760, and 15% of residents live below the poverty line. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Lamb County at a glance
- What Lamb County households earn
- How Lamb County residents earn a living
- Rent, home values and ownership in Lamb County
- Counties near Lamb County
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Lamb County
- Lamb County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Local borrowing considerations for Lamb County
- Debt-to-income at Lamb County's medians
- Before you sign
- Licensing and complaints for Lamb County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Lamb County at a glance
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Lamb County's population at 12,828; only 146 of Texas's 254 county-level areas are larger. It covers 1,016 square miles of land, or about 13 people per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Lamb County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 7 places in the county (6 incorporated, 1 census-designated); the largest is Littlefield, with about 5,822 residents, or 45% of the county.
What Lamb County households earn
The median household income in Lamb County is $60,760; statewide it is $78,476, so Lamb County runs 23% below Texas as a whole.
| Household income | Lamb County | vs Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 27.7% | +6.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 49.5% | +10.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 18.5% | -8.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 4.2% | -8.3 pts |
About 28% of households earn under $35,000, while 23% clear $100,000. 15.0% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 13.8%). A household earning below the $60,760 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
How Lamb County residents earn a living
Education and health care employs 21% of working residents, the largest share; retail trade is next with 16%. Agriculture, forestry and mining stands out: 12% of workers here, versus 2% statewide. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 2.1% in Lamb County. Long commutes are the exception here: 10% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Industry | Share of Lamb County workers | vs Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 20.9% | -0.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 15.6% | +4.6 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 12.4% | +10.1 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 10.3% | +3.5 pts |
| Construction | 8.6% | +0.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 7.8% | -0.7 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Lamb County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Rent, home values and ownership in Lamb County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $968 in Lamb County versus $1,403 statewide. By the Census definition, 40% of Lamb County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $82,400, a typical Lamb County house costs 1.4 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 74% of homes. Half the housing stock was built before 1966.
| Home costs | Lamb County | Texas | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $968/mo | $1,403/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $82,400 | $283,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 74% | 63% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 40% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 20% | 29% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 7.8% | 6.4% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Lamb 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.
Counties near Lamb County
Six nearby counties, 28 to 42 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Parmer County leads the group on income ($69,735), Cochran County trails ($45,313), and Lamb County out-earns 3 of the six.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamb County | - | $60,760 | $968/mo | 74% |
| Bailey County, TX | 28 mi | $61,420 | $931/mo | 80% |
| Hale County, TX | 30 mi | $51,897 | $836/mo | 61% |
| Hockley County, TX | 32 mi | $63,140 | $850/mo | 72% |
| Castro County, TX | 33 mi | $56,776 | $896/mo | 64% |
| Parmer County, TX | 41 mi | $69,735 | $1,081/mo | 72% |
| Cochran County, TX | 42 mi | $45,313 | $697/mo | 65% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Lamb County
Here are the 7 most populous of the county's 7 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 82% of Lamb County residents live in one of the 7. Sudan has the highest median household income on the list ($70,625) and Olton the lowest ($46,029), counting places with at least 500 residents. Live in one of these Lamb County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Littlefield | city | 5,822 | $60,636 | $1,059 | 10 mi |
| Olton | city | 1,552 | $46,029 | $1,045 | 14 mi |
| Sudan | city | 1,154 | $70,625 | $687 | 10 mi |
| Earth | city | 925 | $47,574 | $750 | 12 mi |
| Amherst | city | 902 | $63,611 | $779 | 5 mi |
| Springlake | town | 98 | n/a | n/a | 12 mi |
| Spade | CDP | 33 | n/a | n/a | 15 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
Lamb County residents: age, schooling, coverage
College graduates make up 14% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 25.1%, against 17.1% for Texas.
| Indicator | Lamb County | All of Texas | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 35.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 14.3% | 33.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 21.2% | 14.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 25.1% | 17.1% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 3.2% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 4.0% | 14.4% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 15.0% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.1% | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Lamb County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 61.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 15.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 12.9% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.8% |
| 60+ min | 3.9% |
Local borrowing considerations for Lamb County
What the Lamb County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Hospital bills in Lamb County. For the 25% of residents without coverage, the provider's charity-care program comes before any loan (details).
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Lamb County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Lamb County borrower sees (free reports).
Debt-to-income at Lamb County's medians
Here is the Lamb County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- $5,063 a month: gross income for a household at the Lamb County median
- Housing at the median rent of $968 uses 19%
- At 36%, room after rent is $855 a month
Two-income households and single earners in Lamb County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
Before you sign
A short checklist for Lamb County borrowers:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Verify the Texas license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Licensing and complaints for Lamb County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Lamb County, check the Texas Department of Banking. Consumer lending in Texas is also overseen by the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. The Texas guide covers state rules in more detail.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Texas guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Lamb County?
$60,760 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $78,476 for Texas. It ranks 158th of 254 in the state.
How much is rent in Lamb County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $968 a month; 40% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
Which towns does the Lamb County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 7 Census places: Littlefield, Olton, Sudan, Earth, Amherst.
Is the fit check different in Lamb County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Lamb County?
Start with the Texas Department of Banking, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.