1st Advantage MortgageThe median Nolan County household earns $50,747, and 23% of residents live below the poverty line. 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
- Population and place: Nolan County
- What it costs to live in Nolan County
- Nolan County industries and commutes
- What Nolan County households earn
- Nolan County against other Texas counties
- How Nolan County compares with nearby counties
- The communities that make up Nolan County
- People and households in Nolan County
- Before borrowing in Nolan County
- Room for a loan payment in Nolan County
- Who licenses lenders for Nolan County residents
- Before you sign
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Population and place: Nolan County
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Nolan County's population at 14,454; only 140 of Texas's 254 county-level areas are larger. It covers 912 square miles of land, or about 16 people per square mile. Nolan County is classed as nonmetropolitan in the OMB's July 2023 list. Largest place: Sweetwater, about 10,385 residents (72% of Nolan County); 3 Census places in all.
What it costs to live in Nolan County
Renters in Nolan County pay a median of $913 a month, 35% below the Texas figure of $1,403. By the Census definition, 45% of Nolan County renters are cost-burdened. Home values center on $96,300, or 1.9 years of median income. 68% of Nolan County households own their home and 32% rent. Half the housing stock was built before 1965. Against the median U.S. county, Nolan County rent is 4% above.
| Nolan County | Texas | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $913/mo | $1,403/mo | 35% lower |
| Median home value | $96,300 | $283,800 | 66% lower |
| Owners | 68% | 63% | +5.5 pts |
| Rent-burdened renters | 45% | 52% | -7.1 pts |
| Burdened owners | 33% | 29% | +3.9 pts |
| Vacant units | 17% | 9% | +7.8 pts |
Nolan County industries and commutes
Top Nolan County industry by residents employed: education and health care, 20%; second, manufacturing, 14%. Nolan County over-indexes on manufacturing: 14% versus 9% in Texas. Averaged over the five survey years, 6.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are the exception here: 9% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 8.5% of the total (5.4% statewide).
| Sector | Nolan County | Compared with Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 19.7% | -1.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 14.2% | +5.6 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 11.8% | +5.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.6% | -0.4 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 10.4% | +1.9 pts |
| Public administration | 6.7% | +2.6 pts |
Self-employed in Nolan County? Two years of tax returns usually stand in for pay stubs.
What Nolan County households earn
$50,747 is the median household income for Nolan County, set against $78,476 for Texas. Only 221 Texas counties post a higher median.
| Yearly household income | Nolan County | Gap to Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 30.7% | +9.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.3% | +4.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 19.0% | -7.8 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.0% | -6.5 pts |
Six-figure households (25%) are outnumbered by those under $35,000 (31%) in Nolan County. The poverty rate is 22.5%, 9 points higher than the state's 13.8%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.480 (0 is perfect equality). None of these numbers decides a Nolan County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Nolan County against other Texas counties
Out of every Texas county, Nolan County is most unusual on these measures.
- Households without a vehicle: 8.5% in Nolan County. Only 16 of 253 Texas counties are higher. Without a car, transit and ride costs belong in the budget before any payment.
- On the poverty rate, Nolan County sits near the top of Texas at 22.5%, 23rd highest of 254. Free help, such as utility and rent assistance, should come before any loan.
- Median home value: $96,300 in Nolan County. Only 30 of 250 Texas counties are lower. With modest home values, equity borrowing is rarely large.
How Nolan County compares with nearby counties
Six nearby counties, 30 to 42 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Richest neighbor: Taylor County, $67,139. Poorest: Coke County, $43,333. Nolan County: $50,747.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nolan County | - | $50,747 | $913/mo | 68% |
| Mitchell County, TX | 30 mi | $60,550 | $524/mo | 79% |
| Fisher County, TX | 30 mi | $65,533 | $601/mo | 80% |
| Taylor County, TX | 31 mi | $67,139 | $1,159/mo | 61% |
| Coke County, TX | 33 mi | $43,333 | $729/mo | 71% |
| Runnels County, TX | 41 mi | $62,632 | $847/mo | 75% |
| Scurry County, TX | 42 mi | $60,039 | $1,020/mo | 77% |
The communities that make up Nolan County
The table lists the 3 largest of 3 Census places in Nolan County, by population. Together all 3 hold about 12,021 people, so roughly 17% of residents live outside any named place. Sweetwater and every other Nolan County community use this county guide.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetwater | city | 10,385 | $44,892 | $907 | 11 mi |
| Roscoe | city | 1,425 | $56,326 | $1,263 | 11 mi |
| Blackwell | city | 211 | $74,219 | $806 | 17 mi |
People and households in Nolan County
16% of Nolan County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 13.3%, against 17.1% for Texas.
| Indicator | Nolan County | +/- Texas | +/- U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 | +3.7 yrs | -2.2 yrs |
| Bachelor's or higher | 16.0% | -17.8 pts | -6.1 pts |
| No high school diploma | 15.9% | +1.9 pts | n/a |
| No health insurance | 13.3% | -3.9 pts | +5.4 pts |
| No vehicle | 8.5% | +3.1 pts | +3.1 pts |
| Work from home | 3.6% | -10.8 pts | -5.1 pts |
| Poverty rate | 22.5% | +8.7 pts | +9.3 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 6.0% | +0.7 pts | +1.6 pts |
| Minutes to work | Nolan County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 61.2% |
| 15 to 29 min | 18.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 11.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.9% |
| 60+ min | 4.4% |
Before borrowing in Nolan County
Based on the Nolan County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Uninsured care. 13% lack coverage here; nonprofit hospitals must publish an assistance policy, so ask for it first (guide).
- Lower-cost alternatives. In a county with 23% in poverty, nonprofit credit counseling may beat a loan (options).
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
Room for a loan payment in Nolan County
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Nolan County's medians:
- $4,229 a month: gross income for a household at the Nolan County median
- Median rent: $913, or 22 cents of every gross dollar
- $567: what a 35% ratio leaves once rent is paid
- At 45%, room after rent is $990 a month
Homeowners in Nolan County should swap in their mortgage, taxes and insurance for rent.
Who licenses lenders for Nolan County residents
Nolan County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Texas Department of Banking. A second Texas office, the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner, covers consumer credit. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. Statewide data and rules: Texas guide.
Before you sign
Quick steps for Nolan County:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Nolan County.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Texas borrowers.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Nearby and statewide guides
Next step up from Nolan County:
Frequently asked questions
Where does Nolan County rank on income in Texas?
222nd of 254, with a median of $50,747. The state median is $78,476.
How much is rent in Nolan County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $913 a month; 45% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I live near Sweetwater. Which guide is mine?
This one. Sweetwater and the rest of Nolan County have no separate city guide.
Can Nolan County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Texas county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.
Is there a Nolan County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Texas it is the Texas Department of Banking.