1st Advantage MortgageThe median Parker County household earns $104,443, and 8% 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
- Parker County by the numbers
- How Parker County residents earn a living
- What Parker County households earn
- Parker County housing compared with Texas
- How Parker County compares with nearby counties
- Parker County towns compared
- Budget math at the Parker County median
- Reading the Parker County data as a borrower
- Parker County households compared
- Lender oversight for Parker County
- Before you sign
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Parker County by the numbers
Roughly 165,168 residents live in Parker County, Texas, 31st by population among the state's 254 counties and county equivalents. It covers 904 square miles of land, or about 183 people per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metropolitan area. Of the 17 Census places inside Parker County, Weatherford leads by population with about 35,788; 13 of the 17 are incorporated.
How Parker County residents earn a living
Education and health care employs 20% of working residents, the largest share; retail trade is next with 13%. Compared with Texas, the county leans toward manufacturing (12% against 9%). ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 4.0% in Parker County. 27% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 13% work from home. Only 3.1% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Top industries | Parker County share | +/- vs Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 20.5% | -1.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.8% | +1.8 pts |
| Manufacturing | 11.7% | +3.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.9% | -2.0 pts |
| Construction | 8.9% | +0.4 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.1% | -1.4 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Parker County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
What Parker County households earn
The median household income in Parker County is $104,443; statewide it is $78,476, so Parker County runs 33% above Texas as a whole. In the state ranking that is 8th of 254.
| Households earning | Parker County | +/- vs Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 16.3% | -5.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 31.2% | -8.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 34.3% | +7.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 18.2% | +5.7 pts |
Some 16% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 52% have six-figure incomes. 8.0% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 13.8%). None of these numbers decides a Parker County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Parker County housing compared with Texas
Renters in Parker County pay a median of $1,500 a month, 7% above the Texas figure of $1,403. By the Census definition, 53% of Parker County renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $375,900, about 3.6 times the median household income. Owners occupy 81% of homes.
| Cost | Parker County | Texas figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,500/mo | $1,403/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $375,900 | $283,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 81% | 63% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 53% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 26% | 29% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 6% | 9% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare). Rent pressure is real here, so run any payment through the debt-to-income calculator before you apply.
How Parker County compares with nearby counties
Distances run center to center, from Hood County at 24 miles out to Jack County at 38. Wise County leads the group on income ($93,421), Palo Pinto County trails ($67,674), and Parker County out-earns 6 of the six.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parker County | - | $104,443 | $1,500/mo | 81% |
| Hood County, TX | 24 mi | $88,160 | $1,428/mo | 81% |
| Palo Pinto County, TX | 30 mi | $67,674 | $1,093/mo | 71% |
| Tarrant County, TX | 30 mi | $84,207 | $1,547/mo | 59% |
| Wise County, TX | 32 mi | $93,421 | $1,299/mo | 81% |
| Johnson County, TX | 38 mi | $84,859 | $1,398/mo | 75% |
| Jack County, TX | 38 mi | $68,079 | $960/mo | 72% |
Parker County towns compared
17 Census places fall mainly inside Parker County; the 14 biggest are below. They account for 67,916 residents, leaving about 59% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Annetta has the highest median household income on the list ($177,500) and Western Lake the lowest ($34,388), counting places with at least 500 residents. No Parker County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 17.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weatherford | city | 35,788 | $81,516 | $1,527 | 3 mi |
| Willow Park | city | 5,874 | $132,045 | $2,415 | 9 mi |
| Aledo | city | 5,825 | $163,231 | $2,550 | 13 mi |
| Springtown | city | 3,855 | $75,391 | $1,329 | 15 mi |
| Reno | city | 3,272 | $96,118 | $1,263 | 18 mi |
| Annetta | town | 3,264 | $177,500 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Hudson Oaks | city | 2,586 | $124,545 | $1,568 | 6 mi |
| Carter | CDP | 1,738 | $103,264 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Dennis | town | 1,402 | $139,383 | n/a | 14 mi |
| Western Lake | CDP | 1,165 | $34,388 | n/a | 11 mi |
| Annetta South | town | 763 | $162,500 | n/a | 13 mi |
| Horseshoe Bend | CDP | 606 | n/a | n/a | 14 mi |
| Garner | CDP | 493 | $128,750 | $1,672 | 11 mi |
| Millsap | town | 433 | $56,477 | $1,000 | 12 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
Budget math at the Parker County median
How much room does a median Parker County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Start: $8,704 gross per month ($104,443 / 12)
- Rent at the median, $1,500, takes 17% of that
- $1,633: what a 36% ratio leaves once rent is paid
- At 43%, room after rent is $2,243 a month
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Reading the Parker County data as a borrower
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Parker County borrowers.
- Uninsured care. 13% lack coverage here; nonprofit hospitals must publish an assistance policy, so ask for it first (guide).
- Vehicle repairs. 27% of Parker County workers commute 45+ minutes, so a breakdown can cost a paycheck. Get two written estimates.
- Manufactured homes. 13% of Parker County housing units are mobile homes, and their repairs are often paid with unsecured loans. Get the quote in writing.
- Six-figure budgets. For the 52% earning $100,000 or more, lifestyle creep, not approval, is the usual problem.
Parker County households compared
College graduates make up 32% of the adult population. About 13% go without health insurance.
| Residents | Parker County | Texas | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.1 | 35.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 32.3% | 33.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.3% | 14.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 13.2% | 17.1% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 3.1% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 13.3% | 14.4% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 8.0% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.0% | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Parker County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 20.6% |
| 15 to 29 min | 27.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 25.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 12.9% |
| 60+ min | 13.7% |
Lender oversight for Parker County
Consumer lenders serving Parker County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Texas that is the Texas Department of Banking. The Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner handles consumer-credit questions as well. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. The Texas guide covers state rules in more detail.
Before you sign
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Texas borrowers.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Texas guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Parker County earn?
The median is $104,443; 52% earn $100,000 or more and 16% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
What do renters pay in Parker County?
$1,500 a month at the median, about 17% of median household income.
I own my home in Parker County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 81% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
What are the biggest places in Parker County?
By population: Weatherford, Willow Park, Aledo, Springtown, Reno. The county has 17 Census places in all.
Does living in Parker County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Parker County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.