1st Advantage MortgageThe median Swisher County household earns $36,165, and 30% 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
- Who lives in Swisher County
- What it costs to live in Swisher County
- What Swisher County households earn
- Work, industries and travel time in Swisher County
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Swisher County
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- A Swisher County household budget, worked through
- Local borrowing considerations for Swisher County
- Who lives in Swisher County, in numbers
- Before you sign
- Checking a lender's license in Texas
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Swisher County
With an estimated 6,937 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Swisher County ranks 186th of 254 in Texas for population. It covers 890 square miles of land, or about 8 people per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Swisher County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 2 places in the county (2 incorporated, 0 census-designated); the largest is Tulia, with about 4,422 residents, or 64% of the county. With so few households sampled, Swisher County estimates can move a lot between releases.
What it costs to live in Swisher County
A typical Swisher County rental runs $783 a month including utilities, which is 44% below Texas. 47% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 29% spend half or more. Home values center on $86,300, or 2.4 years of median income. The ownership rate is 66%. Half the housing stock was built before 1961.
| Cost | Swisher County | Texas figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $783/mo | $1,403/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $86,300 | $283,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 66% | 63% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 47% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 54% | 29% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 5.2% | 6.4% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 21% | 9% | n/a |
What Swisher County households earn
Swisher County households have a median income of $36,165 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 254th of 254 in Texas.
| Band | Swisher County | Compared with Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 49.1% | +27.7 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 31.4% | -8.0 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 15.3% | -11.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 4.2% | -8.3 pts |
The spread is wide: 19% of Swisher County households make $100,000 or more, and 49% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 30.1%, 16 points higher than the state's 13.8%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.519 (0 is perfect equality). For a borrower in Swisher 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.
Work, industries and travel time in Swisher County
The biggest employer of Swisher County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 31% of workers, followed by agriculture, forestry and mining (11%). Compared with Texas, the county leans toward education and health care (31% against 22%). The survey's unemployment rate for Swisher County averages 4.3% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 5.3%). About 82% drive to work alone and 11% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Households without a car make up 6.1% of the total (5.4% statewide).
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Swisher County | Gap to Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 30.8% | +9.1 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 11.1% | +8.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.5% | -0.5 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.7% | +1.3 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 8.7% | +1.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 8.3% | -0.2 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
Cities, towns and CDPs in Swisher County
2 Census places fall mainly inside Swisher County; the 2 biggest are below. They account for 5,064 residents, leaving about 27% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. None of the 2 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tulia | city | 4,422 | $32,288 | $771 | 2 mi |
| Kress | city | 642 | $30,357 | $770 | 11 mi |
Neighboring counties at a glance
Six nearby counties, 29 to 40 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Randall County leads the group on income ($83,864), Briscoe County trails ($45,417), and Swisher County out-earns 0 of the six.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swisher County | - | $36,165 | $783/mo | 66% |
| Castro County, TX | 29 mi | $56,776 | $896/mo | 64% |
| Briscoe County, TX | 31 mi | $45,417 | $631/mo | 83% |
| Randall County, TX | 31 mi | $83,864 | $1,170/mo | 68% |
| Hale County, TX | 32 mi | $51,897 | $836/mo | 61% |
| Armstrong County, TX | 37 mi | $72,750 | $1,021/mo | 80% |
| Floyd County, TX | 40 mi | $58,462 | $676/mo | 73% |
A Swisher County household budget, worked through
Swisher County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- Start: $3,014 gross per month ($36,165 / 12)
- Median rent: $783, or 26 cents of every gross dollar
- 36% debt-to-income limit: $302 left for all other debt payments
- At 43%, room after rent is $513 a month
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Swisher County's.
Local borrowing considerations for Swisher County
Where the Swisher County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Uninsured care. 23% lack coverage here; nonprofit hospitals must publish an assistance policy, so ask for it first (guide).
- Assistance before credit. With a 30% poverty rate, check no-cost options before any Swisher County loan.
- Tight rental budgets. With 47% of Swisher County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
Who lives in Swisher County, in numbers
College graduates make up 15% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 23.3%, against 17.1% for Texas.
| Residents | Swisher County | Texas | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.4 | 35.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 15.5% | 33.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 20.1% | 14.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 23.3% | 17.1% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.1% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 2.8% | 14.4% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 30.1% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.3% | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Swisher County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 49.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 18.4% |
| 30 to 44 min | 20.3% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.7% |
| 60+ min | 6.7% |
Before you sign
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Price the Swisher County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Texas.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Checking a lender's license in Texas
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Swisher County borrowers answers to 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. Statewide data and rules: Texas guide.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Texas guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Swisher County earn?
The median is $36,165; 19% earn $100,000 or more and 49% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
Is Swisher County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $783 against $1,403 statewide, and 47% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Does this page cover Tulia?
Yes, along with the other 1 Census place in Swisher County, such as Kress.
Will a Swisher 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 Swisher 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.