1st Advantage MortgageThe median Taylor County household earns $67,139, and 15% 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
- Taylor County by the numbers
- Household income in Taylor County
- How Taylor County residents earn a living
- Renting and owning in Taylor County
- Places inside Taylor County
- Taylor County next to its neighbors
- Room for a loan payment in Taylor County
- People and households in Taylor County
- Reading the Taylor County data as a borrower
- Lender oversight for Taylor County
- Steps before you apply in Taylor County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Taylor County by the numbers
Roughly 145,863 residents live in Taylor County, Texas, 34th by population among the state's 254 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 916 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 159 per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Abilene, TX metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Of the 9 Census places inside Taylor County, Abilene leads by population with about 128,053; 8 of the 9 are incorporated.
Household income in Taylor County
The median household income in Taylor County is $67,139; statewide it is $78,476, so Taylor County runs 14% below Texas as a whole. In the state ranking that is 106th of 254.
| Households earning | Taylor County | +/- vs Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 25.1% | +3.7 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.1% | +3.7 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 25.4% | -1.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.4% | -6.1 pts |
The spread is wide: 32% of Taylor County households make $100,000 or more, and 25% make less than $35,000. Census counts 14.7% of Taylor County residents in poverty, against 13.8% across Texas. A household earning below the $67,139 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
How Taylor County residents earn a living
The biggest employer of Taylor County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 30% of workers, followed by retail trade (13%). Education and health care stands out: 30% of workers here, versus 22% statewide. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 2.6% in Taylor County. Long commutes are the exception here: 5% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. 3.8% of households have no vehicle.
| Sector | Taylor County | Compared with Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.6% | +8.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 13.2% | +2.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.3% | -0.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 7.7% | -5.2 pts |
| Construction | 7.1% | -1.5 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 6.6% | -0.4 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Renting and owning in Taylor County
A typical Taylor County rental runs $1,159 a month including utilities, which is 17% below Texas. 52% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 23% spend half or more. Home values center on $198,600, or 3.0 years of median income. The ownership rate is 61%. Median construction year: 1978.
| Home costs | Taylor County | Texas | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,159/mo | $1,403/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $198,600 | $283,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 61% | 63% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 52% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 24% | 29% | n/a |
When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
Places inside Taylor County
Here are the 9 most populous of the county's 9 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 95% of Taylor County residents live in one of the 9. Potosi has the highest median household income on the list ($121,543) and Tye the lowest ($48,421), counting places with at least 500 residents. Rent is cheapest in Tye ($940) and steepest in Tuscola ($1,581). None of the 9 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene | city | 128,053 | $62,648 | $1,157 | 14 mi |
| Potosi | CDP | 4,322 | $121,543 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Merkel | town | 2,699 | $73,500 | $1,058 | 14 mi |
| Tuscola | city | 990 | $84,931 | $1,581 | 8 mi |
| Tye | city | 936 | $48,421 | $940 | 11 mi |
| Buffalo Gap | town | 534 | $104,750 | $1,179 | 3 mi |
| Lawn | town | 280 | $61,250 | $1,075 | 14 mi |
| Trent | town | 280 | $85,000 | $715 | 19 mi |
| Impact | town | 13 | n/a | n/a | 16 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
Taylor County next to its neighbors
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Taylor County's, from 30 to 43 miles away. Income ranges from $49,159 in Coleman County to $72,436 in Callahan County; 1 of these neighbors top Taylor County's median.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taylor County | - | $67,139 | $1,159/mo | 61% |
| Callahan County, TX | 30 mi | $72,436 | $817/mo | 81% |
| Nolan County, TX | 31 mi | $50,747 | $913/mo | 68% |
| Jones County, TX | 31 mi | $59,464 | $866/mo | 80% |
| Runnels County, TX | 32 mi | $62,632 | $847/mo | 75% |
| Coleman County, TX | 41 mi | $49,159 | $653/mo | 77% |
| Fisher County, TX | 43 mi | $65,533 | $601/mo | 80% |
Room for a loan payment in Taylor County
Taylor County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- Start: $5,595 gross per month ($67,139 / 12)
- Less median rent of $1,159, which is 21% of it
- Under a 43% cap, $2,406 total minus rent leaves $1,247
Two-income households and single earners in Taylor County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
People and households in Taylor County
29% of Taylor County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 14% go without health insurance.
| Residents | Taylor County | Texas | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.1 | 35.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 29.3% | 33.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 10.0% | 14.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 14.1% | 17.1% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 3.8% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 8.1% | 14.4% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 14.7% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.6% | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Taylor County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 47.4% |
| 15 to 29 min | 42.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 5.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 1.8% |
| 60+ min | 3.4% |
Reading the Taylor County data as a borrower
What the Taylor County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Hospital bills in Taylor County. For the 14% of residents without coverage, the provider's charity-care program comes before any loan (details).
- 52% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
Lender oversight for Taylor County
Consumer lenders serving Taylor County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Texas that is the Texas Department of Banking. Consumer lending in Texas is also overseen by the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. See the Texas state guide for the statewide picture.
Steps before you apply in Taylor County
Steps that save money for Taylor County residents:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Texas borrowers.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Related local guides
The Texas guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Taylor County?
$67,139 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $78,476 for Texas. It ranks 106th of 254 in the state.
How much is rent in Taylor County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,159 a month; 52% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I live in a small Taylor County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Abilene, Potosi, Merkel, Tuscola, Tye and 4 more.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Taylor County or elsewhere in Texas, the same rules apply.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Taylor County?
Start with the Texas Department of Banking, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.