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Karnes County, TX: population growth, jobs and income

Karnes County lost 2 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.0%).

Karnes County had an estimated 15,018 residents in 2025, up 1.4% (207 more people) since 2020. That is slower than Texas as a whole (+8.5%), and the 142nd fastest growth of 246 counties in Texas.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Karnes County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Karnes County, ranked against Texas and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$957/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes20.8%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months612025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration added 11 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 5,230 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −4.5% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 4.1% in 2025, 0.9 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 62 new homes in 2025, or 4.1 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $60,214 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +13.8% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 1,460th.

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Karnes County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202515,018−2
202415,020+55
202314,965−24
202214,989+189
202114,800−11
202014,811–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Karnes County

Karnes County grew by 207 people since 2020; the largest part came from international migration (+264).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−13−130
International migrationfrom and to other countries−1+264
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+11+57
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+1+16
Total change−2+207

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn TexasAmong U.S. counties
Population growth142nd of 2461,460th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents132nd of 2461,784th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth194th of 2452,423rd of 3,092
Median household income160th of 2462,036th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate133rd of 2461,727th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents63rd of 223787th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

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The County Growth and Demographics Report for Karnes County, TX as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Karnes County grew more slowly than all 7 of its neighbouring counties (+1.4%, 2020–25).

3 of its 7 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Karnes County's $60,214 (2020–24).

Karnes County, TX and its 7 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Karnes County, TX This county15,018+1.4%0.74.1$60,214
Wilson County, TX56,139+12.2%12.72.3$94,565
Goliad County, TX7,208+2.7%4.40.1$59,359
Bee County, TX32,515+4.7%−5.20.4$57,673
Live Oak County, TX11,929+5.1%4.40.8$57,150
Atascosa County, TX53,590+8.7%9.74.5$70,770
DeWitt County, TX20,309+2.4%−0.90.9$63,730
Gonzales County, TX20,159+2.5%−1.41.2$58,672

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 254 Texas counties · Every state

Questions

Is Karnes County growing?

Yes. Its population grew 1.4% between 2020 and 2025, about 207 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Texas as a whole changed +8.5% over the same years. That ranks 142nd of 246 counties in Texas for population growth.

How many people moved to Karnes County?

On net, about 11 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Karnes County?

It averaged 4.1% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Karnes County?

About 15,018 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Karnes County?

Private employers there had 5,230 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −4.5% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Texas

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Texas county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

See the Carolinas map

Karnes County data alerts

Email me when Karnes County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Karnes County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.