Population
36,463
2025
+0.5% since 2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025), 2025. Resident population, July 1 estimate.
Matagorda County, TX: population growth, jobs and income
Matagorda County gained 273 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+0.8%).
Matagorda County had an estimated 36,463 residents in 2025, up 0.5% (176 more people) since 2020. That is slower than Texas as a whole (+8.5%), and the 161st fastest growth of the 246 ranked counties in Texas.
Data as of 2025 · updated
Data file: the tables in CSV and Excel, no PDF. 3 counties: adds Brazoria County and Wharton County.
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In the Matagorda County report
One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Matagorda County plus 15 more figures, ranked against Texas and the U.S. Three of the 15, free:
- Median gross rent$999/mo2020–24
- Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes19.0%2020–24
- New homes permitted, last 12 months200Oct 2025 – Sep 2026
- Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
- Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
- IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
- IRS net movers: people, households and rateIn the report
- Households and housing unitsIn the report
- Homes built since 2010, share of all homesIn the report
- Private business establishmentsIn the report
- Residents who moved in; 3-year net migration rateIn the report
What's inside: 5 pages
- 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
- 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
- 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
- 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
- 5 Every source and the methods
Headline numbers
Net domestic migration
+65
2025
1.8 per 1,000 residents
−773 in total, 2021–2025
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025), 2025. People moving in from other U.S. counties minus people moving out.
Unemployment rate
5.8%
2025
−0.1 pts since 2019
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2025. Annual average unemployment rate.
New homes permitted (calendar 2025)
300
2025
−40.7% since 2021
8.2 per 1,000 residents
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025. Housing units authorized by building permits in the year.
Median household income
$58,628
2020–24
+20.3% since 2016–20
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–24. American Community Survey 5-year estimate.
Private-sector employment
7,870
2023
−3.9% since 2018
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023. Paid employees of private employers in mid-March (County Business Patterns).
What the numbers say
Net domestic migration added 65 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out. Counting international arrivals, net migration was about +225.
Private employers had 7,870 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −3.9% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).
Unemployment averaged 5.8% in 2025, 0.1 points lower than in 2019 (before the pandemic).
Builders were authorized to start 300 new homes in 2025, or 8.2 per 1,000 residents.
Median household income was $58,628 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +20.3% since 2016–20.
Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 1,716th.
Part of the Bay City, TX micro area.
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Matagorda County population by year
| Year | Population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 36,463 | +273 |
| 2024 | 36,190 | −62 |
| 2023 | 36,252 | +145 |
| 2022 | 36,107 | −232 |
| 2021 | 36,339 | +52 |
| 2020 | 36,287 | – |
Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.
What drove the change in Matagorda County
Matagorda County grew by 176 people since 2020 even though 773 more residents moved to other U.S. counties than came from them: births outnumbered deaths by 159, and net international migration added 758.
| Component | 2025 | 2020–25 | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural changebirths minus deaths | +46 | +159 | |
| International migrationfrom and to other countries | +160 | +758 | |
| Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties | +65 | −773 | |
| Census adjustmentbalancing residual | +2 | +32 | |
| Total change | +273 | +176 |
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
| Measure | In Texas | Among U.S. counties |
|---|---|---|
| Population growth | 161st of 246 | 1,716th of 3,107 |
| Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents | 120th of 246 | 1,597th of 3,108 |
| Private-sector job growth | 191st of 245 | 2,353rd of 3,092 |
| Median household income | 181st of 246 | 2,188th of 3,107 |
| Lowest unemployment rate | 232nd of 246 | 2,847th of 3,108 |
| New homes permitted per 1,000 residents | 24th of 223 | 241st of 3,005 |
1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period. 246 of 254 Texas counties ranked by population growth (8 are too small to rank).
Get the county report — $99
The County Growth and Demographics Report for Matagorda 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. It has everything on this page plus 15 more figures for Matagorda County, ranked against Texas and the U.S. Pay once, no subscription.
Add 2 neighbouring counties for $50: the Brazoria County and Wharton County reports too, $149 for all 3.
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Neighbouring counties
Over 2020–25, Matagorda County's population change (+0.5%) was ahead of 1 of its 4 neighbouring counties and behind 3.
Its median household income ($58,628, 2020–24) is lower than in all 4 of its neighbouring counties.
| County | Population2025 | Population change2020–25 | Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025 | Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025 | Median household income2020–24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matagorda County, TX This county | 36,463 | +0.5% | 1.8 | 8.2 | $58,628 |
| Wharton County, TX | 42,060 | +1.2% | −1.3 | 2.8 | $66,924 |
| Brazoria County, TX | 419,080 | +12.2% | 11.6 | 6.7 | $97,993 |
| Jackson County, TX | 15,393 | +2.6% | −3.2 | 0.0 | $65,414 |
| Calhoun County, TX | 19,599 | −2.3% | −8.8 | 5.5 | $79,959 |
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.
Questions
Is Matagorda County growing?
Yes. Its population grew 0.5% between 2020 and 2025, about 176 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Most recently, between 2024 and 2025 it gained 273 residents (+0.8%). Texas as a whole changed +8.5% over the same years. That ranks 161st of the 246 ranked counties in Texas for population growth.
How many people moved to Matagorda County?
On net, about 65 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate). Counting international arrivals, net migration was about +225.
What is the unemployment rate in Matagorda County?
It averaged 5.8% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).
What is the population of Matagorda County?
About 36,463 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.
How many jobs are in Matagorda County?
Private employers there had 7,870 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −3.9% 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.
Matagorda County data alerts
Email me when Matagorda County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.
Sources and method
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns
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.