Ector County, Texas: commercial real estate data.
Ector County, Texas had an estimated 170,022 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.9 percent since the 2020 census base of 165,182, across 898 square miles. County output reached $16.52 bn in 2024, 3,994 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 141 7(a) approvals worth $130.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Ector County
How many people live in Ector County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024164,654
- Households64,563
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$71,536
- Median age31.4
- Median gross rent$1,259 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$200,200
- Home value to household income2.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income21.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher17.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over98,717
- Population under 1850,018
- Share under 1830.4 percent
- Population 65 and over16,258
- Share 65 and over9.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6498,378
- Civilian labor force80,130
- Unemployment rate5.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over69.9 percent
- Rank by population among Texas counties32nd of 254
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included417th of 3,222
Ector County is the 32nd largest of 254 Texas counties by population. A median home costs 2.8 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 30.4 percent against 9.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Ector County
Is Ector County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024170,022
- Census 2020 base population165,182
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.93 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20244,572
- Births, 20243,067
- Deaths, 20241,410
- Natural change, 20241,657
- Net domestic migration, 20241,098
- Net international migration, 20241,810
- Total net migration, 20242,908
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-5,747
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents890th of 3,144
The county has grown 2.93 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Ector County
Where are people moving to Ector County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving3,852
- People arriving, from those returns7,653
- Tax returns filed by households leaving4,508
- Net household movement-656
- Adjusted gross income arriving$196.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-90.2 m
- Average income of an arriving household$51,094
- Average income of a leaving household$63,661
- Largest single originMidland County (782 households)
- Largest single destinationMidland County (1,178 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland County | 782 | 1,588 | $51.3 m |
| El Paso County | 203 | 466 | $8.4 m |
| Lubbock County | 100 | 180 | $4.2 m |
| Tarrant County | 95 | 156 | $3.9 m |
| Harris County | 94 | 182 | $4.2 m |
| Bexar County | 91 | 171 | $3.5 m |
| Presidio County | 80 | 179 | $2.8 m |
| Miami-Dade County | 79 | 113 | $2.4 m |
Households arriving report $12,567 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Midland County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Ector County
What is the Ector County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$16.52 bn
- County GDP, 2023$15.98 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.4 percent
- GDP change over five years52.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Texas areas BEA publishes23rd of 254
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes306th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$100,307
Output grew 3.4 percent in the latest year and 52.9 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Ector County
Employment by industry in Ector County
- Covered employment, annual average79,763
- Establishments reporting4,285
- Average annual pay$75,029
- Average weekly wage$1,443
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, employment12,258
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, average annual pay$115,992
- Accommodation and food services, employment9,077
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$27,120
- Retail trade, employment8,774
- Retail trade, average annual pay$44,134
- Construction, employment6,880
- Construction, average annual pay$90,094
- Wholesale trade, employment6,634
- Health care and social assistance, employment5,063
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 12,258 | 341 | $115,992 |
| Accommodation and food services | 9,077 | 381 | $27,120 |
| Retail trade | 8,774 | 494 | $44,134 |
| Construction | 6,880 | 341 | $90,094 |
| Wholesale trade | 6,634 | 368 | $100,960 |
| Health care and social assistance | 5,063 | 307 | $62,174 |
| Manufacturing | 4,354 | 272 | $92,467 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3,549 | 333 | $80,008 |
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction is the largest private sector at 12,258 jobs, 15.4 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Ector County
How many businesses are in Ector County?
- Establishments, all industries3,994
- Employment at those establishments66,236
- Annual payroll$4.77 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents24.3
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Ector County
Building permits in Ector County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20241,004
- Declared construction value permitted$226.8 m
- Single family units authorized1,004
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$225,945
- Units authorized per 1,000 households15.6
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Ector County
SBA loans in Ector County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded141
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$130.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$922,945
- Median 7(a) approval$350,000
- 10th percentile approval$60,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,527,300
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)2,284
- Jobs per approval16.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active54
- Distinct industries receiving approvals87
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer28.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms40
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter87
- Franchise loans29
- Franchise share of approvals20.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countSupport Activities for Oil and Gas Operations (7)
- Most active lenderSouthWest Bank (29)
- 504 approvals recorded20
- 504 gross approval dollars$30.0 m
- Average 504 approval$1,497,600
- Median 504 approval$1,126,500
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval18.4
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved12.3
- Most active CDCCapital Certified Development Corporation (9)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$160.1 m
The average approval of $922,945 sits well above the median of $350,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 28.4 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Ector County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Ector County
Do SBA loans in Ector County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded24
- Paid in full22
- Charged off2
- Status: Exempt from disclosure96
- Status: Paid in full22
- Status: Charged off2
- Status: Cancelled13
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed8
Only 24 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Ector County
SBA lending by place in Ector County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Odessa, approvals139
- Gardendale, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Odessa | 139 | $127,486,600 |
| Gardendale | 2 | $2,648,700 |
Odessa accounts for 139 approvals against 2 in Gardendale. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Ector County
How large is Ector County?
- Land area898 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Texas counties152nd of 254
- Width, east to west30.1 mi
- Height, north to south30.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land183
- Establishments per square mile4.45
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Ector County
Flood risk in Ector County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Ector County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 480796
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book3
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 8
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Ector County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Ector County (community 480796), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Ector County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 8, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Ector County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Ector County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024164,654
- Households64,563
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$71,536
- Median age31.4
Common questions
Ector County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Ector County, Texas?
The Census Bureau estimates 170,022 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 164,654, in 64,563 households, ranking 32nd of 254 Texas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Ector County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.93 percent since the 2020 census base of 165,182, to 170,022 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 3,067 births against 1,410 deaths, with net migration of 2,908. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Ector County?
$71,536. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $200,200, which is 2.8 times income, and median gross rent is $1,259 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Ector County?
3,994 establishments, employing 66,236 people with an annual payroll of $4.77 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Ector County?
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction is the largest private sector at 12,258 jobs, 15.4 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 79,763 jobs at an average annual pay of $75,029, or $1,443 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Ector County?
141 7(a) approvals totaling $130.1 m since FY2020, across 54 lenders, with a median approval of $350,000, plus 20 504 approvals worth $30.0 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Ector County?
1,004 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $226.8 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Ector County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Ector County come from?
The largest single origin is Midland County, with 782 households. Arriving households report an average income of $51,094 against $63,661 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Ector County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Ector County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Ector County
Cities and places in Ector.
4 Census places lie wholly or partly in Ector County. All 4 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odessa | city | 115,322 | 139 | 87.7 percent here, 12.3 percent Midland County |
| West Odessa | CDP | 32,594 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Gardendale | CDP | 1,544 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Goldsmith | city | 177 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby