Jim Wells County, Texas: commercial real estate data.
Jim Wells County, Texas had an estimated 38,886 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.0 percent since the 2020 census base of 38,901, across 865 square miles. County output reached $1.85 bn in 2024, 783 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 13 7(a) approvals worth $13.8 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Jim Wells County
How many people live in Jim Wells County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202438,850
- Households13,279
- Average household size2.93
- Median household income$51,896
- Median age35.7
- Median gross rent$938 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$123,600
- Home value to household income2.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income21.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher16.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree4.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over24,780
- Population under 1810,609
- Share under 1827.3 percent
- Population 65 and over6,319
- Share 65 and over16.3 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6421,922
- Civilian labor force16,387
- Unemployment rate6.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over58.0 percent
- Rank by population among Texas counties81st of 254
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1231st of 3,222
Jim Wells County is the 81st largest of 254 Texas counties by population. A median home costs 2.4 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 27.3 percent against 16.3 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Jim Wells County
Is Jim Wells County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202438,886
- Census 2020 base population38,901
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.04 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202475
- Births, 2024545
- Deaths, 2024493
- Natural change, 202452
- Net domestic migration, 2024-64
- Net international migration, 202486
- Total net migration, 202422
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-156
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1846th of 3,144
The county has lost 0.04 percent of its population 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.
Jim Wells County
Where are people moving to Jim Wells County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving861
- People arriving, from those returns1,797
- Tax returns filed by households leaving862
- Net household movement-1
- Adjusted gross income arriving$37.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-919,000
- Average income of an arriving household$43,861
- Average income of a leaving household$44,876
- Largest single originNueces County (213 households)
- Largest single destinationNueces County (259 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nueces County | 213 | 431 | $10.5 m |
| Duval County | 87 | 215 | $2.9 m |
| Bexar County | 62 | 115 | $2.7 m |
| San Patricio County | 53 | 115 | $2.7 m |
| Brooks County | 35 | 77 | $937,000 |
| Kleberg County | 34 | 77 | $968,000 |
| Live Oak County | 28 | 64 | $2.4 m |
| Harris County | 26 | 47 | $1.2 m |
Households arriving report $1,015 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Nueces 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.
Jim Wells County
What is the Jim Wells County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.85 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.87 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-0.7 percent
- GDP change over five years33.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Texas areas BEA publishes113th of 254
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1350th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$47,746
Output grew -0.7 percent in the latest year and 33.6 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.
Jim Wells County
Employment by industry in Jim Wells County
- Covered employment, annual average15,016
- Establishments reporting871
- Average annual pay$47,794
- Average weekly wage$919
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, employment2,040
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, average annual pay$108,464
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,667
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$16,916
- Retail trade, employment1,554
- Retail trade, average annual pay$35,254
- Wholesale trade, employment508
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$75,475
- Construction, employment380
- Real estate and rental and leasing, employment309
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 2,040 | 64 | $108,464 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,667 | 79 | $16,916 |
| Retail trade | 1,554 | 122 | $35,254 |
| Wholesale trade | 508 | 54 | $75,475 |
| Construction | 380 | 53 | $50,740 |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 309 | 34 | $66,889 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 286 | 30 | $53,510 |
| Other services, except public administration | 261 | 62 | $38,493 |
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction is the largest private sector at 2,040 jobs, 13.6 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Jim Wells County
How many businesses are in Jim Wells County?
- Establishments, all industries783
- Employment at those establishments12,790
- Annual payroll$473.3 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents20.2
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.
Jim Wells County
Building permits in Jim Wells County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20244
- Declared construction value permitted$789,694
- Single family units authorized4
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$197,424
- Units authorized per 1,000 households0.3
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.
Jim Wells County
SBA loans in Jim Wells County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded13
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$13.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,057,877
- Median 7(a) approval$250,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)150
- Jobs per approval11.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active10
- Distinct industries receiving approvals12
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer38.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms5
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter8
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals7.7 percent
- Most active lenderWells Fargo Bank National Association (3)
- 504 approvals recorded3
- 504 gross approval dollars$3.3 m
- Average 504 approval$1,116,000
- Median 504 approval$842,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval8.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved7.8
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$17.1 m
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.
Jim Wells County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Jim Wells County
Do SBA loans in Jim Wells County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded1
- Paid in full0
- Charged off1
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure12
Only 1 loan has 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.
Jim Wells County
SBA lending by place in Jim Wells County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Alice, approvals7
- Orange Grove, approvals5
- Corpus Christi, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Alice | 7 | $13,038,400 |
| Orange Grove | 5 | $514,000 |
| Corpus Christi | 1 | $200,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Jim Wells County
How large is Jim Wells County?
- Land area865 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Texas counties179th of 254
- Width, east to west26.8 mi
- Height, north to south55 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land45
- Establishments per square mile0.91
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.
Jim Wells County
Flood risk in Jim Wells County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Jim Wells County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 481258
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Jim Wells 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 Jim Wells County (community 481258), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Jim Wells 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. 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 Jim Wells 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 Jim Wells County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202438,850
- Households13,279
- Average household size2.93
- Median household income$51,896
- Median age35.7
Common questions
Jim Wells County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Jim Wells County, Texas?
The Census Bureau estimates 38,886 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 38,850, in 13,279 households, ranking 81st of 254 Texas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Jim Wells County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.04 percent since the 2020 census base of 38,901, to 38,886 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 545 births against 493 deaths, with net migration of 22. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Jim Wells County?
$51,896. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $123,600, which is 2.4 times income, and median gross rent is $938 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Jim Wells County?
783 establishments, employing 12,790 people with an annual payroll of $473.3 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Jim Wells County?
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction is the largest private sector at 2,040 jobs, 13.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 15,016 jobs at an average annual pay of $47,794, or $919 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Jim Wells County?
13 7(a) approvals totaling $13.8 m since FY2020, across 10 lenders, with a median approval of $250,000, plus 3 504 approvals worth $3.3 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Jim Wells County?
4 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $789,694. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Jim Wells 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 Jim Wells County come from?
The largest single origin is Nueces County, with 213 households. Arriving households report an average income of $43,861 against $44,876 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Jim Wells 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 Jim Wells 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.
Jim Wells County
Cities and places in Jim Wells.
16 Census places lie wholly or partly in Jim Wells County. All 16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alice | city | 17,707 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| San Diego | city | 3,675 | None recorded | 22.7 percent here, 77.3 percent Duval County |
| Premont | city | 2,428 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ben Bolt | CDP | 2,152 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rancho Alegre | CDP | 1,337 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Orange Grove | city | 1,089 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Coyote Acres | CDP | 977 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Alice Acres | CDP | 819 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| South La Paloma | CDP | 386 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| K-Bar Ranch | CDP | 361 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Alfred | CDP | 227 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Westdale | CDP | 212 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sandia | CDP | 206 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Owl Ranch | CDP | 148 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Amargosa | CDP | 60 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Loma Linda East | CDP | 9 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 13 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Jim Wells County, the largest being Corpus Christi (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby