Refugio County, Texas: commercial real estate data.
Refugio County, Texas had an estimated 6,739 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.0 percent since the 2020 census base of 6,736, across 770 square miles. County output reached $484.3 m in 2024, 136 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 3 7(a) approvals worth $3.5 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Refugio County
How many people live in Refugio County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20246,707
- Households2,495
- Average household size2.69
- Median household income$60,181
- Median age42.4
- Median gross rent$795 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$99,000
- Home value to household income1.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher14.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree2.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over4,845
- Population under 181,457
- Share under 1821.7 percent
- Population 65 and over1,511
- Share 65 and over22.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 643,739
- Civilian labor force2,861
- Unemployment rate4.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over54.5 percent
- Rank by population among Texas counties190th of 254
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2758th of 3,222
Refugio County is the 190th largest of 254 Texas counties by population. A median home costs 1.6 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 22.5 percent against 21.7 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Refugio County
Is Refugio County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 20246,739
- Census 2020 base population6,736
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.04 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202428
- Births, 202482
- Deaths, 2024114
- Natural change, 2024-32
- Net domestic migration, 202463
- Net international migration, 20240
- Total net migration, 202463
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024152
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1812th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.04 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Refugio County
Where are people moving to Refugio County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving159
- People arriving, from those returns307
- Tax returns filed by households leaving153
- Net household movement6
- Adjusted gross income arriving$8.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$1.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$51,516
- Average income of a leaving household$46,654
- Largest single originNueces County (22 households)
- Largest single destinationVictoria County (24 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nueces County | 22 | 41 | $895,000 |
| Victoria County | 21 | 41 | $968,000 |
Households arriving report $4,862 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. 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.
Refugio County
What is the Refugio County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$484.3 m
- County GDP, 2023$487.6 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-0.7 percent
- GDP change over five years82.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Texas areas BEA publishes189th of 254
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2422nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$72,213
Output grew -0.7 percent in the latest year and 82.2 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.
Refugio County
Employment by industry in Refugio County
- Covered employment, annual average2,263
- Establishments reporting206
- Average annual pay$52,440
- Average weekly wage$1,008
- Construction, employment309
- Construction, average annual pay$59,250
- Retail trade, employment269
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,737
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, employment192
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, average annual pay$105,591
- Real estate and rental and leasing, employment86
- Real estate and rental and leasing, average annual pay$79,083
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment69
- Other services, except public administration, employment55
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 309 | 18 | $59,250 |
| Retail trade | 269 | 19 | $32,737 |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 192 | 19 | $105,591 |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 86 | 6 | $79,083 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 69 | 23 | $48,039 |
| Other services, except public administration | 55 | 12 | $30,338 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 52 | 6 | $82,755 |
| Manufacturing | 37 | 4 | $76,830 |
Construction is the largest private sector at 309 jobs, 13.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Refugio County
How many businesses are in Refugio County?
- Establishments, all industries136
- Employment at those establishments1,514
- Annual payroll$79.3 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents20.3
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.
Refugio County
Building permits in Refugio County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202414
- Declared construction value permitted$3.1 m
- Single family units authorized14
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$217,900
- Units authorized per 1,000 households5.6
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.
Refugio County
SBA loans in Refugio County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded3
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$3.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,171,667
- Median 7(a) approval$1,040,000
- Largest single approval$2,375,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)42
- Jobs per approval14.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active2
- Distinct industries receiving approvals2
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer33.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter2
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$223,000
- Average 504 approval$223,000
- Median 504 approval$223,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval4.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved17.9
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$3.7 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.
Refugio County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Refugio County
Do SBA loans in Refugio County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded0
- Paid in full0
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure3
Only 0 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.
Refugio County
SBA lending by place in Refugio County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Woodsboro, approvals2
- Refugio, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Woodsboro | 2 | $1,140,000 |
| Refugio | 1 | $2,375,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Refugio County
How large is Refugio County?
- Land area770 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Texas counties205th of 254
- Width, east to west47.1 mi
- Height, north to south33 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land9
- Establishments per square mile0.18
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.
Refugio County
Flood risk in Refugio County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Refugio County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 485501
- 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 Refugio 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 Refugio County (community 485501), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Refugio 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 Refugio 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 Refugio County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20246,707
- Households2,495
- Average household size2.69
- Median household income$60,181
- Median age42.4
Common questions
Refugio County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Refugio County, Texas?
The Census Bureau estimates 6,739 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 6,707, in 2,495 households, ranking 190th of 254 Texas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Refugio County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.04 percent since the 2020 census base of 6,736, to 6,739 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 82 births against 114 deaths, with net migration of 63. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Refugio County?
$60,181. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $99,000, which is 1.6 times income, and median gross rent is $795 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Refugio County?
136 establishments, employing 1,514 people with an annual payroll of $79.3 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 Refugio County?
Construction is the largest private sector at 309 jobs, 13.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 2,263 jobs at an average annual pay of $52,440, or $1,008 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Refugio County?
3 7(a) approvals totaling $3.5 m since FY2020, across 2 lenders, with a median approval of $1,040,000, plus 1 504 approvals worth $223,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Refugio County?
14 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $3.1 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Refugio 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 Refugio County come from?
The largest single origin is Nueces County, with 22 households. Arriving households report an average income of $51,516 against $46,654 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Refugio 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 Refugio 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.
Refugio County
Cities and places in Refugio.
5 Census places lie wholly or partly in Refugio County. All 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Refugio | town | 2,766 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Woodsboro | town | 1,464 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Tivoli | CDP | 433 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bayside | town | 412 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Austwell | city | 149 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby