City profile · Texas · Census ACS 2023

Lubbock, TX

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Lubbock - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

261,078
Residents
$60,487
Median income
$197,900
Median home
$1,175
Median rent (state)

Lubbock - the verdict

Nationally, Lubbock sits in the 36th percentile for household income and the 11th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

36th
percentile, household income
42nd
percentile, home value
34th
percentile, median rent
11th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Lubbock, TX

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 261,078 residents in Lubbock, a mid-sized U.S. city within Texas. Median household income here is $60,487 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 13.0%. Typical homes in Lubbock are valued around $197,900, and the median resident age is 30.4 years. About 34.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 62.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 1,852 residential building permits were authorized in Lubbock (Slowing), down 11% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Lubbock's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 3449.8 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Lubbock's yearly average temperature at 61.4°F with 18.3 inches of precipitation per year and 7.0 inches of snowfall.

Texas tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Texas scores 97.1 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,175 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Texas's average monthly utility costs around $223 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 96.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

261,078 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Texas

Median Household Income

$60,487 /yr

Poverty 13.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Texas average

How does Lubbock compare to other US cities?

Lubbock measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 36% higher than other cities
Home value 42% pricier than other cities
Median rent 34% pricier than other cities
Safety 11% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Texas alone, Lubbock ranks #581 of 624 Texas cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Lubbock's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Texas, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

36thIncome percentile
11thSafety percentile

36th percentile nationally for median household income · 11th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Lubbock's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Lubbock's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 36 Avg. percentile National median
Lubbock's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Lubbock's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$197,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 58% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Lubbock $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Lubbock, TX Lubbock, TX's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lubbock, TX-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Lubbock, TX median $60,487/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Lubbock, TX's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Lubbock, TX. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 34.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
261,078
Median Income
$60,487
Median Home Value
$197,900
Median Age
30.4
Poverty Rate
13.0%
Labor force participation
62.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
34.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3449.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
821.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2628.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
61.4°F
Annual Precipitation
18.3"
Annual Snowfall
7.0"

Schools

Total Schools
79
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
255,000 residents260,000 residents265,000 residents270,000 residents275,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 258,080 residents 273,071 residents ▲ +5.8%
Lubbock's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
1,852
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1,570
detached homes
Multifamily
282
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
7.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2,086
2020 3,600
2021 3,131
2022 2,946
2023 2,193
2024 1,852

Permit volume decreased 11% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
77.3%
Carpool
11.8%
Public Transit
0.7%
Walk
2.0%
Work from Home
6.5%
Other
1.7%

Based on 128,307 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Texas - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$45
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$223
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Texas state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Texas state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Lubbock sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,175/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.2 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Texas

Laredo
255,949 people
Irving
255,036 people
Garland
245,298 people
Plano
287,339 people
Frisco
210,238 people
Corpus Christi
317,383 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lubbock's 261,078 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

St. Petersburg, FL
260,646 people
Fort Wayne, IN
266,235 people
Toledo, OH
268,461 people
Reno, NV
268,959 people
North Las Vegas, NV
270,773 people
Chesapeake, VA
251,153 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lubbock's $60,487 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Boston, KY
$60,486 median income
Galloway, WV
$60,486 median income
Granite City, IL
$60,490 median income
Saranac Lake, NY
$60,494 median income
Lenoir City, TN
$60,480 median income
Fredonia, AZ
$60,476 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lubbock, TX Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Lubbock, TX - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 64.6% 8.3% 7.5% 16.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 36.8% White 64.6% Black or African American 8.3% Asian 2.8% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 7.5% Two or more races 16.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Lubbock compares to nearby Texas cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Lubbock (this city) 261,078 $60,487
Laredo 255,949 $63,264
Irving 255,036 $79,641
Garland 245,298 $74,717
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TX FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lubbock, TX?

What is the population of Lubbock, TX? +

The population of Lubbock, TX stands at 261,078 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Lubbock, TX? +

Lubbock households earn a median of $60,487 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lubbock? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lubbock; the closest available measure is the Texas state average, a cost of living index of 97.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Texas vary by metro area.

Is Lubbock, TX safe? +

Lubbock has a total crime rate of 3449.8 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Lubbock, TX? +

Homes in Lubbock carry a median value of $197,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Lubbock? +

Climate normals put Lubbock's yearly average temperature at 61.4°F, 18.3 inches of precipitation, and 7.0 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.