Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety28#663/924
Economy34#615/925
Housing30#650/925
Health36#591/925
Healthcare3#897/923
Environment15#777/917
Education22#719/925
Infrastructure3#901/925
Community35#597/925
Leisure & amenities11#823/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where El Campo, TX micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Social associations · high14.9 /10k
86/100Texas 7.3 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Public EV charging ports · high9.5 /10k
83/100Texas 4.0 /10kUnited States 7.6 /10kOct 2026U.S. Department of EnergyAggregated from counties
Comfortable days · high30.5%
82/100Texas 30.7%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationAggregated from counties
Depression · low22.2%
72/100Texas 21.2%United States 20.7%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Public libraries · high0.9 /10k
71/100Texas 0.3 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesAggregated from counties
Suicide rate · low15.4 /100k
70/100Texas 14.4 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Traffic deaths · high41.2 /100k
1/100Texas 14.1 /100kUnited States 12.3 /100k2020-2024National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationAggregated from counties
Job growth · low-4.9%
2/100Texas 0.6%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional data
Hot days · high122 days
3/100Texas 111 daysUnited States 42 days2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationAggregated from counties
Preventable hospital stays · high4,509 /100k
4/100Texas 2,991 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Mental health providers · low69 /100k
5/100Texas 181 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Mammography screening · low34.0%
6/100Texas 42.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Drought exposureWorsening
5% (2021) → 68% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+63 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Traffic deathsWorsening
25.0 /100k (2015-2019) → 41.1 /100k (2020-2024)
+65%5 yearsUS 11.3 /100k → 12.3 /100k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
69.8% (2015-2019) → 81.8% (2020-2024)
+12 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Drug overdose deathsWorsening
10.2 /100k (2021) → 15.8 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
+55%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
Homicide rateImproving
11.9 /100k (2021) → 5.5 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−54%5 yearsUS 7.8 /100k → 4.8 /100k
New homes permittedWorsening
6.3 /1k (2021) → 3.3 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
−47%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, El Campo, TX micropolitan area improved on 15 of 29 measures with a comparison and declined on 4. 7 moved within the margin of error and 3 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved15

High school++7.3 points78.3% → 85.5%
Uninsured−5.1 points22.1% → 17.0%
Child poverty−9 points25.9% → 16.9%
Poverty−4 points17.6% → 13.6%
Household income+39%$48,310 → $66,924

Declined4

Traffic deaths+65%25.0 /100k → 41.1 /100k
Restaurants−18%7.2 /10k → 5.9 /10k
Pharmacies−26%1.9 /10k → 1.4 /10k
Grocery stores−15%1.7 /10k → 1.4 /10k

All 29 measures

Change of every measure of El Campo, TX micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	1.9 /10k2020	2.1 /10k2025	+11%	Improved	57%
Average commute time	23.6 min2015-2019	25.7 min2020-2024	+2.1 min	Within the margin of error	11%
Average weekly wage	$8422020	$1,0372025	+23%	Improved	49%
Bachelor's degree or higher	18.0%2015-2019	20.7%2020-2024	+2.7 points	Within the margin of error	48%
Broadband subscriptions	69.8%2015-2019	81.8%2020-2024	+12 points	Improved	77%
Child poverty rate	25.9%2015-2019	16.9%2020-2024	−9 points	Improved	93%
Distance to an airport	60 mi2020	60 mi2025	−0 mi	Little change	76%
Effective property tax rate	1.48%2015-2019	1.31%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	64%
Firearm deaths	31.3 /100k2020	24.0 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−23%	Improved	86%
Grocery stores	1.7 /10k2020	1.4 /10k2025	−15%	Declined	16%
High school diploma or higher	78.3%2015-2019	85.5%2020-2024	+7.3 points	Improved	100%
Home price to income ratio	2.7×2015-2019	2.8×2020-2024	+0.2×	Within the margin of error	82%
Homicide rate	8.5 /100k2020	5.5 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−35%	Improved	62%
Income adjusted for local prices	$51,7622019	$66,5392024	+29%	Improved	25%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4762015-2019	0.4642020-2024	−0.012	Within the margin of error	81%
Median household income	$48,3102015-2019	$66,9242020-2024	+39%	Improved	93%
New business applications	8.6 /1k2020	11.2 /1k2025	+29%	Improved	25%
Pharmacies	1.9 /10k2020	1.4 /10k2025	−26%	Declined	12%
Poverty rate	17.6%2015-2019	13.6%2020-2024	−4 points	Improved	94%
Property crime rate	1,942 /100k2020	1,139 /100k2025	−41%	Improved	67%
Public libraries	1.0 /10k2019	1.0 /10k2024	−0.9%	Little change	56%
Rent as share of income	25.8%2015-2019	29.4%2020-2024	+3.6 points	Within the margin of error	7%
Rent-burdened households	40.6%2015-2019	49.3%2020-2024	+8.6 points	Within the margin of error	6%
Restaurants and bars	7.2 /10k2020	5.9 /10k2025	−18%	Declined	5%
Suicide rate	16.1 /100k2020	15.4 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−4.3%	Little change	70%
Traffic deaths	25.0 /100k2015-2019	41.1 /100k2020-2024	+65%	Declined	3%
Unemployment rate	7.7%2020	4.4%2025	−3.3 points	Improved	59%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	22.1%2015-2019	17.0%2020-2024	−5.1 points	Improved	98%
Violent crime rate	347 /100k2020	243 /100k2025	−30%	Improved	75%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like El Campo, TX micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of El Campo, TX micropolitan area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, El Campo, TX micropolitan area itself moved +0.1 points in standing on average over the same 29 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

41,794 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69
50–59
40–49
30–39
20–29
10–19
Under 10

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 10–19 women (−2.0 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

41,794 residents

El Campo, TX micropolitan area
United States share

White43%18,096
Black11%4,563
Hispanic or Latino42%17,560

Education

27,334 residents (±166)

El Campo, TX micropolitan area
United States share

No high school diploma14%3,952
High school or GED33%9,004
Some college19%5,310

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

15,890 households (±353)

El Campo, TX micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k14%2,271
$25k–50k22%3,543
$50k–75k18%2,928
$75k–100k13%2,034
$100k–150k16%2,572
$150k–200k7.8%1,232
$200k or more8.2%1,310

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under $25k (−13.1 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

15,890 households (±353)

El Campo, TX micropolitan area
United States share

Own72%11,482
Rent28%4,408

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+5.3 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

3,942 households (±518)

El Campo, TX micropolitan area
United States share

Under $75015%†602
$750–1,00031%1,218
$1,000–1,50035%1,360

Home values

11,482 homes (±467)

El Campo, TX micropolitan area
United States share

Under $150k35%4,005
$150k–250k30%3,464
$250k–400k18%2,085

Age of homes

17,711 homes (±54)

El Campo, TX micropolitan area
United States share

2010 or later13%2,277
2000–200911%1,996
1980–199925%4,459

Size of homes

17,711 homes (±54)

El Campo, TX micropolitan area
United States share

Studio2.8%†496
1 bedroom7.3%1,293
2 bedrooms28%5,047

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

18,640 workers (±705)

El Campo, TX micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone79%14,731
Carpool12%2,322
Public transit0.1%†13
Walk1.8%†330
Bike1.0%†191
Work from home5.2%974
Other0.4%†79

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Drive alone (−8.4 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

17,666 workers (±674)

El Campo, TX micropolitan area
United States share

Under 15 min39%6,882
15–29 min25%4,486
30–44 min14%2,503

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes no occupation wages for El Campo, TX micropolitan area.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

El Campo, TX has 997 employer establishments, 238 for every 10,000 residents (0.96× the US rate of 248), with 11,159 paid employees at an average annual pay of $47,091. The Census Bureau also counts 4,305 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 997; 4,305 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 238; US 248
Paid employees: 11,159
Average annual pay: $47,091; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of El Campo, TX by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Restaurants and other eating places	66	15.8	0.86×About typical	1,097	$18,656	31
Ambulatory health care services	65	15.5	0.74×Fewer than typical	737	$58,795	237
Specialty trade contractors	52	12.4	0.80×About typical	300	$61,313	383
Religious organizations	50	11.9	2.15×More than typical	243	$20,988	—
Truck transportation	42	10	1.98×More than typical	248	$57,169	255
Lessors of real estate	38	9.1	0.74×Fewer than typical	68	$45,632	240
Limited-service restaurants	31	7.4	0.92×About typical	647	$18,250	7
Full-service restaurants	30	7.2	0.93×About typical	404	$19,552	17
Building equipment contractors	27	6.4	1.07×About typical	191	$63,785	70
Insurance agencies and brokerages	26	6.2	1.41×More than typical	78	$52,962	63
Gasoline stations	25	6	1.84×More than typical	471	$39,393	—
Construction of buildings	24	5.7	0.76×Fewer than typical	133	$45,301	151

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 41,875 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $29.3K on contracts performed in El Campo, TX micropolitan area: $0.70 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $29.3K; −95% vs FY2025
Per resident: $0.70; US $1,994
Sole-source: 33%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of the Army$19.5K67%
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service$9,78633%

Top recipients

S365 INC$19.5K67%
SHOPPA'S FARM SUPPLY, INC.$9,78633%
INTEGRATED FEDERAL SERVICES JV$00.0%
KENALL-FREESE AND NICHOLS 8A MENTOR-PROTEGE JOINT VENTURE$00.0%
ON-DEMAND SERVICES LLC$00.0%

Spending by fiscal year

158KFY2017
808.7KFY2018
1.5MFY2019
4.5MFY2020
1.6MFY2021
54.8MFY2022
-1.5MFY2023
677.4KFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Special food services · 7223$19.5K67%
Commercial and industrial machinery and equipment repair and maintenance · 8113$9,78633%

Largest awards

DESIGN OF COLORADO RIVER LEVEE PH 2$5.4M
KENALL-FREESE AND NICHOLS 8A MENTOR-PROTEGE JOINT VENTURE· Wharton County, TX· Construction & real property· Apr 6, 2020 – Mar 6, 2026· W9126G20F0486
UPDATE DESIGN OF CO RIVER LEVEE PH1$1.6M
INTEGRATED FEDERAL SERVICES JV· Wharton County, TX· Construction & real property· Jul 12, 2019 – Apr 16, 2026· W9126G19F0267
TEXAS ARMY NATIONAL GUARD: CATERED MEAL REQUIREMENT FOR 551 MULTI ROLE BRIDGE COMPANY (MRBC) FROM MAY- JUNE 2026 IN EL CAMPO, TEXAS$19.5K
S365 INC· Wharton County, TX· Facilities & utilities· May 7, 2026 – May 7, 2026· W912L126FA006
TX-AR MATAGORDA ISLD NWR - URGENT GENERATOR REPAIR

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $320.5M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for El Campo, TX micropolitan area: $7,621 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $320.5M; +6.6% vs FY2025
Per resident: $7,621; US $12,955
Loan face value: $11.6M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 4.7%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$158.1M49%
20.279 · National Highway Performance Program (NHPP)$63.6M20%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$19M5.9%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$17.6M5.5%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$15.6M4.9%
10.988 · Supplemental Disaster Relief Program$9.1M2.8%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$6.6M2.1%
84.063 · Federal Pell Grant Program$6.1M1.9%

Top recipients (organizations)

TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$72.4M23%
AUSTIN, TX
WHARTON COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE$6.7M2.1%
WHARTON, TX
LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICES OF THE SOUTH, INC$3.9M1.2%
AUSTIN, TX
EL CAMPO HOUSING AUTHORITY$753.3K0.2%
EL CAMPO, TX
OAKCREST APARTMENTS SOUTH, LTD.$668.3K

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$199.3M62%
Federal Highway Administration$72.4M23%
Department of Transportation
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$19.9M6.2%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Farm Service Agency$12.6M3.9%
Department of Agriculture
Department of Education$6.7M

Assistance by fiscal year

263.6MFY2021
227.7MFY2022
231.4MFY2023
274.9MFY2024
300.8MFY2025
320.5MFY2026

County aggregates

69%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in El Campo, TX

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Wharton CountyCentral county1142,060

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

El CampoPrincipal city12,202

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Texas

Areas based in Texas, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M20900

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved15

Declined4

Metro and micro areas like El Campo, TX micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Getting to work

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in El Campo, TX

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Texas

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved15

Declined4

Household income

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought