Scores by category

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

Safety21#726/924
Economy56#405/925
Housing41#547/925
Health30#651/925
Healthcare7#861/923
Environment46#496/917
Education9#842/925
Infrastructure22#725/925
Community3#896/925
Leisure & amenities12#813/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

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

Strengths

Distance to an airport · low13 mi
94/100Texas 33 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Average weekly wage · high$1,457
94/100Texas $1,499United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Comfortable days · high32.4%
90/100Texas 30.7%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationAggregated from counties
New business applications · high17.4 /1k
88/100Texas 17.2 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
New homes permitted · high7.0 /1k
87/100Texas 6.3 /1kUnited States 4.2 /1kSep 2025–Aug 2026U.S. Census BureauProvisional data
Depression · low20.8%
87/100Texas 21.2%United States 20.7%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Public libraries · low0.1 /10k
0/100Texas 0.3 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesAggregated from counties
Voter turnout · low41.7%
1/100Texas 57.8%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionAggregated from counties
Uninsured residents (under 65) · high24.4%
2/100Texas 19.1%United States 9.8%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B27010
Mammography screening · low30.0%
2/100Texas 42.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Mental health providers · low58 /100k
3/100Texas 181 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Hot days · high119 days
3/100Texas 111 daysUnited States 42 days2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationAggregated from counties

Trends

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

PopulationRising
165,491 (2020) → 173,801 (2025)
+5%5 yearsUS 331,578,104 → 341,784,857
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
39.7% (2015-2019) → 52.3% (2020-2024)
+13 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
New business applicationsImproving
11.4 /1k (2020) → 17.4 /1k (2025)
+53%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Violent crime rateImproving
705 /100k (2020) → 346 /100k (2025)
−51%5 yearsUS 389 /100k → 328 /100k
Property crime rateImproving
2,978 /100k (2020) → 1,511 /100k (2025)
−49%5 yearsUS 1,929 /100k → 1,535 /100k
Drought exposureImproving
65% (2021) → 56% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
−8.7 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%

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, Odessa, TX metro area improved on 15 of 31 measures with a comparison and declined on 9. 5 moved within the margin of error and 2 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

Unemployment−7.8 points11.5% → 3.7%
Suicides−27%19.3 /100k → 14.0 /100k
Violent crime−51%705 /100k → 346 /100k
Grocery stores+17%0.8 /10k → 0.9 /10k
Firearm deaths−31%21.1 /100k → 14.6 /100k

Declined9

Poverty+4.5 points11.9% → 16.5%
Rent / income+6.3 points25.0% → 31.3%
Rent burden+13 points39.7% → 52.3%
Child poverty+6.5 points15.5% → 22.0%
Arts & recreation−25%2.3 /10k → 1.7 /10k

All 31 measures

Change of every measure of Odessa, TX metro area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	2.3 /10k2020	1.7 /10k2025	−25%	Declined	4%
Average commute time	23.7 min2015-2019	25.0 min2020-2024	+1.3 min	Within the margin of error	23%
Average weekly wage	$1,1702020	$1,4572025	+25%	Improved	61%
Bachelor's degree or higher	15.4%2015-2019	17.6%2020-2024	+2.2 points	Improved	37%
Broadband subscriptions	82.2%2015-2019	87.6%2020-2024	+5.4 points	Improved	11%
Child poverty rate	15.5%2015-2019	22.0%2020-2024	+6.5 points	Declined	2%
Distance to an airport	13 mi2020	13 mi2025	−0 mi	Little change	74%
Drug overdose deaths	18.7 /100k2020	20.1 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	+7.5%	Declined	23%
Effective property tax rate	1.32%2015-2019	1.27%2020-2024	−0 points	Within the margin of error	21%
Firearm deaths	21.1 /100k2020	14.6 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−31%	Improved	92%
Grocery stores	0.8 /10k2020	0.9 /10k2025	+17%	Improved	87%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.9 /10k2020	0.7 /10k2025	−24%	Declined	17%
High school diploma or higher	76.0%2015-2019	78.3%2020-2024	+2.3 points	Within the margin of error	67%
Home price to income ratio	2.2×2015-2019	2.8×2020-2024	+0.6×	Declined	36%
Homicide rate	9.1 /100k2020	6.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−33%	Improved	60%
Income adjusted for local prices	$53,7842019	$66,3762024	+23%	Improved	4%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4522015-2019	0.4702020-2024	+0.019	Within the margin of error	15%
Median household income	$62,9732015-2019	$71,5362020-2024	+14%	Improved	3%
New business applications	11.4 /1k2020	17.4 /1k2025	+53%	Improved	60%
Pharmacies	1.5 /10k2020	1.2 /10k2025	−21%	Declined	19%
Poverty rate	11.9%2015-2019	16.5%2020-2024	+4.5 points	Declined	1%
Property crime rate	2,978 /100k2020	1,511 /100k2025	−49%	Improved	84%
Public libraries	0.1 /10k2019	0.1 /10k2024	−2.6%	Little change	41%
Rent as share of income	25.0%2015-2019	31.3%2020-2024	+6.3 points	Declined	1%
Rent-burdened households	39.7%2015-2019	52.3%2020-2024	+13 points	Declined	2%
Restaurants and bars	7.6 /10k2020	8.4 /10k2025	+11%	Improved	82%
Suicide rate	19.3 /100k2020	14.0 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−27%	Improved	91%
Traffic deaths	30.5 /100k2015-2019	29.0 /100k2020-2024	−5.1%	Improved	71%
Unemployment rate	11.5%2020	3.7%2025	−7.8 points	Improved	99%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	23.0%2015-2019	24.4%2020-2024	+1.3 points	Within the margin of error	15%
Violent crime rate	705 /100k2020	346 /100k2025	−51%	Improved	94%

“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 Odessa, TX metro area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Odessa, TX metro 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, Odessa, TX metro area itself moved −6.4 points in standing on average over the same 30 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

164,654 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

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

Household income

64,563 households (±626)

Odessa, TX metro area
United States share

Under $25k18%11,658
$25k–50k18%11,400
$50k–75k17%10,752

Homes

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

Owners and renters

64,563 households (±626)

Odessa, TX metro area
United States share

Own65%41,753
Rent35%22,810

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

Getting to work

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

How people get to work

74,555 workers (±1,469)

Odessa, TX metro area
United States share

Drive alone83%61,932
Carpool11%8,521
Public transit0.2%†151

Jobs and pay

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

The 10 largest occupations in Odessa, TX employ 20,920 people. 1 pay a median above the US median and 9 below it.

Above the US median
Below the US median

The largest occupations in Odessa, TX by employment, with median annual pay and how it compares with the United States
Occupation	Jobs	Median pay	vs USCompared with the US	Concentration
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers3,190 jobs	3,190	$58,370US $58,640	0%	2.97×
Fast Food and Counter Workers2,960 jobs	2,960

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.

Odessa, TX has 3,994 employer establishments, 241 for every 10,000 residents (0.97× the US rate of 248), with 66,236 paid employees at an average annual pay of $72,006. The Census Bureau also counts 19,299 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 3,994; 19,299 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 241; US 248
Paid employees: 66,236
Average annual pay: $72,006; US $68,342

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

Truck transportation	292	17.6	3.48×More than typical	2,354	$86,810	2,979
Restaurants and other eating places	278	16.8	0.91×About typical	6,265	$24,489	168
Ambulatory health care services	229	13.8	0.66×Fewer than typical	2,546	$88,436	333
Specialty trade contractors	199	12	0.77×Fewer than typical	2,400	$77,634	1,923
Limited-service restaurants	146	8.8	1.10×About typical	3,398	$22,249	50
Automotive repair and maintenance	116	7	1.39×More than typical	932	$50,672	778
Lessors of real estate	100	6	0.49×Fewer than typical	405	$54,027	753
Full-service restaurants	97	5.8	0.76×Fewer than typical	2,418	$28,404	67
Building equipment contractors	95	5.7	0.95×About typical	1,225	$76,648	295
Offices of physicians	87	5.2	0.81×About typical	1,017	$135,158	47
Religious organizations	80	4.8	0.87×About typical	710	$25,023	—
Fabricated metal product manufacturing	77	4.6	2.90×More than typical	1,112	$79,169	293

Rank places for an industry

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 165,946 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 $78.8K on contracts performed in Odessa, TX metro area: $0.45 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $78.8K; +690% vs FY2025
Per resident: $0.45; US $1,994
Sole-source: 91%; US 30%
Single offer: 9.1%; 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

National Park Service$67.7K86%
Drug Enforcement Administration$7,2009.1%
Defense Logistics Agency$3,9405.0%

Top recipients

ODESSA PUMPS AND EQUIPMENT, INC$67.7K86%
DALE, BETTY L$7,2009.1%
KNIGHTEN MACHINE AND SERVICE INC$3,9405.0%
J.E. FEDERAL ENTERPRISES, LLC.$00.0%

Spending by fiscal year

36.4KFY2017
31.2KFY2018
96.5KFY2019
34.2KFY2020
26.4KFY2021
16.2KFY2022
292.7KFY2023
24.4KFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing · 3391$67.7K86%
Lessors of real estate · 5311$7,2009.1%
Other general purpose machinery manufacturing · 3339$3,9405.0%

Largest awards

BIBE - BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK - EMERGENCY WATER PUMP REPAIR$67.7K
ODESSA PUMPS AND EQUIPMENT, INC· Ector County, TX· Equipment maintenance· Jan 8, 2026 – May 14, 2026· 140P6026P0001
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM$39.3K
J.E. FEDERAL ENTERPRISES, LLC.· Ector County, TX· Professional services· Apr 4, 2022 – Aug 26, 2026· 36C25722P0321
EP/TOWERSITE PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: OCTOBER 1, 2025- SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 REQUESTOR: ERNESTO X NAVARRO POP DATES: 10/01/2025 TO 09/30/2026 FUND TO DATE: 09/30/2026$7,200
DALE, BETTY L· Ector County, TX· Construction & real property· Jul 9, 2025 – Dec 8, 2025· 15DDEL25P00000016
8512012025!PUMP

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 $648.3M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Odessa, TX metro area: $3,730 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $648.3M; −6.4% vs FY2025
Per resident: $3,730; US $12,955
Loan face value: $48.9M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.0%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$344.2M53%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$63M9.7%

Counties in Odessa, 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.

Ector CountyCentral county18173,801

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

OdessaPrincipal city115,322

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
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/M36220

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved15

Declined9

Metro and micro areas like Odessa, TX metro area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people 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

Counties in Odessa, 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

Declined9

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Look up any occupation

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Top programs

What was bought

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

By type

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates