Ellis County, TX

This county of 251,943 residents needs 23,272 more housing units over the next five years. Ellis County is part of the North Central Texas COG.

Housing snapshot

Population
251,943 (2026)
Households
78,030
Median household income
$110,829 (2026)
Typical home value
$349,003
Owner-occupied
72%
Five-year housing need
23,272 units

Comparison to other Texas counties

Ellis County: $110,829 Median income (2026 estimate)
<$38K >$108K
Ellis County: 0.84 jobs to household ratio
<0.14 >1.63
Ellis County: Permits since 2021 represent 21.4% of housing
<0% >14.2%
On this page

How affordable is this community?

The typical home in Ellis County, TX is valued at $349,003, well above the Texas average of $245,578. Ellis County, TX's median household income of $110,829 comfortably exceeds what is needed to afford the typical home, making this a relatively affordable market.

This chart tracks whether housing prices are keeping pace with local incomes. The gap between what homes cost and what households can afford reveals affordability trends over time.

How is the population changing?

Ellis County, TX has a population of roughly 213,160 and is one of the faster-growing communities in its state, adding residents at 3.3% per year.

Population growth patterns reveal how communities are evolving. This chart shows historical population changes by age group and projects future trends based on demographic patterns.

How has employment changed over time?

Jobs by industry sector since 2012. Switch between local jobs — counted where the jobs are located — and resident jobs, counted where the workers live. On the local view the most recent year is a nowcast: it grows the latest local LODES job mix forward using recent county employment growth from QCEW and the BLS local employment series, so the newest point tracks today's economy instead of data that is roughly two years old.

How are households changing by income?

Ellis County, TX is one of the faster-growing communities in Texas, adding households at 3.3% per year and totaling roughly 78,030 households.

Understanding how households at different income levels are growing or declining helps identify which groups face the greatest housing pressure and where new housing is most needed.

Who lives here today?

The housing stock in Ellis County, TX is heavily oriented toward detached single-family, which makes up 78% of units. Ellis County, TX is a strongly owner-occupied community, with 72% of households owning their home.

Households may have different structure type preferences depending on characteristics such as household size, income, employment, presence of children, age of individuals, and lifestyle choices. Understanding the housing stock in corresponding terms helps assess how well existing units align with existing households' ideals.

What does the housing stock look like?

The mix of housing types and ownership patterns shapes a community's character. This chart breaks down housing units by structure type and whether they're owner-occupied or rented.

How much new housing supply is needed?

To keep up with growth and fill current housing shortages, Ellis County, TX needs 23,272 new units over the next 5 years.

21,539
Units needed to keep up with expected growth
Projected total household growth from 2026 to 2031.
27.6%
Projected household growth rate
Expected increase in total households from 78,030 in 2026 to 99,569 in 2031.
1,733
Units to address shortages in existing housing stock
Production needs to address vacancy rates and other factors.
516
Replacement housing
Effective annual loss rate is 1.4 per 1,000 units.
393
Ownership vacancy adjustment
Owner-occupied vacancy is 0.8%. This is below the minimum stable target of 1.5%.
704
Rental vacancy adjustment
Rental vacancy is 3.8%. This is below the minimum stable target of 7.4%.
108
Overcrowding adjustment
Overcrowding rate is 3.6%. This is above National avg. of 3.4%.
12
Substandard housing adjustment
Substandard housing rate is 1.00%. This is above National avg. of 0.98%.
23,272
Total 5-year housing production need (2026-2031)
4,654
Annual production pace
Average units needed per year to meet 5-year need
30.9%
Total housing unit growth
Percent increase in housing stock over 5 years
6.2%
Annual housing unit growth
Average percent increase in housing stock per year

How do these communities compare to each other?