Port Arthur, TX

This city of 55,790 residents needs 883 more housing units over the next five years. Port Arthur is a CDBG-entitlement community, see how the ROAD to Housing Act could change that funding. Port Arthur is part of the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission.

Housing snapshot

Population
55,790 (2026)
Households
21,503
Median household income
$51,614 (2026)
Typical home value
$129,809
Owner-occupied
49%
Five-year housing need
883 units

Comparison to other Texas municipalities

Port Arthur: $51,614 Median income (2026 estimate)
<$23K >$162K
Port Arthur: 0.95 jobs to household ratio
<0 >2.52
Port Arthur: Permits since 2021 represent 2.1% of housing
<0% >28%
On this page

How affordable is this community?

At $129,809, homes in Port Arthur, TX cost well below the Texas average of $245,578. Port Arthur, TX's median household income of $51,614 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?

Port Arthur, TX has a population of roughly 55,828 that has been largely stable in recent years.

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?

Port Arthur, TX has roughly 21,503 households and a population that has been largely stable in recent years.

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?

In Port Arthur, TX, detached single-family accounts for 69% of the housing stock. Port Arthur, TX is roughly split between owners and renters, at 49% owner-occupied.

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, Port Arthur, TX needs 883 new units over the next 5 years.

883
Units to address shortages in existing housing stock
Production needs to address vacancy rates and other factors.
230
Replacement housing
Effective annual loss rate is 1.8 per 1,000 units.
116
Ownership vacancy adjustment
Owner-occupied vacancy is 0.6%. This is below the minimum stable target of 1.5%.
320
Rental vacancy adjustment
Rental vacancy is 4.3%. This is below the minimum stable target of 7.4%.
217
Overcrowding adjustment
Overcrowding rate is 4.4%. This is above National avg. of 3.4%.
883
Total 5-year housing production need (2026-2031)
177
Annual production pace
Average units needed per year to meet 5-year need
3.4%
Total housing unit growth
Percent increase in housing stock over 5 years
0.7%
Annual housing unit growth
Average percent increase in housing stock per year

Build Now Act: how could CDBG funding change?

The Build Now Act (Section 213 of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act) ties a CDBG entitlement community's grant to how much housing it is building. This is a CommunityScale estimate from public ACS data, not HUD's official determination — HUD calculates from Census Master Address File block counts.

How does this place compare to similar communities?