Abilene is a city located in Taylor County Texas. Abilene has a 2024 population of 130,251. It is also the county seat of Taylor County. Abilene is currently growing at a rate of 0.94% annually and its population has increased by 3.85% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 125,417 in 2020.
The average household income in Abilene is $78,487 with a poverty rate of 15.87%. The median age in Abilene is 32.2 years: 31.7 years for males, and 32.9 years for females.
Abilene's Dyess Air Force Base, combined with rapid expansion particularly in the southwest, southeast and northeast sections of the city, has led to continued population growth in Abilene. Recent expansions in the city, as well as initiatives to lure in new businesses, have contributed to Abilene’s population growth. While growth has slowed down since the population boom in the early 20th century, it is still steady, with the most recent estimates showing an increase of 4.4% since the last census in 2010. This indicates that Abilene is continuing to grow at a slower—but still steady—rate.
Cattle ranching and trade helped to build the city of Abilene. The area was founded officially in 1881 and was marked into lots that were sold quickly to the campers that were looking to make a living in Texas. The first college came just ten years later.
In 1940, the city funded the purchase of enough land to provide a US Army base just outside of town. The station brought thousands of people to the area and helped strengthen the economy and the population during and after the Second World War.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Abilene was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 86,031 | 68.09% |
| Two or more races | 14,957 | 11.84% |
| Black or African American | 13,160 | 10.42% |
| Other race | 9,018 | 7.14% |
| Asian | 2,891 | 2.29% |
| Native American | 283 | 0.22% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 16 | 0.01% |
White
Two or more races
Black or African American
Other race
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 46,030 | 2.47 | 54 | 46 |
| Married | 20,884 | 3.09 | 72.2 | 27.8 |
| Non Family | 16,718 | 1.32 | 37.9 | 62.1 |
| Female | 6,165 | 3.27 | 39.7 | 60.3 |
| Male | 2,263 | 3.06 | 44.4 | 55.6 |
3.03
Average Family Size
2.47
Average Household Size
54.0%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 6,133 | 7.93% |
| Associates Degree | 6,954 | 8.99% |
| Bachelors Degree | 13,104 | 16.94% |
| Graduate Degree | 7,324 | 9.47% |
| High School Graduate | 23,436 | 30.29% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 3,431 | 4.43% |
| Some College | 16,985 | 21.95% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 47,183 | 44,087 | 15,750 |
| Hispanic | 18,981 | 14,208 | 2,069 |
| 2+ Races | 7,872 | 5,959 | 736 |
| Black | 7,575 | 6,282 | 1,285 |
| Other Race | 5,522 | 3,800 | 444 |
| Asian | 1,684 | 1,528 | 930 |
| Native American | 195 | 137 | 12 |
| Islander | 16 | 16 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 55.23%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $54,152 | $61,573 | $46,747 |
| Graduate Degree | $63,372 | $70,777 | $59,345 |
| High School Graduate | $30,801 | $34,742 | $26,525 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $27,629 | $31,897 | $21,267 |
| Overall | $39,710 | $44,890 | $35,507 |
| Some College | $39,637 | $43,223 | $35,571 |
$39,710
Average Earnings
$44,890
Average Male
$35,507
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
81.31% of Abilene residents speak only English, while 18.69% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 15.2% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 67,061 | 8,467 | 12.63% |
| Hispanic | 31,451 | 6,207 | 19.74% |
| Black | 10,328 | 2,665 | 25.8% |
| Multiple | 12,938 | 2,590 | 20.02% |
| Other | 7,952 | 1,565 | 19.68% |
| Asian | 2,648 | 583 | 22.02% |
| Native | 192 | 9 | 4.69% |
15.87%
Overall Poverty Rate
14.08%
Male Poverty Rate
17.56%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Abilene is Black, with 25.8% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Abilene is Native, with 4.69% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.29%. Among those working part-time, it was 25.99%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 24.95%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 31.18% |
| High School | 16.73% |
| Some College | 9.32% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 4.11% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 28% |
| Male Unemployed | 14.3% |
| Female Employed | 12.5% |
| Male Employed | 7.37% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $75,460 | $92,110 |
| Households | $59,254 | $78,487 |
| Married Families | $91,194 | $109,931 |
| Non Families | $35,611 | $50,496 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
43.7%
Overall Marriage Rate
44.4%
Male Marriage Rate
42.9%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
8,225
Number of Veterans
7,254
Male Veterans
971
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Second Gulf War | 3,468 |
| Vietnam | 2,385 |
| First Gulf War | 2,131 |
| Korea | 487 |
| World War II | 109 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 35 to 54 | 2,505 |
| 75+ | 1,623 |
| 65 to 74 | 1,584 |
| 18 to 34 | 1,328 |
| 55 to 64 | 1,185 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 6,286 | 9.69% |
| Black | 1,108 | 11.97% |
| Hispanic | 1,095 | 4.71% |
| 2+ Races | 374 | 3.83% |
| Other Race | 346 | 5.49% |
| Asian | 106 | 5.46% |
| Native American | 5 | 1.91% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
7.11%
Veteran Poverty Rate
32.87%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
62.3%
Labor Force Participation
56%
Employment Rate
2.8%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
66.63%
Born in Abilene
92.49%
Native Born
7.51%
Foreign Born
4.59%
Non Citizen
2.92%
Naturalized
92.49% of Abilene residents were born in the United States, with 66.63% having been born in Texas. 4.59% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 136,294 | 1,208 | 0.89% |
| 2028 | 135,086 | 1,209 | 0.9% |
| 2027 | 133,877 | 1,208 | 0.91% |
| 2026 | 132,669 | 1,209 | 0.92% |
| 2025 | 131,460 | 1,209 | 0.93% |
| 2024 | 130,251 | 1,208 | 0.94% |
| 2023 | 129,043 | 1,598 | 1.25% |
| 2022 | 127,445 | 1,297 | 1.03% |
| 2021 | 126,148 | 731 | 0.58% |
| 2020 | 125,417 | 1,919 | 1.55% |
| 2019 | 123,498 | 700 | 0.57% |
| 2018 | 122,798 | 625 | 0.51% |
| 2017 | 122,173 | 224 | 0.18% |
| 2016 | 121,949 | 173 | 0.14% |
| 2015 | 121,776 | 1,078 | 0.89% |
| 2014 | 120,698 | 869 | 0.73% |
| 2013 | 119,829 | -54 | -0.05% |
| 2012 | 119,883 | 1,113 | 0.94% |
| 2011 | 118,770 | 964 | 0.82% |
| 2010 | 117,806 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 115,930 | 9,276 | 8.7% |
| 1990 | 106,654 | 8,339 | 8.48% |
| 1980 | 98,315 | 8,662 | 9.66% |
| 1970 | 89,653 | -715 | -0.79% |
| 1960 | 90,368 | 44,798 | 98.31% |
| 1950 | 45,570 | 18,958 | 71.24% |
| 1940 | 26,612 | 3,437 | 14.83% |
| 1930 | 23,175 | 12,901 | 125.57% |
| 1920 | 10,274 | 1,070 | 11.63% |
| 1910 | 9,204 | 5,793 | 169.83% |
| 1900 | 3,411 | 217 | 6.79% |
| 1890 | 3,194 | -133,100 | -97.66% |