Abilene is a city located in Jones County and Taylor County Texas. Abilene has a 2023 population of 125,302. It is also the county seat of Taylor County.Abilene is currently growing at a rate of 0.09% annually and its population has increased by 0.28% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 124,954 in 2020.
The average household income in Abilene is $73,825 with a poverty rate of 15.4%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Abilene is 32.1 years, 31.7 years for males, and 32.6 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:
White
Black or African American
Other race
Two or more races
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 45,504 | 2.48 | 54.5 | 45.5 |
| Married | 20,649 | 3.11 | 72 | 28 |
| Non Family | 16,380 | 1.31 | 38.2 | 61.8 |
| Female | 6,401 | 3.24 | 42.9 | 57.1 |
| Male | 2,074 | 3.14 | 45.8 | 54.2 |
3.05
Average Family Size
2.48
Average Household Size
54.5%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
80.85% of Abilene residents speak only English, while 19.15% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 15.16% of the population.
rate
15.4%
Overall Poverty Rate
13.35%
Male Poverty Rate
17.31%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Abilene is Native, with 30.05% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Abilene is White, with 11.75% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.8%. Among those working part-time, it was 26.15%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 23.75%.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
43.6%
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
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
6.3%
Veteran Poverty Rate
31.6%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
62.8%
Labor Force Participation
56.9%
Employment Rate
3.1%
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
73.5%
Born in Abilene
102.95%
Native Born
7.72%
Foreign Born
4.64%
Non Citizen
3.07%
Naturalized
102.95% of Abilene residents were born in the United States, with 73.5% having been born in Texas. 4.64% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 3,194 | -122,808 | 2.68% |
| 1900 | 3,411 | 217 | 0.66% |
| 1910 | 9,204 | 5,793 | 10.44% |
| 1920 | 10,274 | 1,070 | 1.11% |
| 1930 | 23,175 | 12,901 | 8.47% |
| 1940 | 26,612 | 3,437 | 1.39% |
| 1950 | 45,570 | 18,958 | 5.53% |
| 1960 | 90,368 | 44,798 | 7.09% |
| 1970 | 89,653 | -715 | -0.08% |
| 1980 | 98,315 | 8,662 | 0.93% |
| 1990 | 106,654 | 8,339 | 0.82% |
| 2000 | 115,930 | 9,276 | 0.84% |
| 2010 | 117,063 | ||
| 2011 | 117,875 | 812 | 0.69% |
| 2012 | 118,687 | 812 | 0.69% |
| 2013 | 119,499 | 812 | 0.68% |
| 2014 | 120,311 | 812 | 0.68% |
| 2015 | 121,123 | 812 | 0.67% |
| 2016 | 121,935 | 812 | 0.67% |
| 2017 | 122,747 | 812 | 0.67% |
| 2018 | 123,559 | 812 | 0.66% |
| 2019 | 124,371 | 812 | 0.66% |
| 2020 | 124,954 | 583 | 0.47% |
| 2021 | 125,070 | 116 | 0.09% |
| 2022 | 125,186 | 116 | 0.09% |
| 2023 | 125,302 | 116 | 0.09% |
| 2024 | 125,418 | 116 | 0.09% |
| 2025 | 125,534 | 116 | 0.09% |
| 2026 | 125,651 | 117 | 0.09% |
| 2027 | 125,768 | 117 | 0.09% |
| 2028 | 125,885 | 117 | 0.09% |
| 2029 | 126,002 | 117 | 0.09% |