Galveston is a city located in Galveston County Texas. Galveston has a 2023 population of 52,622. It is also the county seat of Galveston County.Galveston is currently declining at a rate of -0.56% annually and its population has decreased by -1.68% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 53,520 in 2020.
The average household income in Galveston is $75,093 with a poverty rate of 18.63%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Galveston is 40 years, 39.5 years for males, and 40.7 years for females.
Galveston is located in Galveston County, where it serves as the county seat. This coastal city is found on Galveston Island and Pelican Island.
The city’s population, for the most part, has grown since the first census taken in 1850. However, the population declined in 1970 before rising slightly in 1980. A pattern of decline followed according to the census data from 1990 through 2010. However, recent estimates show that the population has grown almost 6% since the last census of 2010, although the current estimate is a far cry from the peak population of 67,175 recorded in 1960.
The city was incorporated in 1839, and during its earliest history was one of the largest ports in the nation. Initially, the first Europeans to inhabit the area were pirates. The Navy took control of the area and established a port that later became the capital of the Republic of Texas.
Today, the city’s economy is centered on health care, tourism, shipping, and finance. It is also known for its historic buildings, many of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Galveston was:
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Asian
Other race
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 23,313 | 2.12 | 46.2 | 53.8 |
| Non Family | 10,909 | 1.23 | 33.6 | 66.4 |
| Married | 8,282 | 2.8 | 67.7 | 32.3 |
| Female | 3,233 | 3.09 | 36.9 | 63.1 |
| Male | 889 | 3.09 | 34 | 66 |
2.83
Average Family Size
2.12
Average Household Size
46.2%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
73.51% of Galveston residents speak only English, while 26.49% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 21.34% of the population.
rate
18.63%
Overall Poverty Rate
18.13%
Male Poverty Rate
19.1%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Galveston is Islander, with 63.16% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Galveston is White, with 12.71% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.14%. Among those working part-time, it was 23.28%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 28.47%.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
39.9%
Overall Marriage Rate
40.3%
Male Marriage Rate
39.4%
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 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
11.5%
Veteran Poverty Rate
34.48%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
58.3%
Labor Force Participation
54%
Employment Rate
7.1%
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
65.96%
Born in Galveston
92.98%
Native Born
14.33%
Foreign Born
8.25%
Non Citizen
6.08%
Naturalized
92.98% of Galveston residents were born in the United States, with 65.96% having been born in Texas. 8.25% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 4,177 | -46,694 | 1.41% |
| 1860 | 7,307 | 3,130 | 5.75% |
| 1870 | 13,818 | 6,511 | 6.58% |
| 1880 | 22,248 | 8,430 | 4.88% |
| 1890 | 29,084 | 6,836 | 2.72% |
| 1900 | 37,789 | 8,705 | 2.65% |
| 1910 | 36,981 | -808 | -0.22% |
| 1920 | 44,255 | 7,274 | 1.81% |
| 1930 | 52,938 | 8,683 | 1.81% |
| 1940 | 60,862 | 7,924 | 1.4% |
| 1950 | 66,568 | 5,706 | 0.9% |
| 1960 | 67,175 | 607 | 0.09% |
| 1970 | 61,809 | -5,366 | -0.83% |
| 1980 | 61,902 | 93 | 0.02% |
| 1990 | 59,070 | -2,832 | -0.47% |
| 2000 | 57,247 | -1,823 | -0.31% |
| 2010 | 47,743 | ||
| 2011 | 48,338 | 595 | 1.25% |
| 2012 | 48,933 | 595 | 1.23% |
| 2013 | 49,528 | 595 | 1.22% |
| 2014 | 50,123 | 595 | 1.2% |
| 2015 | 50,718 | 595 | 1.19% |
| 2016 | 51,313 | 595 | 1.17% |
| 2017 | 51,908 | 595 | 1.16% |
| 2018 | 52,503 | 595 | 1.15% |
| 2019 | 53,098 | 595 | 1.13% |
| 2020 | 53,520 | 422 | 0.79% |
| 2021 | 53,219 | -301 | -0.56% |
| 2022 | 52,920 | -299 | -0.56% |
| 2023 | 52,622 | -298 | -0.56% |
| 2024 | 52,326 | -296 | -0.56% |
| 2025 | 52,032 | -294 | -0.56% |
| 2026 | 51,739 | -293 | -0.56% |
| 2027 | 51,448 | -291 | -0.56% |
| 2028 | 51,159 | -289 | -0.56% |
| 2029 | 50,871 | -288 | -0.56% |