Introduction
This article is the second in a series of economic and social profiles of each county in the Rural Capital Area (RCA). These profiles are intended to provide a high-level overview of various aspects of each county in the RCA. Blanco County is located to the west of Austin. The county seat is in Johnson City.
Demographic Profile
As of 2022, the population of Blanco County was 12,418. Blanco County gained population in 2021 and 2022, primarily due to domestic migration. Notably, there was a decrease in population in 2020. Data shows that this was due to natural decrease (more deaths than births) and not migration out of the area.
Compared to the rest of Texas, Blanco County has a much older population. The median age is 50.5 years in Blanco County compared to 35.0 in Texas and 38.4 years in the US. This can be seen in the population of children in the respective areas: 25.8% of Texas’ population is composed of people under 18 years, whereas that proportion is 17.6% in Blanco County. In most respects, Blanco County is less racially diverse than Texas; 75.6% of the population identifies as White (compared to 52.9% in Texas). However, the County is higher in Hispanic or Latino populations than the United States (20.4% in Blanco County as compared to 14.3% in the USA).
Employment Trends
While 4.3% of the labor force in Blanco County is unemployed, 40.4% of the population (16+) is not in the labor force, more than either the average in Texas or the US as a whole. Given the older population of the area, there are likely a large number of retirees in Blanco County.
|
Subject |
Estimate |
Percent |
|
Population 16 years and over |
9,549 |
--- |
|
In labor force |
5,691 |
59.6% |
|
Employed |
5,449 |
57.1% |
|
Unemployed |
242 |
2.5% |
|
Not in labor force |
3,858 |
40.4% |
|
Unemployment rate |
--- |
4.3% |
Educational Attainment
Of the population 25 years old and over, 90.2% have at least a high school degree. With 34% of people (25+) in the US holding at least a bachelor’s degree and 31% in Texas, Blanco County’s 25.7% is substantially lower.
Wage Trends
The Median Household (MHI) in Blanco County in 2021 was $69,247, slightly lower than the US’s $69,717. However, Blanco County’s MHI in the past decade has largely been in line with US trends.
Industry and Occupation Snapshots
Total employment by occupation in Blanco County is 3,725. Trade, transportation, and utilities employ the most workers of any industry in Blanco County, followed by Construction. Professional and business services, Leisure and hospitality, and Manufacturing are also in the top five industrial employers. The largest employment by occupation in Blanco County is in Hospitality.
Gross Regional Product
Gross regional product (GRP) is the same as gross domestic product (GDP), but for areas smaller than the United States. GRP simply measures the monetary market value of all final goods and services produced in a region, in this case, Blanco County. In Blanco County, the industry that generates the most GRP is Real estate and rental and leasing, followed by Construction.
