CountyScore

Dimmit County

Texas · TX

#151 in Texas
61.5
County Score

County Report Card

About Dimmit County, Texas

Dimmit outperforms national median

Dimmit County's composite score of 70.5 ranks in the 91st percentile nationally, well above the national median of 50.0. This South Texas county demonstrates strong overall livability performance.

Exceeds Texas average comfortably

At 70.5, Dimmit County surpasses the Texas state average of 66.8, placing it in the upper portion of Texas counties. It ranks among the strongest performers in this group despite its small population.

Exceptional affordability and moderate taxes

Dimmit County delivers a cost score of 87.1 with housing near the lowest nationally: median home at $80,300 and rent at just $753/month. The tax score of 70.1 with effective rate of 1.142% maintains reasonable fiscal burden.

Severely limited income potential

An income score of just 5.2 reflects median household income of $33,409—the lowest among these eight counties and well below regional and national averages. Data gaps on safety, health, schools, and water quality leave other dimensions unmeasured.

For those prioritizing cost above all

Dimmit County suits individuals and families with extremely limited budgets, retirees on fixed incomes, or those relying on remote work. Those seeking career growth, meaningful wage increases, or broader economic opportunity should explore counties with stronger income-earning potential.

Score breakdown

5 dimensions have live data. 3 more coming as vertical sites launch.

Tax70.1Cost87.1SafetyComing SoonHealth36.6SchoolsComing SoonIncome5.2Risk64.1WaterComing Soon
🏛70.1
Property Tax
Effective property tax rate vs national benchmarks
TaxByCounty →
🏠87.1
Cost of Living
Median rent, home values, and housing affordability
CostByCounty →
💼5.2
Income & Jobs
Median household income and per capita earnings
IncomeByCounty →
🛡Coming Soon
Safety
Violent and property crime rates per 100K residents
❤36.6
Health
Life expectancy, uninsured rates, and health access
HealthByCounty →
🎓Coming Soon
Schools
Graduation rates, per-pupil spending, and attainment
⚡64.1
Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index — flood, fire, tornado, and more
RiskByCounty →
💧Coming Soon
Water Quality
EPA drinking water health violations and safety grades

Explore this county

Property Taxtaxbycounty.comCost of Livingcostbycounty.comIncomeincomebycounty.com
Compare Dimmit County with another county →

Counties with similar scores

Douglas County
Colorado
61.5
Median income: $145,737
Forsyth County
Georgia
61.5
Median income: $138,000
Williamson County
Illinois
61.5
Median income: $65,521
Lamb County
Texas
61.5
Median income: $56,997
Palo Pinto County
Texas
61.5
Median income: $64,972

Deep Dives

Dimmit County across the ByCounty Network

Detailed analysis from 5 data dimensions — each powered by a dedicated ByCounty site.

Property Tax in Dimmit County

via TaxByCounty

Dimmit's rate runs 31% above national

Dimmit County's 1.14% effective tax rate is 31% above the national median of 0.87%, placing it in the middle range of U.S. counties by tax burden. The median property tax of $917 is 66% below the national median of $2,690, reflecting the county's modestly valued housing stock.

Lower-middle tier in Texas

Dimmit County ranks in the bottom third of Texas counties by effective tax rate at 1.14%, substantially below the state average of 1.28%. The median property tax of $917 is 58% below the statewide median of $2,193.

South Texas's second-lowest-tax county

Dimmit County at 1.14% undercuts Dickens (1.37%) and Deaf Smith (1.37%), trailing only DeWitt (0.86%) among nearby South Texas counties. This reflects Dimmit's rural character and agricultural economy.

Median home costs $917 annually

A Dimmit County home valued at $80,300—the county median—generates $917 in annual property taxes at the 1.14% rate. Combined with mortgage-related costs, total annual tax obligations reach $1,465.

Challenge assessments on ranch property

Dimmit County's ranching-based economy means agricultural land is often assessed incorrectly relative to comparable properties or current market use values. Filing a property tax appeal with Dimmit County's appraisal district could reveal overassessment and reduce your annual bill.

Full property tax analysis on TaxByCounty

Cost of Living in Dimmit County

via CostByCounty

Dimmit struggles despite low costs

Dimmit County's rent-to-income ratio of 27.1% represents one of Texas's worst affordability ratios, exceeding the national norm by 10 percentage points. Despite median rent of just $753, the county's low median income of $33,409—55% below the national average—creates severe housing stress.

Texas's affordability crisis county

Dimmit County ranks as Texas's least affordable with a 27.1% rent-to-income ratio, far exceeding the state average of 18.1%. The county's median income of $33,409 sits among Texas's lowest, leaving households with insufficient earnings to absorb even modest housing costs.

Extreme poverty and cost mismatch

Dimmit County's 27.1% affordability ratio dwarfs all peer counties in this analysis; even Dickens County at 17.9% with similar rents benefits from 50% higher incomes. South Texas border counties like Dimmit face systemic income challenges that render housing affordability ratios misleading—absolute costs matter less than income scarcity.

Low rents, lower incomes

Dimmit households spend $753 on rent or $518 on mortgages against a median income of just $33,409—one of Texas's lowest. Even at these rock-bottom housing costs, renters dedicate over 27% of income to rent, leaving minimal resources for food, healthcare, and transportation.

Dimmit: affordability with caution

Dimmit County offers the cheapest absolute housing costs in this analysis, but its 27.1% rent-to-income ratio signals deeper economic challenges. Only relocate if securing local employment at or above the $33,409 median income—otherwise, affordability statistics mask genuine hardship.

Full cost of living analysis on CostByCounty

Income & Jobs in Dimmit County

via IncomeByCounty

Dimmit faces severe income poverty

Dimmit County's median household income of $33,409 plummets 55.3% below the national median of $74,755, representing one of America's most economically challenged counties. The per capita income of $20,919 ranks among the nation's lowest, indicating systemic barriers to earning.

Texas's lowest-earning county

Dimmit County's median household income of $33,409 falls 48.4% below the Texas state average of $64,737, ranking it as the lowest-earning county in this analysis and among the poorest in Texas. Its per capita income of $20,919 trails the state average of $33,197 by 37.0%.

South Texas poverty concentration

Dimmit County's income reflects the deep poverty endemic to South Texas border communities, where agricultural wages, limited employment diversity, and immigration dynamics depress household earnings. Neighboring Webb, Zapata, and Maverick counties face similar structural economic challenges.

Housing strains budgets severely

At 27.1%, Dimmit County's rent-to-income ratio far exceeds the 20% affordability threshold, meaning renters spend over a quarter of limited income on housing. A median home value of $80,300 remains unaffordable for most households without significant assistance or multi-generational support.

Access financial assistance programs

Dimmit County residents should explore available federal and state programs—EITC, SNAP, housing assistance, workforce training—that directly boost household resources and long-term opportunity. Building financial literacy and accessing credit-building programs creates pathways toward economic stability and generational wealth.

Full income & jobs analysis on IncomeByCounty

Health in Dimmit County

via HealthByCounty

Dimmit faces severe health crisis

Dimmit County residents live just 71.0 years—3.3 years less than the U.S. average of 74.3 years—while 40.4% report poor or fair health, the highest among all eight counties. This South Texas county represents a health emergency where one in two residents lives with illness or disability, demanding urgent intervention.

Texas's most health-burdened county here

Dimmit County's 71.0-year life expectancy falls 3.3 years below Texas's 74.3-year average, but the 40.4% poor/fair health rate—double the state norm—signals an extraordinary health crisis. The county's 19.4% uninsured rate marginally exceeds the Texas average, contributing to the struggle to manage endemic disease.

Worst health outcomes in this county group

Dimmit County's 71.0-year life expectancy and 40.4% poor/fair health rate rank worst among all eight counties, far exceeding the challenges seen in Dawson, Deaf Smith, and Delta. With 35 primary care and 36 mental health providers per 100,000 residents, Dimmit's provider shortage cannot address the population's immense health burden.

Provider shortage amid disease crisis

Dimmit County's 35 primary care providers and 36 mental health providers per 100,000 residents are inadequate for a population where four in ten live with poor health. The 19.4% uninsured rate means thousands forgo care entirely, allowing treatable conditions—hypertension, diabetes, depression—to worsen into life-shortening crises.

Coverage is lifesaving in Dimmit

Dimmit County's 40.4% poor/fair health rate demands that every resident access healthcare; those without coverage should enroll immediately at healthcare.gov or through Medicaid. Insurance opens doors to Dimmit's limited but critical providers, enabling management of chronic disease that can extend life by years.

Full health analysis on HealthByCounty

Disaster Risk in Dimmit County

via RiskByCounty

Dimmit County experiences low risk

Dimmit County's composite risk score of 35.88 places it in the "Very Low" category, well below the national average. This South Texas county sits at the intersection of multiple hazard zones but experiences relatively minimal combined exposure.

Below Texas average, relatively safe

At 35.88, Dimmit County scores below the Texas state average of 49.00, ranking among the state's lower-risk counties. The county's inland location and semi-arid climate buffer it against many major hazard types.

Safest in South Texas peer group

Dimmit's 35.88 score edges out nearby Gulf Coast counties like DeWitt (83.91), whose 48-point gap reflects coastal hurricane and flood exposure. Compared to Panhandle neighbors like Deaf Smith (61.80), Dimmit benefits from lower tornado and wildfire risk.

Hurricane risk and wildfire matter most

Hurricane risk of 61.79 is Dimmit's highest hazard score, reflecting South Texas geography; wildfire risk (54.55) ranks second. Tornado (28.24), flood (19.37), and earthquake (8.75) risks remain relatively modest.

Hurricane preparedness plus wildfire awareness

Standard homeowners insurance covers wind damage but not flood; given the 61.79 hurricane score, verify policy limits for wind coverage. Maintain defensible space around structures, clear gutters, and develop a hurricane evacuation plan for storm season.

Full disaster risk analysis on RiskByCounty

ByCounty Network

🏛Property Tax🏠Cost of Living💼Income & Jobs🛡Safety❤Health🎓Schools⚡Disaster Risk💧Water Quality

Data from U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS — informational only.