Demographics About Odessa, TX
Odessa is a city located along Interstate 20 in the oil-rich Permian Basin region in western Texas. As of 2019, Odessa had an estimated population of 116,682, making it the 29th most populous city in Texas.
Recent Population Trends
Over the past few decades, Odessa’s population has gone through periods of growth and decline, largely tied to the rise and fall of oil prices. In the 1970s, Odessa saw rapid population growth as rising oil prices brought an influx of oil field workers.
The city’s population peaked at over 100,000 residents in 1982. However, declining oil prices in the 1980s led to job losses, and Odessa’s population fell to around 90,000 by 1988.
The discovery of oil reserves in the Permian Basin in the 2010s spurred another boom era for Odessa. The city added over 26,000 new residents between 2010 and 2019, for a growth rate of 29%. However, experts warn that Odessa’s economy and demographics remain vulnerable to fluctuations in global oil markets.
Population Density
With a total land area of 44.8 square miles, Odessa has a population density of 2,605 people per square mile as of 2019. This makes Odessa significantly more densely populated than Texas as a whole, which has a population density of 109 people per square mile.
Sections of Odessa that have the highest concentration of residents include downtown and central Odessa near Grant Avenue and 42nd Street. The northeast part of the city also has density levels exceeding 3,500 people per square mile in certain neighborhoods.
Age and Gender
Odessa has an overwhelmingly young population compared to national averages. The median age is 31.7 years old, almost 6 years younger than the median age across the United States.
Age Breakdown
- Under 18 years: 29%
- 18 to 34 years: 30.2%
- 35 to 64 years: 30.3%
- 65+ years: 10.5%
The large segment of residents under 35 reflects the high number of young adults drawn to Odessa for oil industry jobs. The smaller proportion of senior citizens is influenced by the cyclical nature of the city’s economy, which can prompt older generations to move away during downturns.
Gender Breakdown
- Male: 51.5%
- Female: 48.5%
Odessa has a predominantly male population, with a higher proportion of men than the Texas state average of 49.8% male. This gender imbalance is largely attributed to the predominantly male workforce in Odessa’s oil and gas sector.
Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Odessa is majority White and Hispanic or Latino in its racial and ethnic make-up:
- White (Non-Hispanic): 46%
- Hispanic/Latino (of any race): 44%
- Black or African American: 7.2%
- Two or more races: 2.4%
- Asian: 1.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.6%
Hispanics have accounted for an increasing share of Odessa’s population over the past few decades, rising from around 25% in 1980. Experts note the Permian Basin oil boom has brought an influx of Hispanic workers to fill both skilled and unskilled jobs in the industry.
Outside of the Hispanic population, Odessa has relatively low levels of racial diversity. Less than 8% of residents identify as Black or African American, Asian, mixed race, Native American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander.
Household Types
With its large share of young single adults, Odessa’s housing profile differs markedly from nationwide trends:
- Average household size: 2.77 people
- Family households: 65%
- Non-family households: 35%
- Householders living alone: 27%
- Households with children: 43%
Nearly three-quarters of all households contain at least one family member related by birth, marriage, or adoption. However, over one-third are non-family households, typically centered around a single working adult.
The proportion of single-person households and overall average household size reflect the transient nature of many oil industry laborers. Those figures also speak to boomtown conditions, with young workers cramming into shared housing during flush economic times.
Education
Odessa’s education levels tend to run below both national and statewide figures:
- High school graduate or higher: 73%
- Bachelor’s degree or higher: 16%
The proportion of residents holding a bachelor’s degree or higher education credential comes in at less than half the national average of 32%.
Lower educational attainment levels tie closely to the area’s prominence of blue-collar industry jobs in construction, transportation, mining, utilities, and waste management. Area high school graduates can typically enter the lucrative oil sector without pursuing higher education.
At the school-age level, some 52% of Odessa children are enrolled in public school, versus 41% in private schools. The overall student body skews 58% Hispanic/Latino compared to 36% White.
Income and Employment
As a longtime oil boomtown, Odessa residents enjoy higher wages from fossil fuel industry jobs but suffer sharper economic declines during industrial slumps.
Household Income Breakdown
- Median household income: $48,139
- Under $25K: 22.4%
- $25K to $50K: 22.7%
- $50K to $100K: 30.3%
- Over $100K: 24.6%
While median income lands slightly below U.S. figures, Odessa sees higher representations at both the lowest and highest income thresholds. About one-quarter of households live below the federal poverty line. But nearly that same proportion brings in over $100K annually during times of economic prosperity.
Employment by Industry
The differences in Odessa’s economy become very apparent when comparing the area’s largest industries by share of total employment:
- Mining, quarrying, oil and gas extraction: 18.3%
- Healthcare and social assistance: 14.3%
- Retail trade: 11.6%
- Construction: 6.6%
- Accommodation and food services: 5.9%
Nearly one-fifth of all jobs come from mining and extraction – predominantly fossil fuel drilling operations in the Permian Basin. Odessa also sees above average employment in construction and accommodation tied to the oil industry. Meanwhile, healthcare, retail, education, and government services bring stability during commodity market swings.
Housing
Amid the breakneck pace of change hitting many areas across Odessa, housing indicators remain below regional and national benchmarks:
- Median home value: $136,500
- Median rent: $952
- Homeownership rate: 58%
With relatively low real estate costs compared to other Texas metro areas, home prices and rents move frequently based on oil industry fortunes dictating neighborhood demand. Outside of the city center, new suburban construction continuously sprouts up to meet housing shortages during boom times.
Inside Odessa neighborhoods, the housing stock splits between aging homes built in the 1950s and 1960s to accommodate early extraction booms and more recently built properties from the 21st century boom.
Growth Projections
Recent discoveries of vast oil deposits in the Permian Basin point to Odessa remaining one of the fastest growing metro areas in the U.S. in terms of population percentage change over the coming decades.
County Growth
The Permian Strategic Partnership, an oil and gas industry group, estimates a tripling of Permian Basin fossil fuel output by 2030. That increased production would require a doubling of direct energy sector jobs in the region. For Odessa in Ector County, such job growth could theoretically support up to 250,000 county residents by 2030.
City Annexation
If those aggressive industry job projections come close to materializing, Odessa will likely need to expand city boundaries and infrastructure to keep pace with rapid population influxes.
City planners continue advancing Odessa’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan calling for considerable annexation of adjacent industrial and residential land. If approved, Odessa could geographically expand by 33% over the next decade. That would allow for sizable new neighborhood and industrial developments necessary to prevent crippling housing shortages.
In summary, Odessa’s demographic trajectory seems intrinsically linked to the forthcoming fate of the Permian oil boom. All indicators point to the industry continuing to elevate population growth and density figures in the near-term.
Whether the city can channel its hydrocarbon-fueled expansion into sustainable long-term prosperity for residents remains an open question deserving close monitoring in the years ahead.
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