RANK #703 / 1001 NAT · #40 / 72 TX · POP 87,275
1YR FORECAST: -2.4%
5YR OUTLOOK: +25%
Angelina County, located in the East Texas Pineywoods, is notable as the only Texas county named for a woman—a Hasinai Native American known as Angelina who assisted early Spanish missionaries. The county seat, Lufkin, is about 120 miles northeast of Houston, offering a small-town atmosphere while serving as a regional hub. The area is characterized by gently rolling hills and dense forests of pine and hardwoods. Outdoor recreation is a significant draw, with access to the Angelina and Davy Crockett National Forests, Lake Sam Rayburn, and the Angelina and Neches rivers, providing opportunities for fishing, hiking, biking, and camping. Life in Angelina County offers a blend of community and access to natural amenities. Public schools in the county, including districts like Hudson, Lufkin, and Diboll, are generally well-regarded. The economy, historically tied to the timber industry, has seen recent investments in manufacturing, with companies like Georgia-Pacific and Altec Manufacturing present. Local economic development efforts focus on attracting new industries and supporting existing businesses.
Angelina County is one of 75 U.S. counties in this market profile — weaker than typical on the BoomTown Index. Within this cohort, its recent home-price change of -0.4% runs below the profile's typical +0.8%.
See all 75 Affordable Slow Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Prices declining
Moderate climate & terrain
Housing looks overvalued at 7.6x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Project Lufkin Data Center Campus
Amp Z
|
$2,000M | Planned |
|
Long Leaf Generating Natural Gas Power Plant
Long Leaf Generating LLC
|
$690M | Proposed |
|
Azalea Springs Solar Park
EDP Renewables
|
$300M | Under Construction |
|
Solar Star North Herty Storage (Battery)
Undisclosed
|
$126M | Planned |
|
Gattefosse Lipid Production Facility
Gattefosse Texas Inc.
|
$55M | Completed |
|
Lufkin ISD Middle School
Lufkin Independent School District
|
$50M | Completed |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
At 29/100, Angelina County faces headwinds that place it in the lower third of the 1001 counties we track. Median income of $60,960 combined with job growth of +1.2% suggests the local economy is struggling to keep pace with national trends.
By national standards, Angelina County is quite affordable. Homes here have a median value of $163,500, and the income-to-home-value ratio of 0.37 is well above the U.S. average — especially with median rent at just $1,076/month. Residents can generally buy a home without being cost-burdened.
Angelina County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +0.6% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +1.2% clip. Home values shifted -0.4% in the past year.
In significant numbers — 5.31% of Angelina County's current population relocated from another state, well above the national norm. That level of in-migration usually signals a county where jobs, affordability, or quality of life are pulling people in from elsewhere.