RANK #951 / 1001 NAT · #54 / 72 TX · POP 103,380
1YR FORECAST: -1.8%
5YR OUTLOOK: +9%
Liberty County, Texas, offers a blend of historical significance and natural beauty, bisected by the Trinity River. The county seat, Liberty, is one of Texas's oldest cities, boasting a replica of the Liberty Bell and ties to Sam Houston. Located halfway between Houston and Beaumont on U.S. Highway 90, the county provides access to major cities while maintaining a quieter, rural atmosphere. Outdoor recreation is a draw, with the Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge offering hiking, birdwatching, and fishing opportunities amidst diverse woodland ecosystems.
Life in Liberty County often involves a commute, as many residents work in neighboring Harris County. The community is characterized by a strong sense of local identity. Recent economic developments include new housing subdivisions, such as Liberty Ranch, designed to be affordable for middle-class families. The economy is seeing investment in sectors like chemical manufacturing and broadband infrastructure. Local school districts, including Liberty ISD, provide education for families.
Liberty County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices -2.6% YoY, population +5.5%, wages +3.4%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Prices declining
Moderate climate & terrain
Housing looks overvalued at 16.0x — 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: Homicide rates from CDC/NCHS vital-statistics mortality data — a multi-year average that stabilizes counts in smaller counties — compiled in the County Health Rankings 2025 release. Rates per 100,000 population; U.S. average ≈ 6.5. Grade reflects homicide rate relative to the national average. Learn more →
See where Liberty County stands nationally: safest large counties in America · highest homicide-rate counties.
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Liberty Data Center
MetroBlocks
|
$1,500M | Planned |
|
Lone Star Power Station (Natural Gas Plant)
Entergy Texas
|
$735M | Proposed |
|
Liberty American Manufacturing Park (LAMP)
BaRupOn LLC
|
$500M | Under Construction |
|
Liberty Solar Project (Recurrent Energy)
Recurrent Energy (Canadian Solar Inc.)
|
$200M | Operating |
|
Liberty Energy Solar Park & Battery Storage
X-ELIO
|
$130M | Operating |
|
Liberty Ranch Residential Development
Waterstone Development Corporation
|
$50M | Under Construction |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
The data is not encouraging — Liberty County scores just 4/100 on the Boom Town Index, ranking #951 of 1001 counties. Job growth at +1.1% and median household income of $68,703 reflect an economy that has been contracting or stagnating relative to the rest of the country.
By national standards, Liberty County is quite affordable. Homes here have a median value of $181,700, and the income-to-home-value ratio of 0.38 is well above the U.S. average — especially with median rent at just $1,044/month. Residents can generally buy a home without being cost-burdened.
Liberty County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +5.5% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +1.1% clip. Home values shifted -2.6% in the past year.
In significant numbers — 7.8% of Liberty 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.