Mcculloch County

McCulloch County is located in west-central Texas, on the northern edge of the Edwards Plateau and within the Hill Country transition zone between the Llano Uplift and the Rolling Plains. Established in 1856 and named for Texas Ranger and legislator Benjamin McCulloch, the county developed around ranching and small-scale agriculture, with later ties to regional oil and gas activity. It is a small, predominantly rural county with a population of about 7,500 people. The landscape includes rolling grasslands, granite outcrops, and live oak–juniper woodlands, with the Colorado River and several tributaries shaping local watersheds. The economy centers on cattle operations, hunting and recreation services, and local government and retail employment in the county’s towns. Brady, the county seat, serves as the primary population and service center and is a regional hub for surrounding rural communities.

McCulloch County is located in central Texas on the Edwards Plateau, with Brady as the county seat. The county lies northwest of the Austin–San Antonio corridor and serves as a regional hub for surrounding rural communities.

Population Size

• According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for McCulloch County, Texas, the county’s population was 7,630 (2023 estimate).
• The same source reports a 2020 decennial census population of 7,996.

Age & Gender

According to data.census.gov (U.S. Census Bureau) county profiles and tables for McCulloch County:

• Age distribution (selected groups): County-level age shares are published in American Community Survey (ACS) tables (commonly S0101: Age and Sex). This table provides the percentage in standard age bands (e.g., under 18, 18–64, 65+).
• Gender ratio: Sex composition is also reported in ACS S0101, including male/female counts and percentages.

Exact age-band percentages and male/female shares are available via the county’s ACS profile tables on data.census.gov (search “McCulloch County, Texas S0101”).

Racial & Ethnic Composition

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for McCulloch County, Texas (race alone or in combination, and Hispanic/Latino reported separately where applicable):

• White: 88.1%
• Black or African American: 1.1%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: 1.4%
• Asian: 0.7%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.0%
• Two or more races: 8.7%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 22.1%

Household & Housing Data

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for McCulloch County, Texas:

• Households: 3,416
• Persons per household: 2.22
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: 71.3%
• Median value of owner-occupied housing units: $101,200
• Median selected monthly owner costs (with a mortgage): $1,187
• Median gross rent: $640

Local Government Reference

For local government departments and planning resources, visit the McCulloch County official website.

McCulloch County is a sparsely populated, largely rural area in Central Texas, where longer service runs and fewer providers can constrain reliable home internet access and shape everyday digital communication such as email.

Direct county-level email usage statistics are generally not published; email adoption is commonly inferred from proxy indicators like broadband and device access reported by the U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov). Key indicators include the county’s share of households with a broadband subscription and with a computer (desktop/laptop/tablet), which track the practical ability to maintain and use email accounts.

Age structure also influences email adoption: older populations tend to have lower rates of home broadband subscription and device use, which can reduce routine email use relative to younger working-age groups. McCulloch County’s age distribution from ACS demographic tables provides context for likely adoption patterns.

Gender distribution is typically a weaker predictor than age and access; county sex-by-age composition is available via Census population profiles.

Connectivity constraints in rural Texas are commonly documented through availability mapping and program data from the FCC National Broadband Map and the Texas Broadband Development Office.

McCulloch County is in Central Texas (Texas Hill Country/Edwards Plateau transition area) with a predominantly rural settlement pattern anchored by Brady (the county seat). Low population density, long distances between towns, and rolling/hilly terrain contribute to uneven mobile signal propagation and to a connectivity environment where network coverage footprints and real-world service quality can differ materially by location.

Key distinction: network availability vs. household adoption

• Network availability refers to where mobile carriers report service (coverage by technology such as LTE/4G or 5G).
• Household adoption refers to whether residents subscribe to mobile service, use mobile broadband, and/or rely on mobile as their primary internet connection. County-level availability data is more consistently published than county-level adoption metrics, and many adoption indicators are only available at broader geographies (state, metro/non-metro) or via surveys with limited county granularity.

Mobile penetration and access indicators (adoption)

Phone and internet subscription indicators (most reliable public sources)

• The primary public, regularly updated source for household internet subscription characteristics is the U.S. Census Bureau. The American Community Survey (ACS) provides tables on household internet subscriptions, including mobile/cellular data plans, broadband, and device types, but small-population counties can be subject to larger margins of error in 1-year estimates; 5-year estimates are generally more stable. See U.S. Census Bureau ACS internet subscription tables via Census.gov data tools.
• The Census Bureau also provides program-focused summaries (digital access, devices, and internet types) through products and documentation linked from the American Community Survey (ACS) program pages.

County-level limitations

• Publicly accessible, county-specific “mobile penetration” metrics (for example, SIM subscriptions per 100 residents) are not typically published in an official U.S. government series at the county level. As a result, county adoption is usually inferred from ACS household subscription measures rather than carrier subscription counts.
• Where ACS county estimates are used, they represent households and subscription types, not the precise number of active mobile lines.

Mobile internet usage patterns and network availability (4G/5G)

Reported availability (coverage)

• The most widely used federal source for reported mobile coverage is the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection (BDC), which includes mobile broadband coverage by technology generation and provider-reported polygons. FCC coverage reflects reported availability, not actual take-up or in-building performance. See the FCC National Broadband Map.
• The FCC map can be used to examine 4G LTE and 5G availability within McCulloch County at a granular spatial level; however, the underlying dataset is provider-reported and can overstate usable coverage in sparsely populated terrain.

4G (LTE) patterns in rural Central Texas

• In rural counties like McCulloch, 4G LTE typically remains the dominant wide-area mobile broadband layer because it provides broader geographic reach and better device compatibility than higher-frequency 5G layers.
• Service quality can vary significantly between town centers, highways, and remote ranchland areas due to tower spacing and topography.

5G availability (general rural pattern; county-specific verification via FCC map)

• 5G in rural Texas commonly appears first as low-band 5G (wider-area coverage but performance closer to LTE in many contexts) with more limited presence of mid-band and typically very limited mmWave outside dense urban cores.
• County-specific confirmation of 5G footprint and technology mix requires checking provider layers on the FCC National Broadband Map, which distinguishes technology categories but does not directly measure real-world speed at every location.

Actual use vs. availability

• Availability does not imply adoption. Even where LTE/5G is reported as available, residents may rely on:
  • fixed broadband (fiber/cable/DSL/WISP) where present,
  • satellite services in remote areas,
  • or mobile-only connectivity where fixed options are limited or unaffordable. County-level “mobile-only households” and “cellular data plan” measures are best sourced from ACS tables on subscription types via Census.gov.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

What is consistently measured

• The ACS measures device access at the household level (such as presence of a smartphone, computer, or tablet) and internet subscription types. This provides the most consistent public evidence for smartphone prevalence relative to other device categories at the county level, though small-county sampling can increase uncertainty. Relevant device and subscription measures are accessible via Census.gov.
• Market-research datasets that detail device models (Android vs. iOS shares, handset generations) are typically proprietary and are not available as standardized county-level public statistics.

Typical rural device ecosystem (with county-level confirmation via ACS)

• Smartphones are generally the primary personal access device for internet use in rural areas, with secondary use of:
  • tablets,
  • laptops/desktops (more common in households with fixed broadband),
  • mobile hotspots (either dedicated devices or phone tethering) where fixed broadband is constrained. County-level confirmation should rely on ACS device categories rather than carrier marketing claims.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage and connectivity

Geography and infrastructure

• Low density and larger coverage areas per cell site increase the likelihood of:
  • weaker signal at the edges of coverage,
  • reduced indoor coverage in some structures,
  • and congestion sensitivity in small “coverage islands” (town centers, event venues).
• Terrain and vegetation (rolling hills and tree cover) can affect signal line-of-sight and attenuation, contributing to patchy reception outside main corridors.

Socioeconomic and age structure influences (best measured via Census)

• Rural counties often show wider variation in:
  • income and affordability constraints,
  • age distribution (including older populations),
  • educational attainment and digital skills, all of which can correlate with differences in smartphone reliance and home broadband adoption. These characteristics are measured for McCulloch County in ACS demographic profiles accessible through Census.gov.

Institutional and program context (Texas broadband planning)

• State and regional broadband planning resources can provide context on gaps, anchor institutions, and program investments, but they do not replace FCC availability layers or Census adoption measures. Texas broadband program information and planning materials are referenced through the Texas Comptroller broadband pages and associated state broadband resources.

Summary of what can be stated with high confidence vs. what is limited

• High-confidence, county-usable sources
  • Network availability (LTE/5G footprints): FCC National Broadband Map (reported coverage).
  • Household adoption and device indicators: Census.gov (ACS tables) (household subscriptions and device presence).
• Limitations
  • County-level “mobile penetration” as a per-person line/subscription rate is not generally available from official public datasets.
  • FCC-reported availability does not equal consistent service quality, indoor coverage, or adoption.
  • Detailed device-model shares and app-level usage patterns are typically proprietary and not published as standard county statistics.

McCulloch County is in Central Texas on the Edwards Plateau fringe, anchored by Brady (the county seat) and characterized by a small-population, largely rural/regional-service economy with agriculture and local retail/services playing major roles. These characteristics tend to align local social media use with broader rural Texas patterns, where mobile-first access, community Facebook groups, and video consumption are common.

User statistics (penetration/active use)

• County-level social media penetration is not published as an official statistic by the U.S. Census Bureau or major survey organizations at the county granularity. Most reliable measures are available at national or (sometimes) state/metro levels.
• Benchmark for likely local penetration (national adult usage): About 69% of U.S. adults report using at least one social media site, per the Pew Research Center social media fact sheet. Rural areas typically report somewhat lower usage than urban/suburban areas in Pew’s internet studies, but Pew’s social platform estimates are most defensible as a baseline for McCulloch County in the absence of county-specific survey data.
• Internet availability context (relevant to “active” use): County differences in broadband access can affect platform mix and engagement. The U.S. Census Bureau computer and internet use resources and FCC National Broadband Map are standard references for connectivity conditions that influence social media usage intensity.

Age group trends (who uses social media most)

Based on the most recent national benchmarks from Pew, social media use remains highest among younger adults and declines with age:

• Ages 18–29: ~84% use social media
• Ages 30–49: ~81%
• Ages 50–64: ~73%
• Ages 65+: ~45%
  Source: Pew Research Center.
  In rural counties with older age structures, overall platform penetration can be pulled downward by a larger 65+ share, while Facebook and YouTube usage remain comparatively resilient among older cohorts.

Gender breakdown

County-specific gender-by-platform statistics are generally unavailable from reputable public sources; national survey data provides the most reliable proxy:

• Overall social media use: Men and women report similar “any social media” usage in Pew’s benchmarks, with differences emerging by platform.
• Platform-skew patterns (national):
  • Pinterest: substantially higher among women
  • Reddit: higher among men
  • Instagram: modestly higher among women in many waves
    Source: Pew Research Center.
    For rural Central Texas counties, these skews commonly translate into more gender-balanced Facebook usage and more gender-skewed adoption on Pinterest/Reddit.

Most-used platforms (percent using each platform)

National adult usage shares (reliable, survey-based) commonly used as a benchmark for counties without direct measurement:

• YouTube: ~83% of U.S. adults
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• TikTok: ~33%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• Snapchat: ~27%
• WhatsApp: ~29%
  Source: Pew Research Center social media fact sheet.
  In rural counties, Facebook and YouTube typically dominate due to broad age coverage and utility for local news, community groups, and how-to/entertainment video.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and preferences)

• Mobile-first usage: Rural users often rely more heavily on smartphones for social access where fixed broadband is less available or less reliable; this tends to increase the importance of short-form video and feed-based platforms. Connectivity context is tracked by the FCC National Broadband Map.
• Community information utility: Facebook remains a primary hub for community announcements, buy/sell activity, school and sports updates, local events, and informal local news sharing in many rural counties, reflecting the platform’s group and event infrastructure.
• Video as a cross-age format: YouTube’s very high reach supports information-seeking (repairs, agriculture and outdoors content, local/regional news clips) and entertainment across age groups, consistent with Pew’s platform reach estimates (Pew Research Center).
• Age-driven platform segmentation: Younger adults (18–29) concentrate more usage in Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube; older adults concentrate more in Facebook and YouTube. This pattern is consistently shown in Pew’s age-by-platform distributions (Pew).
• Local commerce and recommendations: In smaller markets, engagement commonly centers on recommendations (services, restaurants, trades), local classifieds, and peer referrals, favoring platforms with strong group/search behavior (especially Facebook).

McCulloch County maintains several family- and associate-related public records through county and state offices. Recorded documents affecting family relationships and property (such as marriage licenses, divorce-related filings recorded as real property documents, deeds, liens, and other instruments) are filed with the McCulloch County Clerk. Court records involving family matters (for example, divorce, custody, and protective orders within the court’s jurisdiction) are handled through the McCulloch County District Clerk.

Vital records—birth and death certificates—are governed by the State of Texas and issued through the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Vital Statistics. Local registration and some issuance functions may be available through the County Clerk’s office, subject to state rules. Adoption records are generally not public and are typically maintained as sealed court/vital records, with access restricted under Texas law and court order processes.

Public database availability varies by record type. McCulloch County provides online access points for some case and official public records through the county website; in-person access and certified copies are requested from the relevant clerk’s office during business hours. Privacy restrictions commonly apply to vital records, juvenile matters, sealed adoption files, and certain protected personal information (such as specific identifiers) that may be redacted from public copies.

Types of records available

• Marriage license and marriage record: A marriage in McCulloch County is documented through a marriage license issued by the county and the returned, completed license (sometimes referred to as the marriage record or marriage certificate record) filed after the ceremony.
• Divorce decree (final judgment) and case file: Divorces are recorded as civil court cases, with a signed final decree/judgment and related filings (petitions, orders, and other pleadings) maintained in the district clerk’s records.
• Annulment decree and case file: Annulments are handled as civil court matters similar to divorce, resulting in a court order/decree and an accompanying case file maintained by the district clerk.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

• Marriage records

  • Filed/maintained by: The McCulloch County Clerk maintains marriage license records as part of the county’s official records.
  • Access methods: Common access routes include in-person requests at the county clerk’s office and request-by-mail procedures used for certified or plain copies. Some counties also provide online indexes through their own portals or third-party public-record databases, but availability and coverage vary by jurisdiction and time period.

• Divorce and annulment records

  • Filed/maintained by: The McCulloch County District Clerk maintains records for divorce and annulment proceedings filed in the district court, including final decrees and the underlying case file.
  • Access methods: Access is commonly provided through in-person public terminals or counter requests at the district clerk’s office. Some courts participate in electronic case management systems that provide online docket or document access; coverage and document visibility depend on local practices and court rules.

• State-level vital records (verification/certification)

  • Maintained by: The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Vital Statistics maintains statewide indexes for marriages and divorces for certain years and can issue certain verifications consistent with Texas law and DSHS procedures. County-level certified copies are typically obtained from the county custodian (county clerk for marriage; district clerk for divorce decrees).

Typical information included in these records

• Marriage license / marriage record (county clerk)

  • Full legal names of both parties
  • Date the license was issued and county of issuance
  • Age/date of birth information (varies by era and form version)
  • Place of residence at time of application (often city/county/state)
  • Officiant’s name/title and date/place of ceremony as returned on the executed license
  • Recording information (book/volume-page or instrument number) and filing date
  • Signatures/attestations as required by the form in use

• Divorce decree / final judgment (district clerk)

  • Names of the parties and cause/case number
  • Court and county, judge’s name, and date the decree was signed
  • Findings and orders dissolving the marriage
  • Orders regarding division of property and debts
  • Orders regarding name change (when granted)
  • Orders regarding children (when applicable), including conservatorship/parenting arrangements, child support, and medical support
  • References to related orders (temporary orders, protective orders, modification provisions) as applicable

• Annulment decree (district clerk)

  • Names of the parties and cause/case number
  • Court, judge, and date of the decree
  • Findings and orders declaring the marriage void or voidable under Texas law, as applicable
  • Property and child-related orders when applicable, depending on the case circumstances and the relief granted

Privacy or legal restrictions

• Public access framework

  • Marriage license records and court decrees are generally treated as public records in Texas, subject to statutory exceptions and court rules.
  • Access to the full case file in divorce or annulment matters can be limited by redactions, sealed documents, or restricted exhibits.

• Common restrictions and protections

  • Sealed records and protective orders: Courts can seal specific documents or limit disclosure to protect privacy, safety, or minors, including in cases involving family violence.
  • Sensitive data redaction: Texas judicial records and filings commonly require or apply redaction of sensitive information (for example, Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and certain personal identifiers) in publicly accessible copies.
  • Confidential information involving children: Certain details related to minors may be restricted, redacted, or handled under confidentiality provisions depending on the document type and court order.
  • Certified copies and identification: County custodians may require request forms, fees, and compliance with local procedures to obtain certified copies; some records may be released only in non-certified form or with redactions consistent with applicable law and court orders.

McCulloch County is in west‑central Texas on the Edwards Plateau/Llano Uplift transition zone, anchored by Brady (the county seat) and a network of small rural communities. The county has an older‑than‑average age profile typical of rural Central/West Texas, with a comparatively small labor force, long driving distances for services, and housing stock dominated by detached single‑family homes and rural acreage.

Education Indicators

Public schools (campuses and districts)

Public K–12 education is primarily served by Brady Independent School District (Brady ISD), with additional rural service areas covered by nearby ISDs that extend into parts of the county (campus rosters and boundaries vary by year).

• Brady ISD campuses (commonly listed):
  • Brady Primary School
  • Brady Elementary School
  • Brady Middle School
  • Brady High School
    District information and campus listings are published by Brady ISD (Brady ISD website).
• The most consistent way to verify the current count of public schools physically located in the county is the Texas Education Agency’s directory/search tools (TEA School Search).

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

• Student–teacher ratios: Rural Texas districts such as Brady ISD typically operate with smaller class sizes than urban districts, but ratios vary materially by campus and year. The authoritative annual ratios by campus and district are available via the Texas Education Agency’s district profiles (Texas public school performance and profiles (TXSchools.gov)).
• Graduation rates: County‑level graduation rates are generally reported at the district/campus level (not by county). Brady ISD’s graduation and completion metrics (4‑year, 5‑year, and longitudinal measures) are reported through TEA accountability and profiles (TXSchools.gov).

Adult educational attainment (countywide)

Adult attainment is most consistently benchmarked using the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS).

• High school diploma or higher (age 25+): Reported in ACS “Educational Attainment” tables for McCulloch County (U.S. Census Bureau data (data.census.gov)).
• Bachelor’s degree or higher (age 25+): Also reported in the same ACS tables (ACS educational attainment for McCulloch County).
  In rural Central/West Texas counties, attainment commonly skews toward “high school/some college” with comparatively lower bachelor’s‑degree shares than Texas metro counties; the ACS provides the most recent county‑specific percentages.

Notable programs (STEM, CTE/vocational, AP/dual credit)

• Career and Technical Education (CTE) is a standard offering across Texas high schools and is commonly prominent in rural districts; program areas and endorsements are reported in district course catalogs and TEA profiles (Brady ISD; TXSchools.gov).
• Advanced Placement (AP) / dual credit participation and performance are typically reported in TEA’s campus/district profiles and accountability reports (Texas school profiles).
• Regionally, workforce training and adult education opportunities are frequently supported through the public workforce system (career services, training referrals) via the Texas Workforce Commission network (Texas Workforce Commission).

School safety measures and counseling resources

Texas public schools operate under statewide requirements that commonly include:

• Emergency operations plans, drills, controlled access, and law‑enforcement coordination (state‑mandated safety planning frameworks).
• Student support services, including counseling staff and mental‑health supports, which are generally described in district student handbooks and board policies (published by Brady ISD) (Brady ISD resources).
  District‑specific safety staffing (e.g., school resource officers, threat assessment teams) is documented in local board materials and safety plans rather than in county datasets.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment (most recent available)

• The most recent official unemployment rate for McCulloch County is published monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program (BLS LAUS) and mirrored by the Texas Workforce Commission’s county labor force statistics (TWC labor market information).
  County unemployment in this region typically shows seasonality and sensitivity to public‑sector employment, services, construction, and oil/gas cycles in the broader West/Central Texas economy.

Major industries and employment sectors

County‑level industry mix is most consistently measured through ACS “Industry by Occupation/Industry by Class of Worker” and related tables (ACS industry tables). In McCulloch County, the employment base commonly reflects:

• Local government and public services (education, county/city services)
• Health care and social assistance (clinics, long‑term care, regional providers)
• Retail trade and accommodation/food services (local serving economy)
• Construction and skilled trades (residential, infrastructure, and regional contracting)
• Agriculture/ranching and related services (more prominent than in metro areas, though often undercounted when work is self‑employment or seasonal)

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Using ACS occupational groupings (ACS occupation tables), rural county workforces in this area typically have higher shares of:

• Service occupations (food service, protective services, building/grounds maintenance)
• Office and administrative support (schools, health, local government, small business)
• Construction and extraction; installation/maintenance/repair
• Transportation and material moving
  Professional/managerial shares are present but generally lower than statewide metro averages.

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

• Mean travel time to work and commuting modes (drive alone, carpool, remote work) are reported by ACS (ACS commuting characteristics).
  Rural counties typically show:
• High drive‑alone shares
• Limited transit availability
• Commute times that are often moderate on average but with a meaningful share of longer commutes for workers traveling to larger regional job centers.

Local employment vs. out‑of‑county work

• County‑to‑county commuting flows are best captured by the Census Bureau’s OnTheMap/LEHD origin‑destination data (Census OnTheMap).
  In McCulloch County, a sizable portion of residents commonly work within the county (education, health, retail, local government), while another share commutes to regional hubs in surrounding counties for higher‑wage jobs in health services, energy‑adjacent services, construction, and specialized trades.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership and rental share

• Owner‑occupied vs. renter‑occupied housing shares are reported in ACS tenure tables (ACS housing tenure).
  Rural Texas counties like McCulloch typically have high homeownership rates relative to major metros, with a smaller but important rental market concentrated near the county seat.

Median property values and recent trends

• Median value of owner‑occupied housing units is available from ACS (ACS home value tables).
• For market trend context (sale prices, time on market), private listing aggregators provide directional indicators but are not official statistics. The most defensible trend summary uses ACS over multi‑year periods: values in many rural Texas counties have generally risen since 2020, though typically from a lower baseline than metropolitan Texas.

Typical rent prices

• Median gross rent is reported in ACS (ACS rent tables).
  Rents tend to be lower than metro areas, with limited inventory and variability driven by small‑sample dynamics and the availability of units in Brady.

Housing types and built environment

Based on ACS structure type distributions (ACS housing structure type) and typical county land use:

• Predominantly single‑family detached homes in Brady and smaller communities
• Manufactured housing and rural homesteads are comparatively more common than in cities
• Limited multifamily stock (small apartment properties), generally concentrated near Brady’s services, schools, and retail corridors
• Significant presence of rural lots/ranchettes and agricultural tracts outside town limits

Neighborhood characteristics (schools and amenities)

• Brady functions as the primary node for schools, medical services, groceries, and civic amenities, so proximity to Brady schools and downtown services tends to correlate with higher demand for in‑town housing and rentals.
• Outlying areas emphasize acreage, privacy, and agricultural/recreational use, with longer drive times to schools and healthcare.

Property tax overview (rates and typical homeowner cost)

• Texas property taxes are levied by overlapping jurisdictions (county, school district, city, hospital/water districts where applicable).
• The most authoritative local rates and levy components are published by the McCulloch County Appraisal District and local taxing units; county appraisal and rate information is typically accessible through the appraisal district’s public resources (McCulloch County Appraisal District).
• Effective tax burden varies widely by exemptions (homestead, over‑65/disabled) and school district boundaries. Texas has no state property tax, and school M&O rates are constrained by state law, making the school district a major determinant of the total bill. For countywide comparisons and recent effective rate measures, the Texas Comptroller provides property tax reporting resources (Texas Comptroller property tax overview).

Data note (proxies and availability): Student–teacher ratios, graduation rates, AP/CTE participation, and campus‑level safety/counseling staffing are most accurately reported at the district/campus level through TEA and local district publications rather than as county aggregates. Countywide attainment, commuting, tenure, home values, and rents are most reliably sourced from the ACS tables on data.census.gov, and unemployment from BLS LAUS / TWC.