Smith County Profile
In Smith County, Pre-K-12 public and private schools serve over 40,000 students each year. There are eight public school districts in the county, ranging from the small and rural to the large and urban. Enrollment in the four institutions of higher education - Tyler Junior College, Texas College, The University of Texas at Tyler, and The University of Texas Health Northeast - is above 20,000 students. Both K-12 and higher education are growing and changing rapidly.
Population:
218,000
Median Income:
$47,432
College/University Enrollment:
~20,000
Child Population:
55,000
Public School Enrollment:
~35,000
Data collected during the 2010 U.S. Census revealed that 60% of residents in the immediate Tyler area are Caucasian, 18% are African-American, and 19% are Hispanic. Enrollment data from the county’s eight independent school districts, however, reflect the changing demographics of East Texas. While the African-American student population closely mirrors the adult population, the Hispanic student population is growing rapidly and the Caucasian student population is declining.
In addition to changing demographics, more and more students qualify for free or reduced lunch each year and are considered economically disadvantaged. In Smith County, 56% of all students meet this criteria.
Average Salary Rises
with Education Level
Statistics show that earnings are closely tied to educational levels. In Smith County, 42% of residents have a high school diploma or less and 25% have attended some college but have not earned a degree. According to the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce, a college graduate will earn $1 million more over his or her lifetime than a high school graduate.
