Wichita County, Texas

Wichita County (/ˈwɪtʃɪtɔː/ WITCH-i-taw) is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 131,500.[1] The county seat is Wichita Falls.[2] The county was created in 1858 and organized in 1882.[3] Wichita County is part of the Wichita Falls, Texas, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Wichita County
U.S. county
The Wichita County Courthouse in downtown Wichita Falls
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°59′N 98°43′W
Country United States
State Texas
FoundedFebruary 1, 1882
SeatWichita Falls
Largest cityWichita Falls
Area
 • Total633 sq mi (1,640 km2)
 • Land628 sq mi (1,630 km2)
 • Water5.3 sq mi (14 km2)  0.8%%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total131,500
 • Density209/sq mi (81/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district13th
Websitewichitacountytx.com

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 633 square miles (1,640 km2), of which 628 square miles (1,630 km2) is land and 5.3 square miles (14 km2) (0.8%) is water.[4] The county is drained by the Wichita River and other streams.[5]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Geology
See also: Geology of Wichita Falls, Texas

Wichita County is part of the Texas Red Beds, which are a strata of red-colored sedimentary rock from the Early Permian. The fossils of Permian period vertebrates in the Texas Red Beds were first discovered by Edward Drinker Cope in 1877.[6][7] Subsequent research has revealed rare fossils of Permian period amphibians like Trimerorhachis,[8] as well as rich deposits of other Permian tetrapods such as Dimetrodon and Diadectes.[9]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1880433—
18904,8311,015.7%
19005,80620.2%
191016,094177.2%
192072,911353.0%
193074,4162.1%
194073,604−1.1%
195098,49333.8%
1960123,52825.4%
1970120,563−2.4%
1980121,0820.4%
1990122,3781.1%
2000131,6647.6%
2010131,500−0.1%
2019 (est.)132,230[10]0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1850–2010[12] 2010–2019[1]

As of the census[13] of 2000, there were 131,664 people, 48,441 households, and 32,891 families residing in the county. The population density was 210 people per square mile (81/km2). There were 53,304 housing units at an average density of 85 per square mile (33/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 78.76% White, 10.23% Black or African American, 0.89% Native American, 1.84% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 5.51% from other races, and 2.68% from two or more races. 12.23% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 48,441 households, out of which 33.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.30% were married couples living together, 11.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.10% were non-families. In 2000, there were 1,869 unmarried partner households: 1,677 heterosexual, 94 same-sex male, and 98 same-sex female.

27.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.20% under the age of 18, 13.70% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 19.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,780, and the median income for a family was $40,937. Males had a median income of $28,687 versus $21,885 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,965. About 10.30% of families and 13.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.40% of those under age 18 and 9.80% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

The Wichita Falls entrepreneur and industrialist Joseph A. Kemp served from 1883 to 1885 as a school board member and then for an appointed term and two elected terms as the treasurer of Wichita County. From 1917 to 1921, he was a regent of the University of Texas System.[14]

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice James V. Allred Unit is located in Wichita Falls.[15][16][17][18] Wichita County Commissioner Court members: County Judge Woodrow “Woody” Gossom, Commissioner Pct. 1 Mark Beauchamp, Commissioner Pct. 2 Lee Harvey, Commissioner Pct. 3 Barry Mahler, and Commissioner Pct. 4 Jeff Watts

The Sheriff of Wichita County is David Duke. He first took office on January 1, 2009.[19]

Politics

Wichita County is represented in the Texas House of Representatives by the Republican James Frank, a businessman from Wichita Falls. Wichita County has about 77% of the population of Texas' 69th state house district, 18% of the population of the 13th congressional district, and 15% of the population of the 30th state senate district.

Presidential elections

In 2008, Wichita County cast the majority of its votes for Republican John McCain. He won 69% of the vote and 31,673 votes. Democrat Barack Obama received 30% of the vote and 13,828 votes. Other candidates received 1% of the vote. In 2004, Republican George W. Bush did better than John McCain and won 71% of the vote and 32,472 votes. Democrat John F. Kerry won 28% of the vote and 12,819 votes.

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[20]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 69.7% 32,069 28.6% 13,161 1.8% 810
2016 72.5% 27,631 23.0% 8,770 4.5% 1,718
2012 72.7% 29,812 25.7% 10,525 1.7% 681
2008 69.0% 31,731 30.2% 13,868 0.8% 383
2004 71.3% 32,472 28.2% 12,819 0.6% 254
2000 65.1% 27,802 33.0% 14,108 1.9% 803
1996 51.3% 20,495 39.5% 15,775 9.2% 3,680
1992 38.5% 17,956 36.5% 17,021 25.0% 11,631
1988 56.1% 23,324 43.2% 17,956 0.8% 310
1984 64.2% 28,932 35.5% 16,009 0.3% 139
1980 55.0% 22,884 42.4% 17,657 2.6% 1,084
1976 46.1% 19,024 53.4% 22,017 0.6% 225
1972 68.7% 25,197 29.9% 10,948 1.5% 537
1968 35.7% 11,937 46.1% 15,387 18.2% 6,090
1964 31.0% 8,585 69.0% 19,131 0.1% 14
1960 46.3% 12,587 53.6% 14,587 0.1% 39
1956 48.8% 12,181 51.0% 12,726 0.2% 41
1952 47.4% 12,197 52.5% 13,505 0.1% 29
1948 18.2% 2,887 77.1% 12,235 4.7% 744
1944 10.9% 1,597 77.9% 11,392 11.1% 1,627
1940 15.9% 2,206 84.1% 11,672 0.1% 9
1936 12.3% 1,327 87.4% 9,428 0.3% 33
1932 14.2% 1,479 85.4% 8,889 0.4% 45
1928 59.8% 7,226 40.2% 4,853
1924 25.8% 2,189 68.8% 5,831 5.4% 461
1920 27.5% 1,487 70.5% 3,812 2.1% 111
1916 13.5% 347 81.8% 2,108 4.7% 122
1912 7.4% 108 76.5% 1,124 16.1% 237

Communities

Cities

Town

Unincorporated communities

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  4. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  5. Ripley, George; Dana, Charles A., eds. (1879). "Wichita. I. An unorganized N. W. county of Texas" . The American Cyclopædia.
  6. Cope, E. D. Descriptions of extinct vertebrata from the Permian and Triassic formations of the United States. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, 1877. Volume 17:182–195. JSTOR. Accessed on August 28, 2017.
  7. Case, E.C.The Red Beds between Wichita Falls, Texas, and Las Vegas, New Mexico, in Relation to Their Vertebrate Fauna. The Journal of Geology, vol. 22, no. 3, 1914, pp. 243–259. JSTOR. Accessed on August 28, 2017.
  8. Henry, Randy. NRCS and Landowner Team Up With Houston Museum after Rare Species Discovery. Natural Resources Conservation Service. Accessed on August 28, 2017.
  9. Caulfield, Dave. Prehistoric Predators: Fossil Findings in Seymour 'Redefining'. Newschannel 6: October 25, 2015. Accessed on August 28, 2017.
  10. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  11. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  12. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  13. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  14. "Brian Hart, "Joseph Alexander Kemp"". tshaonline.org. 2010-06-15. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  15. "Allred Unit Archived 2010-07-25 at the Wayback Machine." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 10, 2010.
  16. "Sheet Number 1." City of Wichita Falls. Retrieved on September 22, 2010.
  17. "Sheet Number 2." City of Wichita Falls. Retrieved on September 22, 2010.
  18. "Sheet Number 9." City of Wichita Falls. Retrieved on September 22, 2010.
  19. Wichita County Sheriff's Office Website
  20. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-08-01.

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