Ellis County, Texas

Ellis County, Texas
The Ellis County Courthouse in Waxahachie.
Location in the state of Texas
Texas's location in the U.S.
Founded	1849
Seat	Waxahachie
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	952 sq mi (2,466 km²) 940 sq mi (2,435 km²) 12 sq mi (31 km²), 1.23%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	149,610 159/sq mi (61/km²)
Website	www.co.ellis.tx.us

Across from the courthouse is the Ellis County Museum.

Ellis County Courts building

Ellis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 149,610. It forms part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. It is named for Richard Ellis, president of the convention that produced the Texas Declaration of Independence. The seat of the county is Waxahachie. It was founded in 1849.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 952 square miles (2,465.7 km²), of which 940 square miles (2,434.6 km²) is land and 12 square miles (31.1 km²) (1.23%) is water.

Major highways

• Interstate 35E
• Interstate 45
• U.S. Route 67
• U.S. 77
• U.S. 287
• State Highway 34

Adjacent counties

• Dallas County (north)
• Kaufman County (northeast)
• Henderson County (east)
• Navarro County (southeast)
• Hill County (southwest)
• Johnson County (west)
• Tarrant County (northwest)

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1850	989		—
1860	5,246		430.4%
1870	7,514		43.2%
1880	21,294		183.4%
1890	31,774		49.2%
1900	50,059		57.5%
1910	53,629		7.1%
1920	55,700		3.9%
1930	53,936		−3.2%
1940	47,733		−11.5%
1950	45,645		−4.4%
1960	43,395		−4.9%
1970	46,638		7.5%
1980	59,743		28.1%
1990	85,167		42.6%
2000	111,360		30.8%
2010	149,610		34.3%
Est. 2011	152,753		2.1%
U.S. Decennial Census Texas Almanac: 1850-2010

As of the census of 2000, there were 111,360 people, 37,020 households, and 29,653 families residing in the county. The population density was 118 people per square mile (46/km²). There were 39,071 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile (16/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 80.63% White, 8.64% Black or African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 7.90% from other races, and 1.86% from two or more races. 18.42% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 37,020 households out of which 42.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.80% were married couples living together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.90% were non-families. 16.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.31.

In the county, the population was spread out with 30.20% under the age of 18, 9.30% from 18 to 24, 29.80% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 9.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 98.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $50,350, and the median income for a family was $55,358. Males had a median income of $37,613 versus $26,612 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,212. About 6.80% of families and 8.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.10% of those under age 18 and 10.40% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Presidential election results

Year	GOP	DEM	Others
2008	70.7% 38,078	28.5% 15,333	0.8% 442
2004	74.5% 34,602	25.1% 11,640	0.4% 202
2000	69.9% 26,091	28.5% 10,629	1.6% 587
1996	53.9% 16,046	36.4% 10,832	9.7% 2,888
1992	40.5% 13,564	28.5% 9,537	31.1% 10,394
1988	59.2% 16,422	40.3% 11,169	0.6% 158
1984	67.6% 16,873	32.1% 8,029	0.3% 72
1980	51.3% 10,046	47.1% 9,219	1.6% 315
1976	41.0% 6,996	58.6% 9,991	0.4% 68
1972	69.5% 8,779	30.4% 3,839	0.1% 8
1968	31.4% 3,794	45.0% 5,431	23.5% 2,842
1964	27.6% 2,779	72.3% 7,278	0.0% 5
1960	38.4% 3,666	61.2% 5,841	0.4% 36

Ellis is a staunchly Republican county in presidential elections. The last Democratic presidential candidate to carry the county was Jimmy Carter in 1976. Only three times since 1980 has the Republican candidate failed to gain more than two-thirds of the vote in Ellis County. In 2008, Republican John McCain won more than 70% of the vote in the county.

Local media

Ellis County is part of the Dallas/Fort Worth Television media market in North Central Texas. Local News media outlets are: KDFW-TV, KXAS-TV, WFAA-TV, KTVT-TV, KERA-TV, KTXA-TV, KDFI-TV, KDAF-TV, KFWD-TV, and KDTX-TV.

Communities

Cities

• Bardwell
• Cedar Hill (small southern portion)
• Ennis
• Ferris (Most of Ferris, southern portion)
• Grand Prairie (Far south areas)
• Glenn Heights (Southern portion)
• Mansfield (South areas)
• Maypearl
• Midlothian
• Ovilla (Southern)
• Pecan Hill
• Red Oak
• Waxahachie
• Lancaster (small southern portion)

Towns

Bardwell Dam and Lake in Ellis County near the town of Ennis

• Alma
• Garrett
• Italy
• Milford
• Oak Leaf
• Palmer
• Venus

Unincorporated areas

• Avalon
• Forreston
• Ike
• Rankin
• Rockett
• Telico
• Bristol
• Crisp
• Garret
• Bardwell

Notable people

• Clyde Barrow of Bonnie and Clyde
• Ernest Tubb, country singer and songwriter

See also

• List of museums in North Texas
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Ellis County, Texas

External links

• Ellis County government's website
• Ellis County from the Handbook of Texas Online
• Memorial and biographical history of Ellis county, Texas ..., published 1892, hosted by the Portal to Texas History
• The Texas spirit of '17: a pictorial and biographical record of the gallant and courageous men from Ellis County who served in the Great War, hosted by the Portal to Texas History