Tekoa, Washington

For other places with similar names, see Tekoa (disambiguation).

Tekoa, Washington
City
Location of Tekoa, Washington
Coordinates: 47°13′29″N 117°4′25″W
Country	United States
State	Washington
County	Whitman
Area
• Total	1.14 sq mi (2.95 km2)
• Land	1.14 sq mi (2.95 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation	2,533 ft (772 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	778
• Estimate  (2015)	792
• Density	682.5/sq mi (263.5/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	99033
Area code	509
FIPS code	53-70560
GNIS feature ID	1508933
Website	www.tekoawa.com

Tekoa in 1915

Tekoa is a city in Whitman County, Washington, United States. The population was 778 at the 2010 census.

Based on per capita income, one of the more reliable measures of affluence, Tekoa ranks 420th of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked.

History

The Tekoa area was settled by the Coeur d'Alene people until in 1886 David A. Huffman and George T. Huffman arrived. The townsite was platted in 1888 and was named after the Biblical town.

Tekoa was incorporated in 1889 with just under 300 people. By 1910 the population had grown to 1,694. Over the next 60 years, Tekoa began a long decline. Mechanized farming reduced the need for workers, and the automobile age came into being. Younger people tended to move to cities for work. By 1990 the town had fewer than 750 residents. During the 1990s the town increased in popularity and the population rose to 826 at the 2000 census.

Geography

Tekoa is located at 47°13′29″N 117°4′25″W (47.224704, -117.073607).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.14 square miles (2.95 km²), all of it land.

Climate

This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Tekoa has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	301		—
1900	717		138.2%
1910	1,694		136.3%
1920	1,520		−10.3%
1930	1,408		−7.4%
1940	1,383		−1.8%
1950	1,189		−14.0%
1960	911		−23.4%
1970	808		−11.3%
1980	854		5.7%
1990	750		−12.2%
2000	826		10.1%
2010	778		−5.8%
2016 (est.)	808		3.9%
U.S. Decennial Census 2015 Estimate

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population comprised 778 persons, 307 households, and 191 families. The population density was 682.5 inhabitants per square mile (263.5/km²). There were 360 housing units at an average density of 315.8 per square mile (121.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.0% White, 0.1% African American, 3.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.3% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.8% of the population.

There were 307 households of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.8% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.03.

The median age in the city was 44.4 years. 25.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.7% were from 25 to 44; 25.9% were from 45 to 64; and 23% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.0% male and 53.0% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 826 people, 318 households, and 220 families residing in the city. The population density was 727.2 people per square mile (279.8/km²). There were 363 housing units at an average density of 319.6 per square mile (122.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.46% White, 0.36% African American, 2.18% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 2.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.57% of the population.

There were 318 households out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the city the age distribution of the population shows 27.7% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 20.5% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 22.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 84.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,833, and the median income for a family was $36,771. Males had a median income of $32,014 versus $19,307 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,344. About 13.2% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.5% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

• Mildred Bailey, popular 1930s jazz singer, was born in Tekoa.
• Al Rinker, singer, brother of Bailey and former partner of Bing Crosby in the Rhythm Boys, was also born in Tekoa.

External links

• Official website