Wharton County, Texas

Coordinates: 29°17′N 96°13′W / 29.28°N 96.22°W / 29.28; -96.22
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Wharton County
County
The Wharton County Courthouse in Wharton
The Wharton County Courthouse in Wharton
Map of Texas highlighting Wharton County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 29°17′N 96°13′W / 29.28°N 96.22°W / 29.28; -96.22
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1846
SeatWharton
Largest cityEl Campo
Area
 • Total1,094 sq mi (2,830 km2)
 • Land1,086 sq mi (2,810 km2)
 • Water8.2 sq mi (21 km2)  0.8%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total41,280
 • Density38/sq mi (15/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district27th
Websitewww.co.wharton.tx.us
Veterans Memorial with eternal flame (not visible in photo) at Wharton County Courthouse
Memorial to Sheriff Hamilton B. Dickson of Wharton County who served during the 1880s and was killed in an ambush in the line of duty.

Wharton County (/ˈhwɔːrtən/ HWOR-tən) is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 41,280.[1] Its county seat is Wharton.[2] The county was named for brothers William Harris Wharton and John Austin Wharton.

The El Campo, TX Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Wharton County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,094 square miles (2,830 km2), of which 1,086 square miles (2,810 km2) is land and 8.2 square miles (21 km2) (0.8%) is water.[3]

The county is about 130 miles (210 km) southeast of Austin.[4]

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18501,752—
18603,38092.9%
18703,4261.4%
18804,45930.2%
18907,58470.1%
190016,942123.4%
191021,12324.7%
192024,28815.0%
193029,68122.2%
194036,15821.8%
195036,077−0.2%
196038,1525.8%
197036,729−3.7%
198040,2429.6%
199039,955−0.7%
200041,1883.1%
201041,2800.2%
2016 (est.)41,735[5]1.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1850–2010[7] 2010–2014[1]

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 41,188 people, 14,799 households, and 10,744 families residing in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile (15/km²). There were 16,606 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 69.01% White, 14.95% Black or African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 13.65% from other races, and 1.64% from two or more races. 31.29% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 12.8% were of Czech, 11.0% German and 7.0% American ancestry according to Census 2000. 73.8% spoke English, 24.0% Spanish and 2.0% Czech as their first language.

There were 14,799 households out of which 35.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.50% were married couples living together, 12.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 24.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.26.

In the county, the population was spread out with 28.70% under the age of 18, 9.30% from 18 to 24, 26.50% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,208, and the median income for a family was $39,919. Males had a median income of $30,480 versus $20,101 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,388. About 13.30% of families and 16.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.50% of those under age 18 and 17.70% of those age 65 or over.

Legacy of slavery

A map commissioned by the United States government in the 1860s, and sold by the Union Army for the benefit of wounded troops, indicates that, based on data from the 1860 national census, 80.9% of the population of Wharton County was enslaved.[9] The county then had a total of 3,380 people. This was the highest proportion of slaves in a single county in the state of Texas. Demand related to development of new areas for cultivation had caused the number of slaves overall in the state to triple between 1850 and 1860, from 58,000 to 182,566.[10]

Transportation

Airports

El Campo Metropolitan Airport, a general aviation airport, is located in unincorporated Wharton County southwest of El Campo.

Wharton Regional Airport, also a general aviation airport, is located in the extreme southwestern portion of Wharton.

Major highways

Politics

Presidential Elections Results[11]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 68.9% 10,149 28.8% 4,238 2.3% 345
2012 69.2% 9,750 30.1% 4,235 0.7% 102
2008 65.4% 9,431 34.2% 4,937 0.4% 50
2004 66.2% 9,288 33.5% 4,702 0.4% 49
2000 63.0% 8,455 36.0% 4,838 1.0% 133
1996 50.4% 6,163 42.3% 5,176 7.3% 895
1992 43.0% 5,503 36.3% 4,643 20.7% 2,651
1988 53.7% 6,978 45.7% 5,935 0.6% 78
1984 62.5% 8,495 37.3% 5,072 0.1% 17
1980 55.2% 6,598 43.0% 5,138 1.9% 222
1976 44.0% 4,682 55.6% 5,914 0.5% 48
1972 64.3% 6,271 35.7% 3,481 0.1% 5
1968 37.9% 3,773 43.2% 4,304 18.9% 1,882
1964 30.8% 2,775 69.1% 6,234 0.1% 11
1960 40.0% 3,387 59.2% 5,004 0.8% 67
1956 57.5% 4,714 41.9% 3,439 0.6% 50
1952 56.5% 5,232 43.4% 4,022 0.1% 5
1948 28.9% 1,354 60.0% 2,811 11.1% 520
1944 10.5% 529 74.5% 3,754 15.1% 759
1940 16.0% 760 83.9% 3,976 0.1% 4
1936 9.2% 307 90.4% 3,034 0.4% 14
1932 10.7% 405 88.5% 3,357 0.8% 30
1928 42.7% 1,151 57.3% 1,545
1924 28.7% 858 67.6% 2,020 3.7% 111
1920 36.1% 852 35.4% 836 28.6% 675
1916 25.1% 351 67.7% 948 7.3% 102
1912 8.8% 109 64.0% 793 27.2% 337

Wharton County is a strongly Republican county in the 21st century.

Communities

Cities

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  4. ^ "Texas to carry out second execution of the year." Al Jazeera America. January 27, 2016. Retrieved on January 27, 2016.
  5. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  6. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  7. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  8. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  9. ^ Susan Schulte, "Visualizing Slavery", Blog, New York Times, 9 December 2010, accessed 10 December 2013
  10. ^ Susan Schulte, "Visualizing Slavery": "A Map of Slavery Interactive Feature", New York Times, 10 December 2010
  11. ^ http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS

External links

29°17′N 96°13′W / 29.28°N 96.22°W / 29.28; -96.22

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