Wichita County, Texas

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Wichita County (/ˈwɪtʃɪtɔː/ WITCH-ih-taw) is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 129,350.[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.

Geography

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

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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Geology

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See also: Geology of Wichita Falls, Texas

Wichita County is part of the Texas Red Beds, which are 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

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Template:US Census population

Racial and ethnic composition

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Wichita County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 1980[10] Pop 1990[11] Pop 2000[12] Pop 2010[13] Pop 2020[14] % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 100,300 98,127 96,490 90,001 79,694 82.84% 80.18% 73.29% 68.44% 61.61%
Black or African American alone (NH) 10,773 10,986 13,243 13,322 13,379 8.90% 8.98% 10.06% 10.13% 10.34%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 555 813 919 1,087 992 0.46% 0.66% 0.70% 0.83% 0.77%
Asian alone (NH) 1,312 1,778 2,386 2,586 2,647 1.08% 1.45% 1.81% 1.97% 2.05%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) x [15] x [16] 99 85 140 x x 0.08% 0.06% 0.11%
Other race alone (NH) 349 119 142 109 476 0.29% 0.10% 0.11% 0.08% 0.37%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) x [17] x [18] 2,288 2,451 6,219 x x 1.74% 1.86% 4.81%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7,793 10,555 16,097 21,859 25,803 6.44% 8.62% 12.23% 16.62% 19.95%
Total 121,082 122,378 131,664 131,500 129,350 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 129,350. The median age was 36.1 years. 22.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 104.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 104.6 males age 18 and over.[19][20]

The racial makeup of the county was 67.0% White, 10.7% Black or African American, 1.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 8.1% from some other race, and 10.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 19.9% of the population.[20]

87.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 12.7% lived in rural areas.[21]

There were 49,007 households in the county, of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.6% were married-couple households, 19.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[19]

There were 55,519 housing units, of which 11.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 60.0% were owner-occupied and 40.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 12.7%.[19]

2000 census

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As of the 2000 census, 131,664 people, 48,441 households, and 32,891 families resided in the county.[22] The population density was 210 people per square mile (81 people/km2). The 53,304 housing units had an average density of 85 units per square mile (33 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 78.76% White, 10.23% African American, 0.89% Native American, 1.84% Asian, 5.60% from other races, and 2.68% from two or more races. About 12.23% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the 48,441 households, 33.6% had children under 18 living with them, 52.3% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were not families, with 1,869 unmarried partner households - 1,677 heterosexual, 94 same-sex male, and 98 same-sex female. About 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.49, and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county, the age distribution was 25.2% under 18, 13.7% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.8 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 103.4 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,780, and 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

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The Texas Department of Criminal Justice James V. Allred Unit is located in Wichita County.[23][24][25][26] Wichita County Commissioner Court members: County Judge Jim Johnson, Commissioner Pct. 1 Mark Beauchamp, Commissioner Pct. 2 Mickey Fincannon, 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.[27]

Politics

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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 US congressional district, and 15% of the population of the 30th state senate district.

Wichita County is located within District 69 of the Texas House of Representatives. Wichita County contains parts of District 28 and parts of District 30 for representation in the Texas Senate.

Presidential elections

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Wichita County has consistently voted for the Republican Party in presidential elections since 1980.

In 2008, Wichita County cast the majority of its votes for Republican John McCain; he won 31,673 votes (69%). Democrat Barack Obama received 13,828 votes (30%). 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.

United States presidential election results for Wichita County, Texas[28]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1912 108 7.35% 1,124 76.51% 237 16.13%
1916 347 13.47% 2,108 81.80% 122 4.73%
1920 1,487 27.49% 3,812 70.46% 111 2.05%
1924 2,189 25.81% 5,831 68.75% 461 5.44%
1928 7,226 59.82% 4,853 40.18% 0 0.00%
1932 1,479 14.20% 8,889 85.36% 45 0.43%
1936 1,327 12.30% 9,428 87.39% 33 0.31%
1940 2,206 15.89% 11,672 84.05% 9 0.06%
1944 1,597 10.93% 11,392 77.94% 1,627 11.13%
1948 2,887 18.20% 12,235 77.11% 744 4.69%
1952 12,197 47.40% 13,505 52.49% 29 0.11%
1956 12,181 48.83% 12,726 51.01% 41 0.16%
1960 12,587 46.25% 14,587 53.60% 39 0.14%
1964 8,585 30.96% 19,131 68.99% 14 0.05%
1968 11,937 35.72% 15,387 46.05% 6,090 18.23%
1972 25,197 68.69% 10,948 29.85% 537 1.46%
1976 19,024 46.10% 22,017 53.35% 225 0.55%
1980 22,884 54.98% 17,657 42.42% 1,084 2.60%
1984 28,932 64.18% 16,009 35.51% 139 0.31%
1988 23,324 56.08% 17,956 43.17% 310 0.75%
1992 17,956 38.53% 17,021 36.52% 11,631 24.95%
1996 20,495 51.30% 15,775 39.49% 3,680 9.21%
2000 27,802 65.09% 14,108 33.03% 803 1.88%
2004 32,472 71.30% 12,819 28.15% 254 0.56%
2008 31,731 69.01% 13,868 30.16% 383 0.83%
2012 29,812 72.68% 10,525 25.66% 681 1.66%
2016 27,631 72.49% 8,770 23.01% 1,718 4.51%
2020 32,069 69.65% 13,161 28.59% 810 1.76%
2024 31,818 71.45% 12,237 27.48% 475 1.07%
2016 1 33.33% 1 33.33% 1 33.33%


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Communities

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Cities

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Town

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Unincorporated communities

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Education

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School districts serving the county include:[29]

The county is in the service area of Vernon College.[30]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Archived from the original on May 13, 2015. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  4. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  5. ↑ Template:Cite AmCyc
  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.[dead link] 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. ↑ "1980 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics- Texas - Table 15. Persons by Race and Table 16. Total Persons and Spanish Origin Persons by Type of Spanish Origin and Race" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 21-46. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 7, 2022.
  11. ↑ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics- Texas - Table 3. Race and Hispanic Origin: 1990" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 29-138. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 3, 2026.
  12. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Wichita County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  13. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wichita County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  14. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wichita County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  15. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  16. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  17. ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
  18. ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  21. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  22. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  23. ↑ "Allred Unit Archived 2010-07-25 at the Wayback Machine." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 10, 2010.
  24. ↑ "Sheet Number 1." City of Wichita Falls. Retrieved on September 22, 2010.
  25. ↑ "Sheet Number 2." City of Wichita Falls. Retrieved on September 22, 2010.
  26. ↑ "Sheet Number 9." City of Wichita Falls. Retrieved on September 22, 2010.
  27. ↑ "Wichita County Sheriff's Office". Wichita County Sheriff's Office. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  28. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  29. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Wichita County, TX" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved June 29, 2022. - Text list
  30. ↑ Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.207. VERNON REGIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
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Template:Geographic Location

Template:Wichita County, Texas Template:Texas counties Template:Texas Coordinates: 33°59′N 98°43′W / 33.99°N 98.71°W / 33.99; -98.71

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