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Wichita County, Texas

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.

Wichita County
County
The Wichita County Courthouse in downtown Wichita Falls
The Wichita County Courthouse in downtown Wichita Falls
Map of Texas highlighting Wichita County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°59′N 98°43′W / 33.99°N 98.71°W / 33.99; -98.71
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
 (2020)
 • Total129,350
 • Estimate 
(2022)
129,978 Increase
 • Density200/sq mi (79/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district13th
Websitewichitacountytx.com

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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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
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%
2020129,350−1.6%
2022 (est.)129,978[10]0.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1850–2010[12] 2010-2020[1]
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 2000[13] Pop 2010[14] Pop 2020[15] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 96,490 90,001 79,694 73.29% 68.44% 61.61%
Black or African American alone (NH) 13,243 13,322 13,379 10.06% 10.13% 10.34%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 919 1,087 992 0.70% 0.83% 0.77%
Asian alone (NH) 2,386 2,586 2,647 1.81% 1.97% 2.05%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 99 85 140 0.08% 0.06% 0.11%
Other race alone (NH) 142 109 476 0.11% 0.08% 0.37%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 2,288 2,451 6,219 1.74% 1.86% 4.81%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 16,097 21,859 25,803 12.23% 16.62% 19.95%
Total 131,644 131,500 129,350 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the census[16] of 2000, 131,664 people, 48,441 households, and 32,891 families resided in the county. 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.[17][18][19][20] 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.[21]

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.

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

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:[23]

The county is in the service area of Vernon College.[24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "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. 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. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  11. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  12. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  13. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Wichita County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  14. ^ "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.
  15. ^ "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.
  16. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  17. ^ "Allred Unit Archived 2010-07-25 at the Wayback Machine." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 10, 2010.
  18. ^ "Sheet Number 1." City of Wichita Falls. Retrieved on September 22, 2010.
  19. ^ "Sheet Number 2." City of Wichita Falls. Retrieved on September 22, 2010.
  20. ^ "Sheet Number 9." City of Wichita Falls. Retrieved on September 22, 2010.
  21. ^ "Wichita County Sheriff's Office". Wichita County Sheriff's Office. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  22. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  23. ^ "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
  24. ^ Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.207. VERNON REGIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
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33°59′N 98°43′W / 33.99°N 98.71°W / 33.99; -98.71

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