Henderson County, Texas

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Not to be confused with Henderson, Texas.
Henderson County
U.S. county
The Henderson County Courthouse in Athens
The Henderson County Courthouse in Athens
Map of Texas highlighting Henderson County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°13′N 95°51′W / 32.21°N 95.85°W / 32.21; -95.85
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1846
Named forJames Pinckney Henderson
SeatAthens
Largest cityAthens
Area
 • Total948 sq mi (2,460 km2)
 • Land874 sq mi (2,260 km2)
 • Water75 sq mi (190 km2)  7.9%%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total78,532
 • Density200/sq mi (90/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district5th
Websitewww.co.henderson.tx.us
"Courts Under the Oaks" in Athens
Henderson County Peace Officers Association monument
The Fiddlers Association monument in Athens

Henderson County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 78,532.[1] The county seat is Athens.[2] The county is named in honor of James Pinckney Henderson, the first attorney general of the Republic of Texas, and secretary of state for the republic.[3] He later served as the first governor of Texas.

Henderson County was established in 1846, the year after Texas gained statehood. Its first town was Buffalo, laid out in 1847.[4] The county boundaries were set in 1850, with some reduction from the previous size. The restructuring resulted in the need for a new county seat. In an election, Athens was chosen as the site for the "courthouse under the oaks."[5]

Henderson County comprises the Athens micropolitan statistical area, which is also included in the Dallas-Fort Worth combined statistical area.

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 948 sq mi (2,460 km2), of which 75 sq mi (190 km2) (7.9%) are covered by water.[6]

Major highways[]

Adjacent counties[]

  • Kaufman County (north)
  • Van Zandt County (north)
  • Smith County (east)
  • Cherokee County (southeast)
  • Anderson County (south)
  • Freestone County (southwest)
  • Navarro County (west)
  • Ellis County (northwest)

Demographics[]

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18501,237—
18604,595271.5%
18706,78647.7%
18809,73543.5%
189012,28526.2%
190019,97062.6%
191020,1310.8%
192028,32740.7%
193030,5838.0%
194031,8224.1%
195023,405−26.5%
196021,786−6.9%
197026,46621.5%
198042,60661.0%
199058,54337.4%
200073,27725.2%
201078,5327.2%
2019 (est.)82,737[7]5.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1850–2010[9] 2010–2014[1]

As of the census[10] of 2000, 73,277 people, 28,804 households, and 20,969 families were residing in the county. Its population density was 84 people/sq mi (32/km2). The 35,935 housing units averaged 41 per sq mi (16/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 88.50% White, 6.61% African American, 0.54% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 2.75% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. About 6.92% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 28,804 households, 29.00% had children under 18 living with them, 58.70% were married couples living together, 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.20% were not families. About 23.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.50, and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county, the age distribution was 24.40% under 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 25.00% from 25 to 44, 24.80% from 45 to 64, and 18.20% who were 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,533, and for a family was $38,255. Males had a median income of $31,847 versus $21,650 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,772. About 11.70% of families and 15.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.60% of those under age 18 and 11.80% of those age 65 or over.

Government[]

  • County Judge: Wade McKinney
  • Commissioner Pct. 1: Wendy Spivey
  • Commissioner Pct. 2: Scott Tuley
  • Commissioner Pct. 3: Charles "Chuck" McHam
  • Commissioner Pct. 4: Mark Richardson
  • County Clerk: Mary Margret Wright
  • District Clerk: Betty Herriage
  • County Attorney: Clint Davis
  • District Attorney: Jenny Palmer
  • County Auditor: Ann Marie Lee
  • County Treasurer: Michael Bynum
  • County Court at Law #1 Judge: Scott Williams
  • County Court at Law #2 Judge: Nancy Perryman
  • 3rd District Court Judge: Mark Calhoon
  • 173rd District Court Judge: Dan Moore
  • 392nd District Court Judge: Scott McKee
  • Justice of the Peace Pct. 1: Randy Daniel
  • Constable Pct. 1: Thomas Goodell
  • Justice of the Peace Pct. 2: Kevin Pollock
  • Constable Pct. 2: Mitch Baker
  • Justice of the Peace Pct. 3: James Duncan
  • Constable Pct. 3: David Grubbs
  • Justice of the Peace Pct. 4: Milton Adams
  • Constable Pct. 4: John Floyd
  • Justice of the Peace Pct. 5: Belinda Brownlow
  • Constable Pct. 5: Brad Miers
  • Sheriff: Botie Hillhouse
  • Tax Assessor/Collector: Peggy Goodall
  • Elections Administrator: Paula Ludtke
  • Fire Marshal/Emergency Management Coordinator: Shane Renburg


Politics[]

Presidential elections results

Media[]

Henderson County is part of the Dallas/Fort Worth DMA. Local media outlets are: KDFW-TV, KXAS-TV, WFAA-TV, KTVT-TV, KERA-TV, KTXA-TV, KDFI-TV, KDAF-TV, and KFWD-TV. Other nearby stations that provide coverage for Henderson County come from the Tyler/Longview/Jacksonville market and they include: KLTV, KTRE-TV, KYTX-TV, KFXK-TV, KCEB-TV, and KETK-TV.

Newspaper coverage of the area can be found in the Athens Daily Review, based in Athens; The Monitor is published in Mabank, which is primarily in Kaufman County, but also covers news in parts of Henderson County, as well.

Crime[]

Paul Knight of the Houston Press said in a 2009 article that some people blamed the development of the artificial Cedar Creek Lake, which opened in 1965, and development of the area surrounding the lake for the initial influx of crime and recreational drugs into the county and the East Texas region. Carroll Dyson, a retired pilot and Henderson County resident interviewed by the Houston Press, said in 2009 that the lake attracted "white flight" from metropolitan areas.[12] Dyson added, "When all your rich people from Dallas and Houston move out here, the thieves are just drawn to them. Thieves are just wired that way. You used to not have to lock your door in Henderson County." Ray Nutt, the sheriff of Henderson County, said in the same article that when the lake first opened, it had no zoning and "a lot of elderly people bought a mobile home and moved in; it was nice. Then, they passed away and family members sold them off or just let them go down." Nutt added that the area around the lake has "a lot of good people," yet it also where "a lot of criminals tend to flow."[13]

Communities[]

Cities[]

Towns[]

Unincorporated communities[]

Ghost towns[]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 154.
  4. ^ A Memorial and Biographical History of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon Counties, Texas. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company. 1893. p. 199. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  5. ^ Texas Historical Commission, historical marker, Henderson County Courthouse, Athens, Texas
  6. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  7. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  8. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  9. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  10. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  11. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  12. ^ Knight, Paul. "Superthief." September 22, 2009. 1. Retrieved on September 28, 2009.
  13. ^ Knight, Paul. "Superthief." September 22, 2009. 2. Retrieved on September 28, 2009.

External links[]

Coordinates: 32°13′N 95°51′W / 32.21°N 95.85°W / 32.21; -95.85

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