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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
Named forWilliam H. Wharton and John Austin Wharton
SeatWharton
Largest cityEl Campo
Area
 • Total
1,094 sq mi (2,830 km2)
 • Land1,086 sq mi (2,810 km2)
 • Water8.2 sq mi (21 km2)  0.8%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
41,570
 • Density38/sq mi (15/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district22nd
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 is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 41,570.[1] Its county seat is Wharton.[2] The county was named for brothers William Harris Wharton and John Austin Wharton.

Wharton County comprises the El Campo, TX Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Houston-The Woodlands, TX Combined Statistical Area.

Geography

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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

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Demographics

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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%
202041,5700.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1850–2010[6] 2010[7] 2020[8]
Wharton 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[9] Pop 2010[7] Pop 2020[8] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 21,832 19,681 18,130 53.01% 47.68% 43.61%
Black or African American alone (NH) 6,060 5,668 5,469 14.71% 13.73% 13.16%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 59 62 69 0.14% 0.15% 0.17%
Asian alone (NH) 113 154 164 0.27% 0.37% 0.39%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 18 2 0 0.04% 0.00% 0.00%
Other race alone (NH) 15 26 104 0.04% 0.06% 0.25%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 203 242 667 0.49% 0.59% 1.60%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 12,888 15,445 16,967 31.29% 37.42% 40.82%
Total 41,188 41,280 41,570 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the census[10] 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 people/km2). There were 16,606 housing units at an average density of 15 units per square mile (5.8 units/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

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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.[11] 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.[12]

Transportation

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Airports

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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

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Politics

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

United States presidential election results for Wharton County, Texas[13]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 12,439 75.52% 3,910 23.74% 122 0.74%
2020 11,926 71.09% 4,694 27.98% 156 0.93%
2016 10,149 68.89% 4,238 28.77% 345 2.34%
2012 9,750 69.21% 4,235 30.06% 102 0.72%
2008 9,431 65.41% 4,937 34.24% 50 0.35%
2004 9,288 66.16% 4,702 33.49% 49 0.35%
2000 8,455 62.97% 4,838 36.03% 133 0.99%
1996 6,163 50.38% 5,176 42.31% 895 7.32%
1992 5,503 43.00% 4,643 36.28% 2,651 20.72%
1988 6,978 53.71% 5,935 45.69% 78 0.60%
1984 8,495 62.54% 5,072 37.34% 17 0.13%
1980 6,598 55.18% 5,138 42.97% 222 1.86%
1976 4,682 43.99% 5,914 55.56% 48 0.45%
1972 6,271 64.27% 3,481 35.68% 5 0.05%
1968 3,773 37.89% 4,304 43.22% 1,882 18.90%
1964 2,775 30.76% 6,234 69.11% 11 0.12%
1960 3,387 40.04% 5,004 59.16% 67 0.79%
1956 4,714 57.47% 3,439 41.92% 50 0.61%
1952 5,232 56.51% 4,022 43.44% 5 0.05%
1948 1,354 28.90% 2,811 60.00% 520 11.10%
1944 529 10.49% 3,754 74.45% 759 15.05%
1940 760 16.03% 3,976 83.88% 4 0.08%
1936 307 9.15% 3,034 90.43% 14 0.42%
1932 405 10.68% 3,357 88.53% 30 0.79%
1928 1,151 42.69% 1,545 57.31% 0 0.00%
1924 858 28.71% 2,020 67.58% 111 3.71%
1920 852 36.06% 836 35.38% 675 28.57%
1916 351 25.05% 948 67.67% 102 7.28%
1912 109 8.80% 793 64.00% 337 27.20%

Communities

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Cities

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Census-designated places

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Unincorporated communities

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Ghost towns

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Wharton County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  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. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  6. ^ "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.
  7. ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wharton County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  8. ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wharton County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  9. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Wharton County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  10. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  11. ^ Susan Schulte, "Visualizing Slavery", Blog, New York Times, December 9, 2010, accessed December 10, 2013
  12. ^ Susan Schulte, "Visualizing Slavery": "A Map of Slavery Interactive Feature", New York Times, December 10, 2010
  13. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
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