Henderson County, Texas

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.

Not to be confused with Henderson, Texas.
Henderson County
U.S. county
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°13′N 95°51′W
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 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 square miles (2,460 km2), of which 874 sq mi (2,260 km2) are land and 75 square miles (190 km2) (7.9%) are covered by water.[6]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
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 per square mile (32/km2). The 35,935 housing units averaged 41 per mi2 (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 the age of 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 years of age 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 the age of 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 years of age 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 1: Scotty Thomas
  • Commissioner 2: Scott Tuley
  • Commissioner 3: Charles "Chuck" McHam
  • Commissioner 4: Milburn Chaney
  • County clerk: Mary Margret Wright
  • District clerk: Betty Herriage
  • County attorney: Clint Davis
  • District attorney: Mark Hall
  • County auditor: Ann Marie Lee
  • County treasurer: Michael Bynum
  • County court at law judge: Scott Williams
  • County court at law judge: Nancy Perryman
  • 3rd District judge: Mark Calhoon
  • 173rd District judge: Dan Moore
  • 392nd District judge: Scott McKee
  • Justice of the peace 1: Randy Daniel
  • Constable 1: Kay Langford
  • Justice of the peace 2: Kevin Pollock
  • Constable 2: Mitch Baker
  • Justice of the peace 3: James Duncan
  • Constable 3: David Grubbs
  • Justice of the peace 4: Milton Adams
  • Constable 4: John Floyd
  • Justice of the peace 5: Belinda Brownlow
  • Constable 5: Brad Miers
  • Sheriff: Botie Hillhouse
  • Tax assessor/collector: Peggy Goodall
  • Elections administrator: Denise Hernandez
  • Emergency management coordinator: Joy Kimbrough
  • Fire marshal: Shane Renburg


Politics
Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[11]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 79.6% 28,911 19.4% 7,060 1.0% 346
2016 78.7% 23,650 18.9% 5,669 2.4% 726
2012 76.9% 21,231 22.1% 6,106 1.1% 290
2008 71.9% 20,857 27.3% 7,913 0.8% 223
2004 70.1% 20,210 29.5% 8,505 0.5% 134
2000 64.8% 16,607 34.0% 8,704 1.2% 316
1996 45.4% 10,345 44.3% 10,085 10.3% 2,342
1992 34.5% 8,368 37.5% 9,105 28.0% 6,788
1988 52.6% 11,005 46.9% 9,819 0.5% 94
1984 63.4% 12,725 36.4% 7,302 0.2% 49
1980 48.5% 7,903 50.3% 8,199 1.2% 203
1976 36.0% 4,658 63.7% 8,245 0.3% 34
1972 69.5% 6,263 30.4% 2,741 0.1% 9
1968 29.2% 2,315 39.3% 3,119 31.5% 2,498
1964 29.6% 1,988 70.0% 4,697 0.4% 29
1960 42.2% 2,521 57.1% 3,411 0.6% 38
1956 44.5% 2,479 55.0% 3,065 0.5% 25
1952 36.3% 2,534 63.7% 4,439 0.0% 1
1948 12.2% 540 83.1% 3,669 4.6% 204
1944 10.1% 427 76.3% 3,219 13.6% 574
1940 16.3% 803 83.7% 4,111
1936 7.4% 260 92.5% 3,259 0.2% 6
1932 5.8% 219 93.7% 3,522 0.5% 19
1928 39.5% 1,128 60.5% 1,726
1924 9.4% 405 88.7% 3,819 1.9% 80
1920 18.6% 538 58.3% 1,684 23.1% 667
1916 11.1% 268 74.2% 1,790 14.7% 355
1912 6.8% 137 68.4% 1,370 24.8% 497

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. "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.

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