Wharton County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wharton County
|
|
---|---|
The Wharton County Courthouse in Wharton
|
|
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
|
|
Texas's location within the U.S. |
|
Country | United States |
State | Texas |
Founded | 1846 |
Named for | William H. Wharton and John Austin Wharton |
Seat | Wharton |
Largest city | El Campo |
Area | |
• Total | 1,094 sq mi (2,830 km2) |
• Land | 1,086 sq mi (2,810 km2) |
• Water | 8.2 sq mi (21 km2) 0.8% |
Population
(2020)
|
|
• Total | 41,570 |
• Density | 37.998/sq mi (14.671/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
Congressional district | 27th |
Wharton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 41,570. Its county seat is Wharton. 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.
Contents
Geography
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.
The county is about 130 miles (210 km) southeast of Austin.
Adjacent counties
- Austin County (north)
- Fort Bend County (northeast)
- Brazoria County (east)
- Matagorda County (southeast)
- Jackson County (southwest)
- Colorado County (northwest)
Demographics
Historical population | |||
---|---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± | |
1850 | 1,752 | — | |
1860 | 3,380 | 92.9% | |
1870 | 3,426 | 1.4% | |
1880 | 4,459 | 30.2% | |
1890 | 7,584 | 70.1% | |
1900 | 16,942 | 123.4% | |
1910 | 21,123 | 24.7% | |
1920 | 24,288 | 15.0% | |
1930 | 29,681 | 22.2% | |
1940 | 36,158 | 21.8% | |
1950 | 36,077 | −0.2% | |
1960 | 38,152 | 5.8% | |
1970 | 36,729 | −3.7% | |
1980 | 40,242 | 9.6% | |
1990 | 39,955 | −0.7% | |
2000 | 41,188 | 3.1% | |
2010 | 41,280 | 0.2% | |
2020 | 41,570 | 0.7% | |
U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
2020 census
Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|
White alone (NH) | 19,681 | 18,130 | 47.68% | 43.61% |
Black or African American alone (NH) | 5,668 | 5,469 | 13.73% | 13.16% |
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 62 | 69 | 0.15% | 0.17% |
Asian alone (NH) | 154 | 164 | 0.37% | 0.39% |
Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 2 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Some Other Race alone (NH) | 26 | 104 | 0.06% | 0.25% |
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 242 | 667 | 0.59% | 1.60% |
Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 15,445 | 16,967 | 37.42% | 40.82% |
Total | 41,280 | 41,570 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
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 can be of any race.
Legacy of slavery
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. 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.
Transportation
Airports
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
- U.S. Highway 59
U.S. Highway 90 Alternate- State Highway 60
- State Highway 71
- Farm to Market Road 102
- Farm to Market Road 442
- Farm to Market Road 1160
- Farm to Market Road 1300
Communities
Cities
- East Bernard
- El Campo
- Wharton (county seat)
Census-designated places
Unincorporated communities
- Bonus
- Burr
- Danevang
- Dinsmore
- Egypt
- Elm Grove
- Glen Flora
- Hahn
- Hillje
- Jones Creek
- Lane City
- Lissie
- Mackay
- Magnet
- Newgulf
- New Taiton
- Pierce
- Sand Ridge
- Spanish Camp
Ghost towns
- Don-Tol
- Dorman
- Nedra
- Nottawa
- Peach Creek
- Plainview
- Preston
- Round Mott
- Sandies
- Taiton
- Waterville
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Wharton para niños