Fort Bend County, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fort Bend County
U.S. county
Fort Bend County Courthouse, Richmond, November 2008
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1838
Named for	A blockhouse positioned in a bend of the Brazos River
Seat	Richmond
Largest city	Sugar Land
Area
• Total	885 sq mi (2,290 km2)
• Land	861 sq mi (2,230 km2)
• Water	24 sq mi (60 km2)  2.7%
Population  (2020)
• Total	822,779
• Estimate  (2022)	889,146
• Density	929.7/sq mi (358.96/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts	7th, 9th, 22nd

Fort Bend County Court House in 1948

Fort Bend County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. It was started in 1837 and officially organized in 1838. The county gets its name from a special fort built in a bend of the Brazos River.

The main town, or county seat, is Richmond. The biggest city completely inside the county is Sugar Land. Fort Bend County is part of the larger Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land area. In 2020, about 822,779 people lived here. Forbes magazine even said it was one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States in 2017.

Fort Bend County is also known for being one of the wealthiest counties in Texas. In 2015, families living here had a median income of over $105,000.

History

Long ago, before Europeans arrived, the Karankawa Indians lived in this area. Spanish explorers didn't settle much here.

The former Sugar Land Refinery in Sugar Land, TX

After Mexico became independent from Spain, people from the eastern United States began to move in. In 1822, a group led by Stephen F. Austin's colonists built a fort. This fort was located where Richmond is today. They called it Fort Bend because it was in a bend of the Brazos River. Richmond became an official town in 1837. Fort Bend County was created in 1838 from parts of other counties.

The county's early economy relied on large farms called plantations. These farms grew cotton and used many enslaved African Americans as workers. By the 1850s, more than twice as many enslaved people lived in Fort Bend County as white people.

After the Civil War, formerly enslaved people, called freedmen, gained new rights. They supported the Republican Party and elected their own leaders. However, many white residents, mostly from the Democratic Party, wanted to regain control. This led to a big political fight known as the Jaybird–Woodpecker War in 1888–89.

The conflict became violent, with a gun battle at the courthouse. The governor sent in soldiers to stop the fighting. Afterward, a group called the "Jaybirds" took control. They created a "White-only pre-primary" election. This rule stopped African Americans from voting in the most important local elections. This unfair practice lasted until 1950. Finally, in 1953, the Supreme Court of the United States declared it illegal.

20th century to present

Starting in the 1960s, Fort Bend County began to change a lot. It went from being mostly rural with farms and oil interests to a busy suburban area. New, planned communities were built. These included places like Sugar Creek and Quail Valley.

Later, developments like First Colony in Sugar Land grew. This area became a major shopping and business center. More communities like Greatwood, New Territory, and Sienna also appeared. The Greater Katy area also expanded into Fort Bend County. By 2010, the county's population was over 500,000 people.

In 2017, Hurricane Harvey caused major flooding in Fort Bend County. Many residents had to leave their homes. The Brazos River overflowed, and thousands of homes were damaged.

Geography

Fort Bend County covers about 885 square miles. A small part of this area, about 24 square miles, is covered by water.

Neighboring counties

• Waller County (north)
• Harris County (northeast)
• Brazoria County (southeast)
• Wharton County (southwest)
• Austin County (northwest)

Communities

Cities (multiple counties)

• Houston (mostly in Harris County)
• Katy (partly in Harris and Waller Counties)
• Missouri City (small part in Harris County)
• Pearland (mostly in Brazoria County)
• Stafford (small part in Harris County)

Cities

Town

• Thompsons

Villages

• Fairchilds
• Pleak

Census-designated places

These are areas that are not officially cities or towns but are recognized for census purposes.

Unincorporated communities

These are areas that are not part of any city or town.

Population and Diversity

Fort Bend County has grown a lot, especially since the 1970s. It has become a very diverse place. In fact, a study in 2001 said it was one of the most diverse counties in the U.S. for its size.

Many different ethnic groups live here, and no single group makes up the majority. Fort Bend County has the highest percentage of Asian Americans in the Southern United States. The largest groups include people of Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian, and Filipino backgrounds. In 2011, USA Today ranked it as the fourth most racially diverse county in the country. This means there's a high chance that two random people you meet would be from different ethnic or racial backgrounds.

Between 2010 and 2020, the number of Asian Americans in the county grew by over 83,000 people. The Hispanic population also increased by almost 43%, and the Black population grew by nearly 36%.

Economy

Fort Bend County has a varied economy. It has many jobs in healthcare, energy, education, and hospitality. Big companies like Schlumberger, Minute Maid, and Fluor have operations here. The county's diverse industries have helped it grow quickly over the years. Many doctors and hospitals have also moved to the county.

Education

Public school districts

Students in Fort Bend County attend schools in several different districts:

• Brazos Independent School District
• Fort Bend Independent School District
• Katy Independent School District
• Lamar Consolidated Independent School District
• Needville Independent School District
• Stafford Municipal School District

Higher education

• University of Houston Sugar Land campus
• Houston Community College System (for some areas)
• Wharton County Junior College (for other areas, including Sugar Land)

Technical school

• Texas State Technical College

Libraries

Fort Bend County Libraries runs many libraries throughout the county. The Houston Public Library also has one branch in the county.

Transportation

Major highways

Farm to Market Road 1092, a major entry into the county

Major Farm to Market Roads

These are state-maintained roads that connect rural areas to larger highways.

Airports

The main public airport in the county is Sugar Land Regional Airport. There are also several smaller, privately owned airports. For bigger flights, people use William P. Hobby Airport or George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.

Mass transit

Fort Bend County has a public transportation department. It offers bus services for commuters to Houston. It also has buses for senior citizens and the public to travel within the county. Some parts of the county are also served by Houston's Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County.

Toll roads

The Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority manages and operates toll roads in the county. These include parts of the Fort Bend Parkway, Westpark Tollway, and Grand Parkway Toll Road.

Notable people

• Brittney Karbowski, an American voice actress
• CeeDee Lamb, a Wide Receiver for the Dallas Cowboys

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Fort Bend para niños