Runnels County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Runnels County
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The Runnels County Courthouse in Ballinger
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Location within the U.S. state of Texas
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 Texas's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Founded | 1880 |
| Named for | Hiram G. Runnels |
| Seat | Ballinger |
| Largest city | Ballinger |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,057 sq mi (2,740 km2) |
| • Land | 1,051 sq mi (2,720 km2) |
| • Water | 6.2 sq mi (16 km2) 0.6% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 9,900 |
| • Density | 9.37/sq mi (3.616/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 11th |
Runnels County is a county in the state of Texas. In 2020, about 9,900 people lived there. The main town and county seat (where the county government is) is Ballinger.
The county was created in 1858 and officially set up in 1880. It is named after Hiram G. Runnels, who was a state legislator in Texas.
Contents
History of Runnels County
The first people to live in the Runnels County area were the Jumano and later the Comanche tribes. In 1683–84, a Spanish explorer named Juan Domínguez de Mendoza started a short-lived mission here.
Fort Chadbourne was built in 1852. It was one of many forts in West Texas used to protect settlers.
Runnels County was formed from parts of Bexar and Travis Counties. It was named to honor Hiram G. Runnels. The first county seat was a place called Runnels City.
In 1862, a community called Pickettville was started by several families. Later, Ballinger was settled by Richard Coffey and his family.
The county was officially organized in 1880, with about 980 people living there. Eight years later, Ballinger, named after William Pitt Ballinger, became the new county seat. The stone county courthouse, a beautiful building, was built in 1889. It was designed by architect Eugene T. Heiner.
In 1899, the town of Pumphrey was founded. It was first called New Hope. The Santa Fe Depot, a train station, was built in 1911. The Ballinger Carnegie Library was also opened. In 1919, a statue called "Spirit of the Texas Cowboy" was placed on the Ballinger Courthouse lawn. It was made by Pompeo Coppini.
Oil was discovered near Ballinger in 1927 at the MacMillan oil field. By 1949, 18 new oil fields had been found in the area.
Geography of Runnels County
Runnels County covers a total area of about 1,057 square miles. Most of this (1,051 square miles) is land, and a small part (6.2 square miles) is water.
Main Roads in Runnels County
U.S. Highway 67
U.S. Highway 83
State Highway 153
State Highway 158
Neighboring Counties
Runnels County shares borders with these counties:
- Taylor County (north)
- Coleman County (east)
- Concho County (south)
- Tom Green County (southwest)
- Coke County (west)
- Nolan County (northwest)
Population of Runnels County
The population of Runnels County has changed over the years. Here's how many people lived there during different census years:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 980 | — | |
| 1890 | 3,193 | 225.8% | |
| 1900 | 5,379 | 68.5% | |
| 1910 | 20,858 | 287.8% | |
| 1920 | 17,074 | −18.1% | |
| 1930 | 21,821 | 27.8% | |
| 1940 | 18,903 | −13.4% | |
| 1950 | 16,771 | −11.3% | |
| 1960 | 15,016 | −10.5% | |
| 1970 | 12,108 | −19.4% | |
| 1980 | 11,872 | −1.9% | |
| 1990 | 11,294 | −4.9% | |
| 2000 | 11,495 | 1.8% | |
| 2010 | 10,501 | −8.6% | |
| 2020 | 9,900 | −5.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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Here is a look at the different groups of people living in Runnels County over time:
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 7,793 | 6,841 | 6,062 | 67.79% | 65.15% | 61.23% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 154 | 165 | 132 | 1.34% | 1.57% | 1.33% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 30 | 43 | 39 | 0.26% | 0.41% | 0.39% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 37 | 19 | 24 | 0.32% | 0.18% | 0.24% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0.02% | 0.00% | 0.06% |
| Other Race alone (NH) | 7 | 15 | 15 | 0.06% | 0.14% | 0.15% |
| Mixed Race or Multiracial (NH) | 100 | 57 | 268 | 0.87% | 0.54% | 2.71% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3,372 | 3,361 | 3,354 | 29.33% | 32.01% | 33.88% |
| Total | 11,495 | 10,501 | 9,900 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
In 2000, there were 11,495 people living in the county. About 81.44% of the people were White, 1.40% Black or African American, and 0.53% Native American. About 29.33% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Towns and Communities
Cities in Runnels County
Smaller Communities
These are smaller places that are not officially cities:
Education in Runnels County
Students in Runnels County attend schools in several different school districts:
- Ballinger Independent School District
- Bronte Independent School District
- Coleman Independent School District
- Jim Ned Consolidated Independent School District
- Miles Independent School District
- Olfen Independent School District
- Panther Creek Consolidated Independent School District
- Winters Independent School District
The county is also part of the Western Texas College District, which means students can attend Western Texas College.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Runnels para niños
