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Smith County, Texas facts for kids

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Not to be confused with Deaf Smith County, Texas.
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Smith County
U.S. county
Smith County Courthouse in Tyler
Smith County Courthouse in Tyler
Official seal of Smith County
Seal
Map of Texas highlighting Smith County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Texas
Founded July 1846
Seat Tyler
Largest city Tyler
Area
 • Total 950 sq mi (2,500 km2)
 • Land 921 sq mi (2,390 km2)
 • Water 28 sq mi (70 km2)  3.0%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 233,479
 • Estimate 
(2022)
 241,757 Increase
 • Density 245.8/sq mi (94.9/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 1st

Smith County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 233,479. Its county seat is Tyler. Smith County is named for James Smith, a general during the Texas Revolution. Smith County is part of the Tyler metropolitan statistical area and the Tyler–Jacksonville combined statistical area.

History

Wall of Memories, Tyler, TX IMG 0472
Smith County veterans display, the Wall of Memories, in the Tyler plaza
Confederate memorial, Smith County, TX IMG 0477
Confederate States of America memorial in Tyler plaza
Korean War Veterans Memorial, Tyler, TX IMG 0491
Korean War Memorial in Tyler plaza

The first known inhabitants of the area now known as Smith County were the Caddo Indians. In July 1846 Smith County separated from the Nacogdoches District and was named for James Smith, a General of the Texas Revolution. It was at this time that Tyler was designated as the county seat.

Camp Ford was the largest Confederate Prisoner of War Camp west of the Mississippi River during the American Civil War and was where Sheriff Jim Reed of Collin County and Judge McReynolds, former chief justice of the district, were seized and lynched by "Regulators." The original site of the Camp stockade is now a public historic park, owned by Smith County, Texas, and managed by the Smith County Historical Society. The park contains a kiosk, paved trail, interpretive signage, a cabin reconstruction, and a picnic area. It is located on Highway 271, 0.8 miles north of Loop 323.

The Smith County Historical Society, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was founded in 1959 by individuals and business firms dedicated to discovering, collecting and preserving data, records and other items relating to the history of Smith County, Texas. More information can be found at the Smith County Historical Society Website.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 950 square miles (2,500 km2), of which 921 square miles (2,390 km2) is land and 28 square miles (73 km2) (3.0%) is water.

The county infrastructure includes some 1,180 miles (1,900 km) of two lane county road.

Major highways

  • I-20.svg Interstate 20
  • US 69.svg U.S. Highway 69
  • US 80.svg U.S. Highway 80
  • US 271.svg U.S. Highway 271
  • Texas 31.svg State Highway 31
  • Texas 57.svg State Highway 57
  • Texas 64.svg State Highway 64
  • Texas 110.svg State Highway 110
  • Texas 135.svg State Highway 135
  • Texas 155.svg State Highway 155
  • Texas Loop 49.svgToll Texas 49 new.svg Loop 49
  • Texas Loop 323.svg Loop 323

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1850 4,292 —
1860 13,392 212.0%
1870 16,532 23.4%
1880 21,863 32.2%
1890 28,324 29.6%
1900 37,370 31.9%
1910 41,746 11.7%
1920 46,769 12.0%
1930 53,123 13.6%
1940 69,090 30.1%
1950 74,701 8.1%
1960 86,350 15.6%
1970 97,096 12.4%
1980 128,366 32.2%
1990 151,309 17.9%
2000 174,706 15.5%
2010 209,714 20.0%
2020 233,479 11.3%
2022 (est.) 241,757 15.3%
U.S. Decennial Census
1850–2010 2010 2020
Smith 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 Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 118,598 130,246 134,452 67.88% 62.11% 57.59%
Black or African American alone (NH) 33,129 37,195 38,003 18.96% 17.74% 16.28%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 562 734 746 0.32% 0.35% 0.32%
Asian alone (NH) 1,201 2,550 4,129 0.69% 1.22% 1.77%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 29 63 77 0.02% 0.03% 0.03%
Other race alone (NH) 119 225 695 0.07% 0.11% 0.30%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 1,547 2,613 8,096 0.89% 1.25% 3.47%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 19,521 36,088 47,281 11.17% 17.21% 20.25%
Total 174,706 209,714 233,479 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

In the 2010 U.S. census, Smith County had a population of 209,714, up from its 1850 population of 4,292. By the 2020 census, its population increased to 233,479. Among its population in 2010, the racial and ethnic makeup was 62.11% non-Hispanic white, 17.74% Black or African American, 0.35% American Indian or Alaska Native, 1.22% Asian alone, 0.03% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 0.11% some other race, 3.47% multiracial, and 17.21% Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2020, its racial and ethnic makeup was 57.59% non-Hispanic white, 16.28% Black or African American, 0.32% American Indian or Alaska Native, 1.77% Asian alone, 0.03% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 0.30% some other race, 3.47% multiracial and 20.25% Hispanic or Latino of any race; 2020's census statistics reflected state and nationwide demographic trends of greater diversification within the U.S. overall.

At the 2021 American Community Survey, Smith County had a median household income of $63,115; its mean household income was $86,661. Among the owner-occupied housing units of the county, the median value was $169,600, and there was a median real estate tax of $2,634. Owner-occupied housing units without a mortgage had a median value of $173,700 and median real estate tax of $2,203. Throughout the county, an estimated 12.51% of the population lived at or below the poverty line.

Education

These school districts serve school-aged children in Smith County:

  • Arp Independent School District
  • Bullard Independent School District (also partially in Cherokee County)
  • Chapel Hill Independent School District
  • Gladewater Independent School District (also partially in Gregg County and Upshur County)
  • Lindale Independent School District (also partially in Van Zandt County)
  • Troup Independent School District (also partially in Cherokee County)
  • Tyler Independent School District
  • Van Independent School District (also partially in Van Zandt County)
  • Whitehouse Independent School District
  • Winona Independent School District

Those wishing to attend institutions of higher learning in the area can attend:

  • Tyler Junior College
  • Texas College
  • University of Texas at Tyler

Media

Smith County is part of the Tyler/Longview/Jacksonville DMA. Local media outlets are: KLTV, KTRE-TV, KYTX-TV, KFXK-TV, KCEB-TV, and KETK-TV.

KTBB, an AM radio station based in Tyler, provides a news-talk format to the area.

The daily Tyler Morning Telegraph is the primary newspaper in the county, based in Tyler. Coverage of the area can also be found in the Longview News-Journal, published in Longview, in Gregg County.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Smith (Texas) para niños

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