Smith County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Smith County
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Smith County Courthouse in Tyler
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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 | ![]() |
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State | ![]() |
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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)
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• Total | 233,479 | |
• Estimate
(2021)
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237,186 | |
• 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.
Contents
History
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
Interstate 20
U.S. Highway 69
U.S. Highway 80
U.S. Highway 271
State Highway 31
State Highway 57
State Highway 64
State Highway 110
State Highway 135
State Highway 155
Loop 49
Loop 323
Adjacent counties
- Wood County (north)
- Upshur County (northeast)
- Gregg County (east)
- Rusk County (southeast)
- Cherokee County (south)
- Henderson County (southwest)
- Van Zandt County (northwest)
Demographics
Historical population | |||
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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% | |
U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
2020 census
Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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White alone (NH) | 130,246 | 134,452 | 62.11% | 57.59% |
Black or African American alone (NH) | 37,195 | 38,003 | 17.74% | 16.28% |
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 734 | 746 | 0.35% | 0.32% |
Asian alone (NH) | 2,550 | 4,129 | 1.22% | 1.77% |
Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 63 | 77 | 0.03% | 0.03% |
Some Other Race alone (NH) | 225 | 695 | 0.11% | 0.30% |
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 2,613 | 8,096 | 1.25% | 3.47% |
Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 36,088 | 47,281 | 17.21% | 20.25% |
Total | 209,714 | 233,479 | 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.
2010 Census
As of the census of 2010, 209,714 people and 76,427 households resided in the county. The population density was 227.6 people per square mile (73/km2), in 87,309 housing units. The racial makeup of the county was 70.1% White, 17.9% African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% Asian, and 2.0% persons of two or more races. About 17.2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of 76,427 households, 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were not families; 25.3% of all households were made up of a householder living alone. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.13.
The median income for a household in the county was $46,139. The per capita income for the county was $25,374. About 15.4% of families and 13.80% of the population were below the poverty line.
In the county, the population was distributed as 26.60% under the age of 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 22.10% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.90 males.
Communities
Cities
- Arp
- Hideaway
- Lindale
- New Chapel Hill
- Noonday
- Overton (mostly in Rusk County)
- Troup (small part in Cherokee County)
- Tyler (county seat)
- Whitehouse
Towns
- Bullard (small part in Cherokee County)
- Winona
Census-designated place
Unincorporated communities
- Antioch
- Bascom
- Blackjack
- Bostick
- Browning
- Carroll
- Chapel Hill
- Copeland
- Dogwood City
- Elberta
- Flint
- Garden Valley
- Gresham
- Jamestown
- Lee Spring
- Midway
- Mount Sylvan
- New Harmony
- New Hope
- Omen
- Owentown
- Pine Springs
- Pine Trail Estates
- Red Springs
- Salem
- Sand Flat
- Shady Grove
- Sinclair City
- Starrville
- Swan
- Teaselville
- Thedford
- Walnut Grove
- Waters Bluff
- Wood Springs
- Wright City
Ghost towns
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
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Smith (Texas) para niños