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Tarrant County, Texas facts for kids

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Tarrant County
County
Tarrant County
The Tarrant County Courthouse at Fort Worth in 2012
The Tarrant County Courthouse at Fort Worth in 2012
Flag of Tarrant County
Flag
 Official seal of Tarrant County
Seal
Map of Texas highlighting Tarrant 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 1850
Named for Edward H. Tarrant
Seat Fort Worth
Largest city Fort Worth
Area
 • Total 902 sq mi (2,340 km2)
 • Land 864 sq mi (2,240 km2)
 • Water 39 sq mi (100 km2)  4.3%%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 1,809,034
 • Density 2,095/sq mi (809/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts 6th, 12th, 24th, 26th, 33rd

Tarrant County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 1,809,034. It is Texas' third-most populous county and the sixteenth-most populous in the United States. Its county seat is Fort Worth.

Tarrant County, one of 26 counties created out of the Peters Colony, was established in 1849 and organized the next year. The county was named in honor of General Edward H. Tarrant of the Republic of Texas militia.

Tarrant County is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 902 square miles (2,340 km2), of which 864 square miles (2,240 km2) is land and 39 square miles (100 km2) (4.3%) is water.

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1850 664 —
1860 6,020 806.6%
1870 5,788 −3.9%
1880 24,671 326.2%
1890 41,142 66.8%
1900 52,376 27.3%
1910 108,572 107.3%
1920 152,800 40.7%
1930 197,553 29.3%
1940 225,521 14.2%
1950 361,253 60.2%
1960 538,495 49.1%
1970 716,317 33.0%
1980 860,880 20.2%
1990 1,170,103 35.9%
2000 1,446,219 23.6%
2010 1,809,034 25.1%
Est. 2015 1,982,498 9.6%
U.S. Decennial Census
1850–2010 2010–2014

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,446,219 people, 533,864 households, and 369,433 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,675 people per square mile (647/km²). There were 565,830 housing units at an average density of 655 per square mile (253/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 71.23% White, 12.80% Black or African American, 0.57% Native American, 3.64% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 9.09% from other races, and 2.51% from two or more races. 19.73% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 533,864 households out of which 36.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.60% were married couples living together, 12.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.80% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.22. As of the 2010 census, there were about 5.2 same-sex couples per 1,000 households in the county.

In the county, the population was spread out with 28.10% under the age of 18, 10.00% from 18 to 24, 33.50% from 25 to 44, 20.10% from 45 to 64, and 8.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 98.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $46,179, and the median income for a family was $54,068. Males had a median income of $38,486 versus $28,672 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,548. About 8.00% of families and 10.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.80% of those under age 18 and 8.70% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Major highways

  • I-20
  • I-30
  • I-35W
  • I-820
  • US 81
  • US 287

  • Bus. US 287
  • US 377
  • SH 10
  • SH 26
  • SH 97
  • SH 114
  • SH 121
  • FM 156
  • FM 157
  • SH 161
  • SH 180
  • SH 183
  • SH 303
  • SH 360
  • FM 1220
  • FM 1886

Airports

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is partially in the cities of Grapevine and Euless in Tarrant County and Irving in Dallas County.

Fort Worth Alliance Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located 14 miles (23 km) north of the central business district of Fort Worth on Interstate-35W. Billed as the world's first purely industrial airport, it was developed in a joint venture between the City of Fort Worth, the Federal Aviation Administration and Hillwood Development Company, a real estate development company owned by H. Ross Perot, Jr. Alliance Airport has 9600 ' and 8200 ' runways.

Fort Worth Meacham International Airport is located at the intersection of Interstate 820 and U.S. Business Highway 287 in northwest Fort Worth, 5 miles from the downtown business district. Meacham International Airport has two parallel runways and a crosswind runway.

Fort Worth Spinks Airport is located 14 miles south of the downtown business district. The airport is located at the intersection of Interstate-35W and HWY 1187 and serves as a reliever airport for Fort Worth Meacham International Airport and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

Communities

Cities (multiple counties)

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Historical census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Historical communities

Ghost towns

Notes

  • Italicize indicates that the city is a principal city of DFW or a county seat
  • The term "town" is used only in reference to relative population. Under Texas law, all incorporated places are officially designated "cities".
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