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Tom Green County
U.S. county
Tom Green County Courthouse in San Angelo
Tom Green County Courthouse in San Angelo
Official seal of Tom Green County
Seal
Map of Texas highlighting Tom Green 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 1875
Named for General Thomas Green
Seat San Angelo
Largest city San Angelo
Area
 • Total 1,541 sq mi (3,990 km2)
 • Land 1,522 sq mi (3,940 km2)
 • Water 19 sq mi (50 km2)  1.2%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 120,003 Increase
 • Density 78/sq mi (30/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 11th
San Angelo September 2019 06 (Judge Michael D. Brown Justice Center)
The Judge Michael D. Brown Justice Center is a key building in Tom Green County.

Tom Green County is a county located in the state of Texas, USA. It sits on a high flat area called the Edwards Plateau. In 2020, about 120,003 people lived here. The main city and county seat is San Angelo.

The county was created in 1874 and started operating in 1875. It is named after Thomas Green, who was a lawyer and a general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. Tom Green County is part of the San Angelo metropolitan area. It is also home to Goodfellow Air Force Base and Angelo State University, which is part of the Texas Tech University System.

History of Tom Green County

The state government officially created Tom Green County on March 13, 1874. It was named after Thomas Green, a general from the Confederate States Army. When it was first formed, the county was very large, covering over 60,000 square miles (155,000 km2).

Early County Seat and a Big Flood

The first county seat was a town called Ben Ficklin. But in 1882, a big flood from the Concho River destroyed the town. Sadly, 65 people drowned. After this disaster, the county seat was moved to a nearby town called Santa Angela. In 1883, the U.S. Post Office officially changed the town's name to San Angelo.

Growth and Changes

After the Santa Fe Railway was finished in September 1888, the county started sending out many cattle by train. Between 3,500 and 5,000 train cars of cattle were exported. In 1889, San Angelo became an official city. Around the same time, Fort Concho, a military fort that had been open for 22 years, closed down.

The Unusual Shape of the County

Tom Green County has a long, narrow strip of land that stretches to the west. This unique shape exists because Reagan County, which is to the west, used to be part of Tom Green County. Texas law required that all parts of a county had to be connected to the county seat by land. So, this small strip of land was created to connect the two main areas. In 1903, people in the western part voted to form Reagan County. They also decided that the connecting strip would stay part of Tom Green County.

Weather Events

In 2021, during a big winter storm called Uri, San Angelo experienced very cold temperatures. It was at or below freezing for 152 hours straight. Tom Green County has also been affected by hurricanes and tropical storms, including:

Geography of Tom Green County

Tom Green County covers a total area of about 1,541 square miles (3,991 km2). Most of this is land (1,522 square miles or 3,942 km2), and a small part is water (19 square miles or 49 km2), which is about 1.2% of the total area.

Lakes and Rivers

The county has several important water bodies and protected areas, including:

The county is also home to the Concho Rivers, including the North Concho River and South Concho River. There is also a small stream called Kickapoo Creek.

Neighboring Counties

Tom Green County shares borders with these other counties:

People of Tom Green County

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1880 3,615 —
1890 5,152 42.5%
1900 6,804 32.1%
1910 17,882 162.8%
1920 15,210 −14.9%
1930 36,033 136.9%
1940 39,302 9.1%
1950 58,929 49.9%
1960 64,630 9.7%
1970 71,047 9.9%
1980 84,784 19.3%
1990 98,458 16.1%
2000 104,010 5.6%
2010 110,224 6.0%
2020 120,003 8.9%
U.S. Decennial Census
1850–2010 2010 2020

Population and Diversity

In 2020, Tom Green County had 120,003 people. The county is home to a diverse group of people. The table below shows the different racial and ethnic groups living in the county over the years.

Tom Green 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) 65,508 63,799 62,390 62.98% 57.88% 51.99%
Black or African American alone (NH) 4,122 3,997 4,010 3.96% 3.63% 3.34%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 380 406 366 0.37% 0.37% 0.30%
Asian alone (NH) 855 1,046 1,704 0.82% 0.95% 1.42%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 53 78 143 0.05% 0.07% 0.12%
Other Race alone (NH) 88 129 369 0.08% 0.12% 0.31%
Mixed Race or Multiracial (NH) 1,058 1,454 3,955 1.02% 1.32% 3.30%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 31,946 39,315 47,066 30.71% 35.67% 39.22%
Total 104,010 110,224 120,003 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

In 2000, there were 104,010 people living in the county. About 39,503 households and 26,783 families were counted. The average number of people in a household was 2.52, and for families, it was 3.09.

The median age in the county was 34 years old. This means half the people were younger than 34 and half were older.

Education in Tom Green County

U.S. Hwy. 87 north of San Angelo, TX IMG 1399
View from U.S. Highway 87 northwest of San Angelo in Tom Green County

Tom Green County offers various educational opportunities for its residents.

Colleges and Universities

Public School Districts

  • Christoval Independent School District
  • Grape Creek Independent School District
  • Miles Independent School District
  • San Angelo Independent School District
  • Veribest Independent School District
  • Wall Independent School District
  • Water Valley Independent School District

Transportation

Major Highways

  • US 67.svg U.S. Highway 67
  • US 87.svg U.S. Highway 87
  • US 277.svg U.S. Highway 277
  • SH 208
  • Texas Loop 306.svg SH Loop 306

Communities in Tom Green County

San Angelo September 2019 13 (Texas Theatre)
The former Texas Theater in downtown San Angelo.

City

  • San Angelo (This is the county seat, where the main county government offices are located.)

Census-Designated Places

These are areas identified by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes.

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller towns or areas that do not have their own local government.

Ghost Town

  • Ben Ficklin (A town that no longer exists, often due to a historical event.)

Military Base

  • Goodfellow Air Force Base

Politics

United States presidential election results for Tom Green County, Texas
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 33,399 73.47% 11,585 25.48% 477 1.05%
2020 32,313 71.47% 12,239 27.07% 658 1.46%
2016 27,494 71.45% 9,173 23.84% 1,812 4.71%
2012 26,878 73.20% 9,294 25.31% 548 1.49%
2008 27,362 70.41% 11,158 28.71% 341 0.88%
2004 28,185 75.33% 9,007 24.07% 225 0.60%
2000 24,733 71.43% 9,288 26.82% 605 1.75%
1996 18,112 55.21% 11,782 35.91% 2,914 8.88%
1992 14,989 40.80% 11,437 31.13% 10,313 28.07%
1988 21,463 63.10% 12,283 36.11% 266 0.78%
1984 23,847 72.46% 8,981 27.29% 82 0.25%
1980 16,555 60.71% 9,892 36.27% 824 3.02%
1976 12,316 52.29% 11,064 46.97% 174 0.74%
1972 15,784 71.87% 6,082 27.69% 95 0.43%
1968 9,682 49.56% 6,774 34.67% 3,080 15.77%
1964 6,664 40.53% 9,767 59.40% 12 0.07%
1960 8,176 53.63% 7,031 46.12% 39 0.26%
1956 9,070 64.63% 4,923 35.08% 40 0.29%
1952 9,698 62.49% 5,797 37.35% 24 0.15%
1948 1,822 19.99% 6,777 74.34% 517 5.67%
1944 1,125 13.54% 6,272 75.51% 909 10.94%
1940 1,049 13.99% 6,433 85.81% 15 0.20%
1936 627 11.40% 4,803 87.34% 69 1.25%
1932 739 12.93% 4,957 86.75% 18 0.32%
1928 2,618 63.11% 1,528 36.84% 2 0.05%
1924 554 19.83% 2,116 75.73% 124 4.44%
1920 256 15.52% 1,264 76.61% 130 7.88%
1916 92 6.52% 1,243 88.16% 75 5.32%
1912 50 4.48% 906 81.18% 160 14.34%


United States Senate election results for Tom Green County, Texas1
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 31,686 70.15% 12,332 27.30% 1,152 2.55%

Tom Green County typically votes for the Republican Party in presidential elections. This means that more people in the county usually vote for the Republican candidate than for candidates from other parties.

Notable Person

  • August Pfluger is a politician and former military officer. He currently represents Texas's 11th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Tom Green para niños

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