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Washington County, Texas facts for kids

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Washington County
The Washington County Courthouse in Brenham
The Washington County Courthouse in Brenham
Map of Texas highlighting Washington 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 1837
Named for George Washington
Seat Brenham
Largest city Brenham
Area
 • Total 622 sq mi (1,610 km2)
 • Land 604 sq mi (1,560 km2)
 • Water 18 sq mi (50 km2)  2.9%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 35,805
 • Density 57.56/sq mi (22.226/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 10th
Brenham Heritage Museum
Brenham Heritage Museum

Washington County is a county in Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 35,805. Its county seat is Brenham, which is located along U.S. Highway 290, 72 miles northwest of Houston. The county was created in 1835 as a municipality of Mexico and organized as a county in 1837. It is named for George Washington, the first president of the United States.

Washington County comprises the Brenham, TX Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Houston-The Woodlands, TX Combined Statistical Area.

Washington-on-the-Brazos in the county is notable as the site of the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence during the Convention of 1836. Reflecting the county's history as a destination of mid-19th-century German immigrants who came after the 1848 German revolutions, in the 2000 US Census, more than one third of residents identified as being of German ancestry.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 622 square miles (1,610 km2), of which 604 square miles (1,560 km2) is land and 18 square miles (47 km2) (2.9%) is water.

Major highways

  • US 290.svg U.S. Highway 290
  • Texas 36.svg State Highway 36
  • Texas 105.svg State Highway 105

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1850 5,983
1860 15,215 154.3%
1870 23,104 51.9%
1880 27,565 19.3%
1890 29,161 5.8%
1900 32,931 12.9%
1910 25,561 −22.4%
1920 26,624 4.2%
1930 25,394 −4.6%
1940 25,387 0.0%
1950 20,542 −19.1%
1960 19,145 −6.8%
1970 18,842 −1.6%
1980 21,998 16.7%
1990 26,154 18.9%
2000 30,373 16.1%
2010 33,718 11.0%
2020 35,805 6.2%
U.S. Decennial Census
1850–2010 2010 2020
Washington County, Texas - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 22,394 22,023 66.42% 61.51%
Black or African American alone (NH) 5,861 5,555 17.38% 15.51%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 61 75 0.18% 0.21%
Asian alone (NH) 432 547 1.28% 1.53%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 7 14 0.02% 0.04%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 34 140 0.10% 0.39%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 288 1,026 0.85% 2.87%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4,641 6,425 13.76% 17.94%
Total 33,718 35,805 100.00% 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.

As of the census of 2000, there were 30,373 people, 11,322 households, and 7,936 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 people per square mile (19 people/km2). There were 13,241 housing units at an average density of 22 units per square mile (8.5 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 74.68% White, 18.66% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 1.21% Asian, 4.02% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. 8.71% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino of any race. 33.6% identified as of German, 6.1% American, 5.7% English, 5.3% Irish and 5.0% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000. 88.1% spoke English, 8.6% Spanish, and 1.2% German as their first language.

There were 11,322 households, out of which 31.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.80% were married couples living together, 11.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.90% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.70% under the age of 18, 11.10% from 18 to 24, 25.30% from 25 to 44, 22.10% from 45 to 64, and 16.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,760, and the median income for a family was $43,982. Males had a median income of $31,698 versus $21,346 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,384. About 9.80% of families and 12.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.80% of those under age 18 and 14.50% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Historic communities

As part of a San Jacinto Day speech in 1900, Hon. Harry Haynes said, "this grand old county, the birthplace and cradle of Texas liberty, is in a sense a vast town cemetery. Tiger Point, Union Hill, Long Point, Sandtown, Old Gay Hill, Mt. Vernon, Turkey Creek, Mt. Gilead, Rock Island, Jacksonville, Mustang, all by the inexorable decrees of new conditions and changes wrought in the course of human events have been blotted from the face of this beautiful earth."

  • Ayres
  • Cedar Creek – a mile north of Chappell Hill
  • Coles Settlement
  • Gay Hill
  • Goodwill
  • Graball
  • Mt. Vernon – 2nd county seat, 1841-1843
  • Muellersville
  • Rock Island
  • Tigertown
  • Winklemann – single owner tourist town
  • Yegua
  • Zionville

Education

School districts:

  • Brenham Independent School District
  • Burton Independent School District
  • Giddings Independent School District
  • Hallettsville Independent School District

Blinn College is the designated community college for all of the county.

See also

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

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