Editing Travis County, Texas

{{Short description|County in Texas, U.S.}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Travis County
 | state                = Texas
 | flag                 = Flag of Travis County, Texas.svg
 | seal                 = Travis-county-tx-seal.jpg
 | type                 = County
 | founded              = {{start date|1840}}
 | named for            = [[William B. Travis]]
 | seat wl              = Austin
 | largest city wl      = Austin
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 1023
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 990
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 33
 | area percentage      = 3.2
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 1290188 
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 1334961 {{gain}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | ex image             = Travis courthouse 2011.jpg
 | ex image size        = 250
 | ex image cap         = [[Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse]] in Austin
 | website              = {{official URL}}
 | time zone            = Central
 | district             = 10th
 | district2            = 17th
 | district3            = 21st
 | district4            = 35th
 | district5            = 37th
 | district6            = }}

'''Travis County''' is located in [[Central Texas]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 1,290,188. It is the [[List of counties in Texas|fifth-most populous county]] in [[Texas]]. Its [[county seat]] and most populous city is [[Austin, Texas|Austin]],<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=https://ce.naco.org/?county_info=48453|access-date=March 26, 2020|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> the state's capital. The county was established in 1840 and is named in honor of [[William Barret Travis]], the commander of the [[Republic of Texas]] forces at the [[Battle of the Alamo]]. Travis County is part of the Austin–[[Round Rock, Texas|Round Rock]]–[[Georgetown, Texas|Georgetown]] [[Greater Austin|Metropolitan Statistical Area]]. It is located along the [[Balcones Fault]], the boundary between the [[Edwards Plateau]] to the west and the [[Blackland Prairie]] to the east.

==History==

===Indigenous and Spanish periods===
{{Further|Spanish Texas}}
Evidence of habitation of the [[Balcones Escarpment]] region of Texas can be traced to at least 11,000 years ago. Two of the oldest [[Paleolithic]] archeological sites in Texas, the [[Levi Rock Shelter]] and [[Smith Rock Shelter]], are in southwest and southeast Travis County, respectively.<ref>{{cite journal |last1= Hester |first1= Thomas |year= 1986 |title= The Balcones Escarpment: Early Human Populations |journal= Geological Society of America |volume= 6 |issue= 2 |pages= 55–62 |publisher= Abbott, Patrick L. and Woodruff, C. M. |url= http://www.lib.utexas.edu/geo/balcones_escarpment/pages55-62.html |access-date= September 6, 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111012081825/http://www.lib.utexas.edu/geo/balcones_escarpment/pages55-62.html |archive-date= October 12, 2011 |url-status= dead }}</ref> Several hundred years before [[European ethnic groups|European]] settlers arrived, a variety of [[nomadic]] [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American tribes]] inhabited the area. These [[indigenous peoples]] fished and hunted along the creeks, including present-day [[Barton Springs]],<ref name="briefhistory">{{cite web|url=http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/library/ahc/briefhistory.htm|title=Austin Public Library|website=Austin Public Library|access-date=March 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808180745/http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/library/ahc/briefhistory.htm|archive-date=August 8, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> which proved to be a reliable campsite.<ref name="historycenter10">{{cite web|url=http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/library/ahc/faq10.htm|title=Austin Public Library|website=Austin Public Library|access-date=March 20, 2018}}</ref> At the time of the first permanent settlement of the area, the [[Tonkawa]] tribe was the most common, with the [[Comanche]]s and [[Lipan Apache people|Lipan Apaches]] also frequenting the area.<ref name="historycenter5">{{cite web|url=http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/library/ahc/faq5.htm|title=Austin Public Library|website=Austin Public Library|access-date=March 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011005100954/http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/library/ahc/faq5.htm|archive-date=October 5, 2001|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The region (along with all of modern Texas) was claimed by the [[Spanish Empire]] in the 1600s, but at the time no attempt was made to settle the area (or even to explore it fully).<ref>{{citation|last=Chipman|first=Donald E.|title=Spanish Texas, 1519–1821|publisher=University of Texas Press|location=Austin, Texas|year=1992|page=26|isbn=0-292-77659-4}}</ref> In 1691 [[Domingo Terán de los Ríos]] made an inspection tour through East Texas that likely took him through Travis Country. The first European settlers in the area were a group of Spanish [[friars]] who arrived from East Texas in July 1730. They established three temporary [[Mission (station)|missions]], [[Mission Concepcion|La Purísima Concepción]], [[San Francisco de los Neches]], and [[San José de los Nazonis]], on a site by the [[Colorado River (Texas)|Colorado River]] near [[Barton Springs]]. The friars found conditions undesirable and relocated to the [[San Antonio River]] within a year of their arrival.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.texasalmanac.com/topics/history/spanish-missions-texas |title= The Spanish Missions in Texas |work= Texas Almanac |publisher= [[Texas State Historical Association]] |access-date= September 10, 2011}}</ref>

===Mexican period===
{{Further|Mexican Texas}}
In 1821 [[Mexico]] won its independence from Spain, and the new government enacted [[General Colonization Law|laws encouraging colonists]] to settle the Texas frontier by granting them land and reduced taxation. Over the next decade, thousands of foreign immigrants (primarily from the United States) moved into Texas; in particular, American [[empresario]] [[Stephen F. Austin]] established one of his colonies near what is now [[Bastrop, Texas]] (in future Travis County) in 1827.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Myths, Misdeeds, and Misunderstandings: The Roots of Conflict in U.S.–Mexican Relations|editor-last=Rodriguez O.|editor-first=Jaime E.|editor2-last=Vincent|editor2-first=Kathryn|location=[[Wilmington, DE]]|year=1997|publisher=Scholarly Resources Inc.|isbn=0-8420-2662-2|contribution=The Colonization and Independence of Texas: A Tejano Perspective|last=de la Teja|first=Jesus F.|page=88}}</ref> Josiah and Mathias Wilbarger, Reuben Hornsby, Jacob M. Harrell, and John F. Webber were early settlers who moved into the area in the early 1830s.

===Republican period===
{{Further|Republic of Texas}}
In 1836 Texas [[Texas Declaration of Independence|declared]] and [[Texas Revolution|won]] its independence from Mexico, forming a new Republic of Texas. After Texas Vice President [[Mirabeau B. Lamar]] visited [[central Texas]] during a [[American bison|buffalo]]-hunting expedition between 1837 and 1838, he proposed that the republic's capital (then located in [[Houston]]) be relocated to a site on the north bank of the [[Colorado River (Texas)|Colorado River]]. In 1839 the site was officially chosen as the republic's new capital and given the name [[Waterloo, Texas|Waterloo]]; shortly thereafter the city's name was changed to [[Austin, Texas|Austin]] in honor of [[Stephen F. Austin]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/library/ahc/faq2.htm|title=Austin Public Library|website=Austin Public Library|access-date=March 20, 2018}}</ref> A new county was also established the following year, of which Austin would be the seat; the county was named '''Travis County''', after [[William B. Travis]]. Though the Republic's capital moved briefly back to Houston during the events surrounding the [[Texas Archive War]], by 1845 Austin was again the capital, and it became the capital of the new State of Texas when Texas was [[Annexation of Texas|annexed]] by the United States later that year.

===Civil War and beyond===
{{Further|History of Austin, Texas}}
In 1861 Travis County was one of the few Texas counties to vote against [[Texas in the American Civil War|secession]] from the Union. Since the majority of the state did favor secession, Travis County then became a part of the [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]] for the duration of the [[American Civil War|Civil War]]. After the Confederacy's defeat, Texas was fully readmitted to the Union in 1870.

From the end of the Civil War to the early twenty-first century, Travis County has experienced steady, rapid population growth (averaging more than a 36% increase every decade from 1870 to 2010), driven largely by the growth of Austin and its suburbs; it is now the fifth most populous county in Texas, after [[Harris County, Texas|Harris]] (Houston), [[Dallas County, Texas|Dallas]], [[Tarrant County, Texas|Tarrant]] ([[Fort Worth, Texas|Fort Worth]]) and [[Bexar County, Texas|Bexar]] ([[San Antonio]]) counties.

==Geography==
[[File:TravisCountyJusticeCenterTX.JPG|thumb|right|Travis County Justice Complex]]

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1023|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|990|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|33|sqmi}} (3.2% of the territory) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 11, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> Travis County is located in the southern part of [[central Texas]], between [[San Antonio]] and [[Dallas–Fort Worth]]. The county's [[geographical center]] lies two miles northwest of downtown Austin at 30°18' north latitude and 97°45' west longitude.<ref name="handbook">{{Cite web|first=Vivian Elizabeth|last=Smyrl|title=TRAVIS COUNTY|website=[[Handbook of Texas Online]]|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hct08|access-date=April 18, 2015|date=June 15, 2010|publisher=[[Texas State Historical Association]]}}</ref>

Travis County straddles the [[Balcones Fault]], the boundary between the [[Edwards Plateau]] to the west and the Texas Coastal Plain to the east. The western part of the county is characterized by the [[Karst|karst topography]] of the [[Texas Hill Country]], while the eastern part exhibits the fertile plains and farmlands of the [[Blackland Prairie]]. The [[Colorado River (Texas)|Colorado River]] meanders through the county from west to east, forming a series of man-made lakes ([[Lake Travis]], [[Lake Austin]], and [[Lady Bird Lake]]).

===Springs===

{{Main|Springs of Travis County, Texas}}
The [[limestone]] karst geology of the western and southwestern parts of Travis County gives rise to numerous [[cavern]]s and [[Spring (hydrology)|springs]], some of which have provided shelter and water for humans in the region for thousands of years. Notable springs in the county include [[Barton Springs]], [[Deep Eddy]] and [[Hamilton Pool]].

===Major highways===
Travis County is crossed by [[Interstate 35 (Texas)|Interstate Highway 35]], US Highways [[U.S. Route 183 in Texas|183]] and [[U.S. Highway 290 (Texas)|290]], and [[Texas State Highway 71|Texas Highway 71]]. IH-35 leads northward to [[Waco, Texas|Waco]] and [[Dallas–Fort Worth]] and southward to [[San Antonio]]. US-183 leads northward through [[Cedar Park, Texas|Cedar Park]] to [[Lampasas, Texas|Lampasas]] and southward to [[Lockhart, Texas|Lockhart]]. US-290 leads westward to [[Fredericksburg, Texas|Fredericksburg]] and eastward to [[Houston]]. TX-71 leads westward to [[Marble Falls, Texas|Marble Falls]] and eastward to [[Bastrop, Texas|Bastrop]].

Other major highways within the county include [[Texas State Highway Loop 1|Texas Highway Loop 1]] (the "Mopac Expressway"), which runs from north to south through the center of the county, and [[Texas State Highway 45|Texas Highway 45]], which forms parts of an incomplete [[Ring road|highway loop]] around Austin. [[Texas State Highway 130|Texas Highway 130]] (constructed as an alternative to IH-35 for long-distance traffic wishing to avoid Austin and San Antonio) also runs from north to south through the sparsely populated eastern part of the county.

=== Railroads ===
[[Amtrak]]'s [[Austin (Amtrak station)|Austin station]] is located in downtown [[Austin, Texas|Austin]] and is served by the ''[[Texas Eagle]]'' which runs daily between [[Chicago]] and [[San Antonio]], continuing on to [[Los Angeles]] several times a week.

Travis County is served by the [[Union Pacific Railroad|Union Pacific]] Railroad and the [[Austin Western Railroad]].

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Williamson County, Texas|Williamson County]] (north)
* [[Bastrop County, Texas|Bastrop County]] (southeast)
* [[Caldwell County, Texas|Caldwell County]] (south)
* [[Hays County, Texas|Hays County]] (southwest)
* [[Blanco County, Texas|Blanco County]] (west)
* [[Burnet County, Texas|Burnet County]] (northwest)

===Protected areas===
* [[Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge]] (part)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1850 = 3138
| 1860 = 8080
| 1870 = 13153
| 1880 = 27028
| 1890 = 36322
| 1900 = 47386
| 1910 = 55620
| 1920 = 57616
| 1930 = 77777
| 1940 = 111053
| 1950 = 160980
| 1960 = 212136
| 1970 = 295516
| 1980 = 419573
| 1990 = 576407
| 2000 = 812280
| 2010 = 1024266
| 2020 = 1290218
| estyear = 2023
| estimate = 1334961
| estref = <ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2023/counties/totals/co-est2023-pop.xlsx| title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher= United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 14, 2024}}</ref>
| align-fn = center
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decade|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=}}</ref><br />1850–2010<ref>{{cite web|url=http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010|publisher=Texas Almanac|access-date=May 11, 2015}}</ref> 2010–2020<ref name="QF"/><ref>{{Cite web|title=Travis County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US48453|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 30, 2022}}</ref>
}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Travis County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''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.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 1990<ref>{{Cite web |title=Texas: 1990, Part 1 |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cp-1/cp-1-45-1.pdf |access-date=July 15, 2024}}</ref>
!Pop 2000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Texas: 2000 |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2002/dec/phc-1-45.pdf |access-date=July 15, 2024}}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Travis County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48453&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Travis County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48453&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 1990
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|375,279
|457,817
|517,644
|style='background: #ffffe6; |612,824
|65.11%
|56.36%
|50.54%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |47.50%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|60,998
|73,242
|82,805
|style='background: #ffffe6; |96,270
|10.58%
|9.02%
|8.08%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7.46%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|1,562
|2,261
|2,611
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,762
|0.27%
|0.28%
|0.25%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.21%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|15,883
|35,842
|58,404
|style='background: #ffffe6; |99,660
|2.76%
|4.41%
|5.70%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7.72%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|N/A
|390
|540
|style='background: #ffffe6; |774
|N/A
|0.05%
|0.05%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.06%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|996
|1,429
|1,813
|style='background: #ffffe6; |6,513
|0.17%
|0.18%
|0.18%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.50%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|N/A
|12,251
|17,683
|style='background: #ffffe6; |50,275
|N/A
|1.51%
|1.73%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.90%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|121,689
|229,048
|342,766
|style='background: #ffffe6; |421,110
|21.11%
|28.20%
|33.46%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |32.64%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''576,407'''
|'''812,280'''
|'''1,024,266'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''1,290,188'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

[[File:Ethnic Origins in Travis County, TX.png|thumb|270x270px|Ethnic origins in Travis County]]
According to the [[census]] of 2010, there were 1,024,266 people, 320,766 households, and 183,798 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1034|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|persons&nbsp;|persons|}}. There were 335,881 housing units at an average density of {{convert|340|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 68.21% White, 9.26% Black or African American, 0.58% Native American, 4.47% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 14.56% other races, and 2.85% from two or more races. 28.20% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. English is the sole language spoken at home by 71.42% of the population age 5 or over, while 22.35% speak [[Spanish language|Spanish]], and a [[Chinese language]] (including [[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]], [[Taiwanese Minnan|Taiwanese]], and [[Yue Chinese|Cantonese]]) is spoken by 1.05%. As of the 2010 census, there were about 11.1 [[Same-sex relationship|same-sex couples]] per 1,000 households in the county.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mla.org/map_data_results&state_id=48&county_id=453&mode=geographic&order=r |title=Language Map Data Center |publisher=Mla.org |date=April 3, 2013 |access-date=July 10, 2013}}</ref>

According to the [[census]] of 2000, there were 812,280 people, of which 29.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.60% were married couples living together, 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.70% were non-families. 30.10% of all households were composed of individuals, and 4.40% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.15. 12.0% were of [[germans|German]], 7.7% [[English people|English]], 6.6% [[Irish people|Irish]] and 5.5% [[United States|American]] ancestry according to [[Census 2000]]<ref name=newyorktimes>{{citation |title=Where Same-Sex Couples Live|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 26, 2015|access-date=July 6, 2015|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/27/upshot/supreme-court-gay-marriage-ruling-where-same-sex-couples-live.html?_r=0&abt=0002&abg=0|last1=Leonhardt|first1=David|last2=Quealy|first2=Kevin}}</ref>

The population's age distribution was 23.80% under the age of 18, 14.70% from 18 to 24, 36.50% from 25 to 44, 18.20% from 45 to 64, and 6.70% age 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.50 males.

==Government and Politics==
[[File:TravisCounty.JPG|thumb|left|Ned Granger Administration Building in Austin]]
Like other Texas counties, Travis County is governed by a [[Commissioners' Court]] composed of the [[county judge]] and four county commissioners. The court levies county taxes and sets the budgets for county officials and agencies. The judge and commissioners are elected for four-year terms (the judge at-large, and the commissioners from geographic precincts). The other major county-wide official is the [[county clerk]], who maintains the county's records, administers [[election]]s, and oversees legal documentation (such as property [[deed]]s, [[marriage license]]s and [[Doing business as|assumed name certificates]]). The clerk is also elected at-large for a four-year term.

The [[Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse]] is located in [[downtown Austin]]. The county courthouse holds civil and criminal [[trial court]]s and other functions of county government. {{As of|2017}}, the county's [[probate court]]s are in the process of being moved from the county courthouse into Austin's [[United States Courthouse (Austin, Texas, 1936)|1936 United States Courthouse]], which was acquired by the county in 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Travis County gets old federal courthouse for probate court expansion|newspaper=[[Austin American-Statesman]]|date=December 29, 2016|first=Taylor|last=Goldenstein|url=http://www.mystatesman.com/news/travis-county-gets-old-federal-courthouse-for-probate-court-expansion/ahrQn7uVi38GIZN9zRStYN/|access-date=December 4, 2017}}</ref>
{{Clear}}

===Corrections===
The Travis County Jail and the Travis County Criminal Justice Center are located in Downtown Austin.<ref>"[http://www.tcsheriff.org/tcj.htm Travis County Jail (TCJ)]." ''Travis County Sheriff's Office''. Accessed September 14, 2008.</ref><ref>"[http://www.tcsheriff.org/cjc.htm Criminal Justice Center (CJC)]." ''Travis County Sheriff's Office''. Accessed September 14, 2008.</ref> The Travis County Correctional Complex is located in an unincorporated area in Travis County, next to [[Austin-Bergstrom International Airport]].<ref>"[http://www.tcsheriff.org/tccc.htm Travis County Correctional Complex (TCCC)]." ''Travis County Sheriff's Office''. Accessed September 14, 2008.</ref>

The [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]] operates the Travis County State Jail, a state jail for men, in eastern [[Austin, Texas|Austin]].<ref>"[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/ti.htm Travis County (TI)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821230026/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/ti.htm |date=2008-08-21 }}." ''[[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]]''. Accessed September 14, 2008.</ref>

=== Politics ===
Travis County is one of the most consistently Democratic counties in Texas, having voted for the Democratic presidential nominee all but five times since 1932. The only exceptions have been the Republican landslide years of 1952, 1956, 1972 and 1984, when [[Dwight Eisenhower]], [[Richard Nixon]] and [[Ronald Reagan]] each won over 400 electoral votes, and 2000, when the Republican nominee was incumbent Texas Governor [[George W. Bush]]. In 2005 Travis County was the only county in Texas to vote against the [[Texas Proposition 2 (2005)|Proposition 2]] state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, with slightly under 60% of voters being against it.<ref>{{cite web |author=Burka, Paul |date=January 2006 |title=The M Word |url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-m-word/ |access-date=April 7, 2020 |work=[[Texas Monthly]] |quote=Of course, I live in Travis County, the only county to vote down Prop 2. [...] Travis voted just a tick short of 60 percent against it.}}</ref> 

In 2020, Travis County backed Democrat [[Joe Biden]] with nearly 72% of the vote, his strongest showing in the state and the best showing for any presidential candidate in the county since 1948. While [[Kamala Harris]] in 2024 lost some ground since [[2020 United States presidential election in Texas|2020]], her performance of 68% made Travis County the most Democratic of all Texas counties in that election. This was partly due to the Republican shift in all majority-Hispanic counties in south and west Texas, many of which held this record in the past.<ref>https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/</ref>

The county's Democratic bent is not limited to the presidential level, as all of the county-level officials are Democrats. The county is home to [[University of Texas at Austin|UT Austin]], with Democrats generally doing very well in counties with universities.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Archived copy |url=https://countyclerk.traviscountytx.gov/images/pdfs/pdf_tc_elections_2019-20_Elected_OfficialsU.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729011230/https://countyclerk.traviscountytx.gov/images/pdfs/pdf_tc_elections_2019-20_Elected_OfficialsU.pdf |archive-date=July 29, 2021 |access-date=February 11, 2021}}</ref> In addition, the majority of the county is represented by Democrats in the [[United States Congress|US Congress]], [[Texas Senate]], and [[Texas House of Representatives|Texas House]].

=== United States Congress ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan="2" |Representatives
!Name<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Elected Democrats |url=https://www.traviscountydemocrats.org/elected-democrats |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=Travis County Democratic Party |language=en-US}}</ref>
!Party
!First elected
!
!Area(s) of Travis County represented
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Texas's 10th congressional district|District 10]]
|'''[[Michael McCaul]]'''
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|2004
|10th
|[[Avery Ranch, Austin, Texas|Avery Ranch]], [[Elgin, Texas|Elgin]], [[Lago Vista, Texas|Lago Vista]], [[Lakeway, Texas|Lakeway]], [[Pflugerville, Texas|Pflugerville]], [[West Lake Hills, Texas|West Lake Hills]]
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Texas's 17th congressional district|District 17]]
|'''[[Pete Sessions]]'''
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|2020
|3rd*
|[[Pflugerville, Texas|Pflugerville]]
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Texas's 21st congressional district|District 21]]
|'''[[Chip Roy]]'''
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|2018
|4th
|Barton Creek, Oak Hill
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Texas's 35th congressional district|District 35]]
|'''[[Greg Casar]]'''
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|2022
|2nd
|East [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Del Valle, Texas|Del Valle]], [[Manor, Texas|Manor]], 
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Texas's 37th congressional district|District 37]]
|'''[[Lloyd Doggett]]'''
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|1994
|15th
|West [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Rollingwood, Texas|Rollingwood]], [[Sunset Valley, Texas|Sunset Valley]], [[West Lake Hills, Texas|West Lake Hills]]
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pete Sessions previously represented the Dallas-based [[Texas's 32nd congressional district|32nd District]]. He was defeated by [[Colin Allred]] in the [[2018 United States House of Representatives elections|2018 midterm elections.]] In 2020, he won the Central-Texas-based 17th District seat to replace outgoing Congressman [[Bill Flores]].

=== Texas Senate ===
State Senators serve four year terms with no term limits.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan="2" |Representatives
!Name<ref name=":0" />
!Party
!First elected
!Area(s) of Travis County represented
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Texas Senate, District 14|District 14]]
|'''[[Sarah Eckhardt]]'''
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|2020
|[[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Elgin, Texas|Elgin]], [[Manor, Texas|Manor]], [[Pflugerville, Texas|Pflugerville]], [[Rollingwood, Texas|Rollingwood]] [[West Lake Hills, Texas|West Lake Hills]]
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Texas Senate, District 21|District 21]]
|'''[[Judith Zaffirini]]'''
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|1987
|East [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Del Valle, Texas|Del Valle]]
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Texas Senate, District 25|District 25]]
|'''[[Donna Campbell]]'''
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|2013
|[[Bee Cave, Texas|Bee Cave]], [[Lago Vista, Texas|Lago Vista]], [[Lakeway, Texas|Lakeway]]
|}

=== Texas House of Representatives ===
State Representatives serve two year terms with no term limits.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan="2" |Representatives
!Name<ref name=":0" />
!Party
!First elected
!Area(s) of Travis County represented
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Texas's 19th House of Representatives district|District 19]]
|'''[[Ellen Troxclair]]'''
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|2022
|[[Lago Vista, Texas|Lago Vista]]
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Texas's 46th House of Representatives district|District 46]]
|'''[[Sheryl Cole]]'''
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|2018
|East [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Elgin, Texas|Elgin]], [[Huston–Tillotson University|Huston-Tillotson University]], [[Manor, Texas|Manor]]
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Texas's 47th House of Representatives district|District 47]]
|'''[[Vikki Goodwin]]'''
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|2018
|West [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Bee Cave, Texas|Bee Cave]], [[Lakeway, Texas|Lakeway]]
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Texas's 48th House of Representatives district|District 48]]
|'''[[Donna Howard]]'''
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|2006
|West [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], South [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Rollingwood, Texas|Rollingwood]], [[West Lake Hills, Texas|West Lake Hills]]
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Texas's 49th House of Representatives district|District 49]]
|'''[[Gina Hinojosa]]'''
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|2016
|Central [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[University of Texas at Austin|The University of Texas]]
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Texas's 50th House of Representatives district|District 50]]
|'''[[James Talarico]]'''
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|2018
|Northeast [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Pflugerville, Texas|Pflugerville]]
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Texas's 51st House of Representatives district|District 51]]
|'''[[Lulu Flores]]'''
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|2022
|Southeast [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Del Valle, Texas|Del Valle]], [[St. Edward's University|St Edwards University]]
|}

=== [[Judiciary of Texas|3rd Court of Appeals]] ===
In addition to Travis, the 3rd Court of Appeals hears cases from 23 other counties across Central Texas: [[Bastrop County, Texas|Bastrop]], [[Bell County, Texas|Bell]], [[Blanco County, Texas|Blanco]], [[Burnet County, Texas|Burnet]], [[Caldwell County, Texas|Caldwell]], [[Coke County, Texas|Coke]], [[Comal County, Texas|Comal]], [[Concho County, Texas|Concho]], [[Fayette County, Texas|Fayette]], [[Hays County, Texas|Hays]], [[Irion County, Texas|Irion]], [[Lampasas County, Texas|Lampasas]], [[Lee County, Texas|Lee]], [[Llano County, Texas|Llano]], [[McCulloch County, Texas|McColluch]], [[Milam County, Texas|Milam]], [[Mills County, Texas|Mills]], [[Runnels County, Texas|Runnels]], [[San Saba County, Texas|San Saba]], [[Schleicher County, Texas|Schleicher]], [[Sterling County, Texas|Sterling]], [[Tom Green County, Texas|Tom Green]], and [[Williamson County, Texas|Williamson]].

All 24 counties in the district vote for justices. Justices serve six year terms in at-large seats with no term limits, besides a mandatory retirement age of 75 years old.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Texas Proposition 13, Increase Mandatory Retirement Age for State Judges Amendment (2023) |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Texas_Proposition_13,_Increase_Mandatory_Retirement_Age_for_State_Judges_Amendment_(2023) |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}</ref>

Following the 2018 midterm elections, Democrats flipped the majority on the 3rd Court of Appeals.

Since 2022, all elected 3rd Court of Appeals judges are members of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party.]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Texas Third District Court of Appeals |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Texas_Third_District_Court_of_Appeals |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Place
!Name<ref name=":0" />
!Last Election
!Elected
!Term Up
|-
|1
|'''Darlene Byrne (Chief Justice)'''
|52.2% D
|2020
|2026
|-
|2
|'''Maggie Ellis'''
|50.9% D
|2024
|2030
|-
|3
|'''Chari L. Kelly'''
|''Uncontested''
|2018
|2030
|-
|4
|'''Rosa Lopez Theofanis'''
|52.6% D
|2022
|2028
|-
|5
|'''Karin Crump'''
|''Uncontested''
|2024
|2030
|-
|6
|'''Gisela D. Triana'''
|''Uncontested''
|2018
|2030
|}

=== [[Judiciary of Texas|State District Courts]] ===
Judges serve a 4-year term, with no [[Term limits in the United States|term limits]].

As of January 2025, all elected Travis County State District Court judges are members of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!District
!Name<ref name=":0" />
!Area of Focus
!Term
!Elected
!Term Up
|-
|53rd
|'''Maria Cantú Hexsel'''
|[[Civil courts|Civil & Family]]
|2nd
|2020
|2028
|-
|98th
|'''Sandra Avila Ramirez'''
|Civil & Family
|1st
|2024
|2028
|-
|126th
|'''Aurora Martinez Jones'''
|Civil & Family
|2nd
|2020
|2028
|-
|147th
|'''Cliff Brown'''
|[[Criminal courts|Criminal]]
|4th
|2010
|2026
|-
|167th
|'''Dayna Blazey'''
|Criminal
|2nd
|2020
|2028
|-
|200th
|'''Jessica Mangrum'''
|Civil & Family
|2nd
|2020
|2028
|-
|201st
|'''Amy Clark Meachum'''
|Civil & Family
|4th
|2010
|2026
|-
|250th
|'''Karin Crump'''
|Civil & Family
|3rd
|2014
|2026
|-
|261st
|'''Daniella DeSeta Lyttle'''
|Civil & Family
|1st
|2022
|2026
|-
|299th
|'''Karen Sage'''
|Criminal
|4th
|2010
|2026
|-
|331st
|'''Chantal Eldridge'''
|Criminal
|2nd
|2018
|2026
|-
|345th
|'''Jan Soifer'''
|Civil & Family
|3rd
|2016
|2028
|-
|353rd
|'''Sherine Thomas'''
|Civil & Family
|1st
|2024
|2028
|-
|390th
|'''Julie Kocurek'''
|Criminal
|7th
|1999
|2028
|-
|403rd
|'''Brandy Mueller'''
|Criminal
|1st
|2022
|2026
|-
|419th
|'''Catherine Mauzy'''
|Civil & Family
|2nd
|2018
|2026
|-
|427th
|'''Tamara Needles'''
|Criminal
|3rd
|2016
|2028
|-
|450th
|'''Brad Urrutia'''
|Criminal
|2nd
|2016
|2028
|-
|455th
|'''Laurie Eiserloh'''
|Civil & Family
|1st
|2022
|2026
|-
|459th
|'''Maya Guerra Gamble'''
|Civil & Family
|2nd
|2018
|2026
|-
|460th
|'''Selena Alvarenga'''
|Criminal
|2nd
|2020
|2028
|}
<nowiki></nowiki> {{PresHead|place=Travis County, Texas|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 20, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|170,787|398,981|14,207|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|161,337|435,860|13,152|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|127,209|308,260|33,251|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|140,152|232,788|14,117|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|136,981|254,017|8,890|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|147,885|197,235|6,993|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|141,235|125,526|34,502|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|98,454|128,970|18,877|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|88,105|130,546|57,584|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|105,915|127,783|2,386|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|124,944|94,124|745|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|73,151|75,028|11,914|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|71,031|78,585|2,597|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|70,561|54,157|611|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|34,309|39,667|8,544|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|19,838|44,058|62|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|22,107|27,022|135|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|23,551|19,982|98|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|20,850|19,155|46|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|5,994|19,598|1,615|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|2,324|14,384|2,522|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|3,128|17,300|75|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,154|12,092|179|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,532|11,718|126|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|4,847|4,487|17|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|1,909|7,573|345|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|1,204|3,541|1,160|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|690|3,682|89|Texas}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|468|2,741|677|Texas}}

=== County government ===
As of January 2025, all county elected officials are members of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!District
!'''Position'''<ref name=":0" />
! style="text-align:center; vertical-align:bottom;" | Name<ref name=":0" />
!Term
!Elected
!Term Up
|-
|At-Large
| [[Government of Texas|County Judge]]
| [[Andy Brown (politician)|'''Andy Brown''']]
|2nd
|2020
|2026
|-
|Precinct 1
| [[County commission|Commissioner]]
| '''Jeff Travillion'''
|3rd
|2016
|2028
|-
|Precinct 2
| Commissioner
| '''Brigid Shea'''
|3rd
|2016
|2026
|-
|Precinct 3
| Commissioner
| '''Ann Howard'''
|2nd
|2020
|2028
|-
|Precinct 4
| Commissioner
| '''Margaret Gómez'''
|8th
|1994
|2026
|-
|At-Large
|[[District attorney|District Attorney]]
|'''[[José Garza]]'''
|2nd
|2020
|2028
|-
|At-Large
| [[County Attorney]]
| '''Delia Garza'''
|2nd
|2020
|2028
|-
|At-Large
|[[Municipal clerk|District Clerk]]
|'''Velva Price'''
|3rd
|2014<ref>{{Cite web |title=Velva Price |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Velva_Price |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}</ref>
|2026
|-
|At-Large
|[[County Clerk]]
|'''Dyana Limon-Mercado'''
|1st
|2022
|2026
|-
|At-Large
|Treasurer
|'''Dolores Ortega Carter'''
|10th
|1986
|2026
|-
|At-Large
|[[County sheriff|Sheriff]]
|'''Sally Hernandez'''
|3rd
|2016
|2030
|-
|At-Large
|Tax Assessor-Collector
|'''[[Celia Israel]]'''
|1st
|2024
|2028
|-
|Precinct 1
|[[Constables in the United States|Constable]]
|'''Tonya Nixon'''
|2nd
|2020
|2028
|-
|Precinct 2
|Constable
|'''Adan Ballesteros'''
|5th
|2008
|2028
|-
|Precinct 3
|Constable
|'''Stacy Suits'''
|3rd
|2016
|2028
|-
|Precinct 4
|Constable
|'''George Morales III'''
|3rd
|2016
|2028
|-
|Precinct 5
|Constable
|'''Carlos B. Lopez'''
|4th
|2012
|2028
|-
|Precinct 1
|[[Justice of the peace court|Justice of the Peace]]
|'''Yvonne Michelle Williams'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yvonne Williams (Texas) |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Yvonne_Williams_(Texas) |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}</ref>
|4th
|2010
|2026
|-
|Precinct 2
|Justice of the Peace
|'''Randall Slagle'''
|3rd
|2014
|2026
|-
|Precinct 3
|Justice of the Peace
|'''Sylvia Holmes'''
|2nd
|2018
|2026
|-
|Precinct 4
|Justice of the Peace
|'''Raúl Arturo Gonzalez'''
|5th
|2006
|2026
|-
|Precinct 5
|Justice of the Peace
|'''Tanisa Jeffers'''
|1st
|2024
|2026
|-
|At-Large
|County Court At Law #1
|'''Todd Wong'''
|3rd
|2014
|2026
|-
|At-Large
|County Court At Law #2
|'''Eric Sheppard'''
|3rd
|2014
|2026
|-
|At-Large
|County Court At Law #3
|'''Bianca Garcia'''
|1st
|2022
|2026
|-
|At-Large
|County Court At Law #4
|'''Dimple Malhotra'''
|2nd
|2019*
|2026
|-
|At-Large
|County Court At Law #5
|'''Mary Ann Espiritu'''
|1st
|2022
|2026
|-
|At-Large
|County Court At Law #6
|'''Denise Hernandez'''
|1st
|2022
|2026
|-
|At-Large
|County Court At Law #7
|'''Elisabeth A. Earle'''
|6th
|2002
|2026
|-
|At-Large
|County Court At Law #8
|'''Carlos H. Barrera'''
|5th
|2008
|2028
|-
|At-Large
|County Court At Law #9
|'''Kim Williams'''
|3rd
|2016
|2028
|-
|At-Large
|Probate Court**
|'''Guy Herman'''
|1st
|2023*
|2026
|-
|At-Large
|Probate Court**
|'''Nicholas Chu'''
|2nd
|2023*
|2028
|-
|At-Large
|Central Appraisal District, Place 1***
|'''Jett Hanna'''
|1st
|2024
|2028
|-
|At-Large
|Central Appraisal District, Place 2***
|'''Daniel Wang'''
|1st
|2024
|2028
|-
|At-Large
|Central Appraisal District, Place 3***
|'''Dick Lavine'''
|1st
|2024
|2028
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>won a special election to complete an unexpired term

<nowiki>**</nowiki>court created in 2023

<nowiki>***</nowiki>office created in 2023, vacancies filled in special elections in May 2024

=== [[Austin Community College District|Austin Community College]], Board of Trustees ===
The board governing the [[Austin Community College District|Austin Community College district]], which Travis County is a part of alongside [[Hays County, Texas|Hays]], [[Caldwell County, Texas|Caldwell]], and [[Blanco County, Texas|Blanco]] counties, as well as portions of [[Williamson County, Texas|Williamson]], [[Bastrop County, Texas|Bastrop]], [[Guadalupe County, Texas|Guadalupe]], [[Lee County, Texas|Lee]], and [[Fayette County, Texas|Fayette]] counties. Members are elected in nonpartisan elections and serve six year terms.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Place
!Name<ref name=":0" />
!Term
!Elected
!Term Up
|-
|1
|'''Dana Walker'''
|1st
|2020*
|2026
|-
|2
|'''Gigi Edwards Bryant'''
|2nd
|2014
|2026
|-
|3
|'''Nan McRaven'''
|4th
|2002
|2026
|-
|4
|'''Sean Hassan'''
|2nd
|2016
|2028
|-
|5
|'''Manny Gonzalez'''
|2nd
|2022
|2028
|-
|6
|'''Steve Jackobs'''
|1st
|2022
|2028
|-
|7
|'''Sherri Taylor'''
|1st
|2024
|2030
|-
|8
|'''Stephanie Gharakhanian'''
|2nd
|2018
|2030
|-
|9
|[[List of Democratic Socialists of America public officeholders|'''Julie Ann Nitsch''']]
|2nd
|2016*
|2030
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>won a special election to complete an unexpired term

== Economy ==
[[Image:TravisCountyComplex.JPG|thumb|A county complex at 1010 Lavaca Street]]
As of 2017, Travis County had a [[median household income]] of $68,350 per year, and a [[per capita income]] of $38,820 per year. 13.9% of the population lived below the [[poverty level]].<ref name="QF">{{cite web|date=July 1, 2018|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|access-date=June 8, 2019|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> The county's largest employers are governments (the State of Texas, the US Federal Government, Travis County and the City of Austin) and public education bodies. Other major employers are concentrated in industries relating to [[Semiconductor device|semiconductors]], [[software engineering]] and [[healthcare]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Major Employers|website=[[Austin Chamber of Commerce]]|url=http://www.austinchamber.com/site-selection/greater-austin-profile/employers.php|access-date=April 20, 2015}}</ref>

==Education==

===K-12 education===
Travis County is served by a number of public school districts; the largest is [[Austin Independent School District]], serving most of Austin. Other districts wholly or mainly located in Travis County include [[Eanes Independent School District|Eanes ISD]], [[Lake Travis Independent School District|Lake Travis ISD]], [[Lago Vista Independent School District|Lago Vista ISD]], [[Leander Independent School District|Leander ISD]], [[Del Valle Independent School District|Del Valle ISD]], [[Manor Independent School District|Manor ISD]], and [[Pflugerville Independent School District|Pflugerville ISD]]. Parts of [[Elgin Independent School District|Elgin ISD]], [[Coupland Independent School District|Coupland ISD]], [[Hutto Independent School District|Hutto ISD]], [[Round Rock Independent School District|Round Rock ISD]], [[Marble Falls Independent School District|Marble Falls ISD]], [[Johnson City Independent School District|Johnson City ISD]], [[Dripping Springs Independent School District|Dripping Springs ISD]] and [[Hays Consolidated Independent School District|Hays Consolidated ISD]] also cross into Travis County.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48453_travis/DC20SD_C48453.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48453_travis/DC20SD_C48453.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Travis County, TX|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=June 29, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48453_travis/DC20SD_C48453_SD2MS.txt List]</ref>

State-operated schools include:
* [[Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired]]
* [[Texas School for the Deaf]]
[[Texas Blind, Deaf, and Orphan School]] was formerly in operation for black students pre-desegregation.

===Colleges and universities===
The largest university in Travis County is the [[University of Texas at Austin]]. Other universities include [[St. Edward's University]], [[Huston–Tillotson University]], and [[Concordia University Texas]].

Under Texas law [[Austin Community College District]] (ACC) is the designated [[community college]] for most of the county. However, areas in Marble Falls ISD are zoned to [[Central Texas College District]].<ref>[https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.166. AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. Sec. 130.171. CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.].</ref>

==Healthcare==
[[Central Health (Texas)|Central Health]], a [[hospital district]], was established in 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.centralhealth.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Central-Health-Financial-Statements_9-30-2017.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.centralhealth.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Central-Health-Financial-Statements_9-30-2017.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTHCARE DISTRICT dba CENTRAL HEALTH Financial Statements as of and for the Year Ended September 30, 2017 and Independent Auditors' Report|publisher=[[Maxwell Locke and Richter]]|page=4 (PDF p. 6/36)}}</ref> [[Brackenridge Hospital]] was originally built as the City-County Hospital in 1884 but Travis County ended its share of the ownership in 1907.<ref name=Handbook>{{cite web|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/brackenridge-hospital|title=Brackenridge Hospital|publisher=[[Handbook of Texas]]|accessdate=October 18, 2021}}</ref> In 2017 Brackenridge was replaced by the [[Dell Seton Medical Center]].<ref name=133years>{{cite web|url=https://www.statesman.com/NEWS/20170519/Austin-bids-farewell-to-Brackenridge-Hospital-after-133-years|title=Austin bids farewell to Brackenridge Hospital after 133 years|newspaper=[[Austin American-Statesman]]|date=May 19, 2017|accessdate=October 18, 2021|first1=Michael|last1=Barnes}}</ref>

==Communities==
===Cities (multiple counties)===
* [[Austin, Texas|Austin]] (county seat) (small parts in [[Hays County, Texas|Hays]] and [[Williamson County, Texas|Williamson]] counties)
* [[Cedar Park, Texas|Cedar Park]] (mostly in [[Williamson County, Texas|Williamson County]])
* [[Elgin, Texas|Elgin]] (mostly in [[Bastrop County, Texas|Bastrop County]])
* [[Leander, Texas|Leander]] (mostly in [[Williamson County, Texas|Williamson County]])
* [[Mustang Ridge, Texas|Mustang Ridge]] (small parts in [[Caldwell County, Texas|Caldwell]] and [[Bastrop County, Texas|Bastrop]] counties)
* [[Pflugerville, Texas|Pflugerville]] (small part in [[Williamson County, Texas|Williamson County]])
* [[Round Rock, Texas|Round Rock]] (mostly in [[Williamson County, Texas|Williamson County]])

===Cities===
{{div col}}
* [[Bee Cave, Texas|Bee Cave]]
* [[Creedmoor, Texas|Creedmoor]]
* [[Jonestown, Texas|Jonestown]]
* [[Lago Vista, Texas|Lago Vista]]
* [[Lakeway, Texas|Lakeway]]
* [[Manor, Texas|Manor]]
* [[Rollingwood, Texas|Rollingwood]]
* [[Sunset Valley, Texas|Sunset Valley]]
* [[West Lake Hills, Texas|West Lake Hills]]
{{div col end}}

===Villages===
{{div col}}
* [[Briarcliff, Texas|Briarcliff]]
* [[Point Venture, Texas|Point Venture]]
* [[San Leanna, Texas|San Leanna]]
* [[The Hills, Texas|The Hills]]
* [[Volente, Texas|Volente]]
* [[Webberville, Texas|Webberville]]
{{div col end}}

===Census-designated places===
{{div col}}
* [[Barton Creek, Texas|Barton Creek]]
* [[Garfield, Texas|Garfield]]
* [[Hornsby Bend, Texas|Hornsby Bend]]
* [[Hudson Bend, Texas|Hudson Bend]]
* [[Lost Creek, Texas|Lost Creek]]
* [[Manchaca, Texas|Manchaca]]
* [[Shady Hollow, Texas|Shady Hollow]]
* [[Steiner Ranch, Texas|Steiner Ranch]]
* [[Wells Branch, Texas|Wells Branch]]
{{div col end}}

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col}}
* [[Bluff Springs, Texas|Bluff Springs]]
* [[Carl, Texas|Carl]]
* [[Carlson, Texas|Carlson]]
* [[Cedar Valley, Travis County, Texas|Cedar Valley]]
* [[Cele, Texas|Cele]]
* [[Colton, Texas|Colton]]
* [[Del Valle, Texas|Del Valle]]
* [[Dessau, Texas|Dessau]]
* [[Dunlap, Travis County, Texas|Dunlap]]
* [[Elroy, Texas|Elroy]]
* [[Littig, Texas|Littig]]
* [[Lund, Texas|Lund]]
* [[Marshall Ford, Texas|Marshall Ford]]
* [[McNeil, Travis County, Texas|McNeil]]
* [[Moore's Crossing, Texas|Moore's Crossing]]
* [[New Sweden, Texas|New Sweden]]
* [[Pilot Knob, Texas|Pilot Knob]]
* [[Round Mountain, Travis County, Texas|Round Mountain]]
* [[Spicewood, Texas|Spicewood]]
* [[Three Points, Texas|Three Points]]
* [[Turnersville, Travis County, Texas|Turnersville]]
{{div col end}}

===Ghost towns===
{{div col}}
* [[Daffan, Texas|Daffan]]
* [[Decker, Texas|Decker]]
* [[Maha, Texas|Maha]]
* [[Manda, Texas|Manda]]
* [[Montopolis, Texas|Montopolis]]
* [[Nameless, Texas|Nameless]]
* [[New Katy, Texas|New Katy]]
{{div col end}}

===Austin neighborhoods===
{{div col}}
* [[Anderson Mill, Texas|Anderson Mill]]
* [[Four Points, Austin, Texas|Four Points]]
* [[Jollyville, Texas|Jollyville]]
* [[Kincheonville, Austin, Texas|Kincheonville]]
* [[Merrilltown, Austin, Texas|Merrilltown]]
* [[Oak Hill, Austin, Texas|Oak Hill]] 
* [[Onion Creek, Texas|Onion Creek]]
* [[Pleasant Hill, Austin, Texas|Pleasant Hill]]
* [[Tanglewood Forest, Austin, Texas|Tanglewood Forest]] 
* [[Windemere, Texas|Windemere]] 
* [[Waters Park, Texas|Waters Park]]
{{div col end}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Texas}}
* [[Austin Bat Cave]] (non-profit educational org)
* [[List of museums in Central Texas]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Travis County, Texas]]
* [[List of Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks (Sabine-Travis)#Travis County|Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Travis County]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.traviscountytx.gov/ Travis County Government website]
* {{Handbook of Texas|id=hct08|name=Travis County}}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Travis County, Texas
|North     = [[Williamson County, Texas|Williamson County]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Bastrop County, Texas|Bastrop County]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Caldwell County, Texas|Caldwell County]]
|Southwest = [[Hays County, Texas|Hays County]]
|West      = [[Blanco County, Texas|Blanco County]]
|Northwest = [[Burnet County, Texas|Burnet County]]
}}

{{Travis County, Texas}}
{{Greater Austin}}
{{Texas counties}}
{{Texas}}{{Authority control}}
{{coord|30.33|-97.78|type:adm2nd_region:US-TX|display=title}}

[[Category:Travis County, Texas| ]]
[[Category:1840 establishments in the Republic of Texas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1840]]
[[Category:Greater Austin]]
[[Category:Texas Hill Country]]
[[Category:Majority-minority counties in Texas]]