Walker County, Texas: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 23:57, 5 May 2025

Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. county

Walker County is a county located in the east0central section of the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 76,400.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Huntsville.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> Initially, Walker County was named for Robert J. Walker, a legislator from Mississippi, who introduced into the United States Congress the resolution to annex Texas. Walker later supported the U.S. during its Civil War and earned some enmity for it. To keep the county's name, the state renamed it for Samuel H. Walker (no relation), a Texas Ranger and soldier in the United States Army.

Walker County comprises the Huntsville micropolitan statistical area that is part of the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land combined statistical area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert (2.2%) are covered by water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Houston County (north)
Trinity County (northeast)
San Jacinto County (east)
Montgomery County (south)
Grimes County (west)
Madison County (northwest)

National protected area

Sam Houston National Forest (part)

Demographics

Template:US Census population

**Walker County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition**
Template:Nobold
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 2010<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>	% 2000	% 2010	Template:Partial
White alone (NH)	37,090	39,671	39,823	60.06%	58.46%	52.12%
Black or African American alone (NH)	14,672	15,098	16,382	23.76%	22.25%	21.44%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	169	186	251	0.27%	0.27%	0.33%
Asian alone (NH)	464	617	1,126	0.75%	0.91%	1.47%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	25	19	39	0.04%	0.03%	0.05%
Other race alone (NH)	70	72	318	0.11%	0.11%	0.42%
Multiracial (NH)	556	809	1,883	0.90%	1.19%	2.46%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	8,712	11,389	16,578	14.11%	16.78%	21.70%
Total	61,758	67,861	76,400	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the 2000 census,<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> 61,758 people, 18,303 households, and 11,384 families resided in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. The 21,099 housing units had an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 69.12% White, 23.88% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.42% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races. About 14.11% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the 18,303 households, 28.7% had children under 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were not families. Around 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the age distribution was 18.0% under 18, 23.0% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 151.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 161.9 males (numbers are skewed from normal due to men's prison population).

The median income for a household in the county was $31,468, and for a family was $42,589. Males had a median income of $27,634 versus $22,579 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,508. About 10.6% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.1% of those under 18 and 13.4% of those 65 or over.

Education

Sam Houston State University is located in Huntsville.

School districts serving portions of the county include:<ref name="Region6">"Education Service Center, Region VI Template:Webarchive." (Map) Educational Service Center 6. Retrieved December 8, 2011.
Template:Cite web - See text list</ref>

The Gulf Coast Trades Center, a charter school, is in an unincorporated area of the county.<ref name="Region6"/><ref>"We can be reached at: Template:Webarchive" Gulf Coast Trades Center. Retrieved December 8, 2011. "Gulf Coast Trades Center / Raven School 143 Forest Service Rd. 233 New Waverly, TX 77358"</ref>

The Huntsville and New Waverly ISDs are assigned to Lone Star College. Areas of Walker County in Trinity ISD are assigned to Angelina College. The portion of Richards ISD in Walker County is zoned to Blinn College.<ref>Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.165. ANGELINA COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. Sec. 130.168. BLINN JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. Sec. 130.191. LONE STAR COLLEGE SYSTEM DISTRICT SERVICE AREA..</ref>

Government and infrastructure

File:EllisUnitTX.jpg

Ellis Unit, a prison in unincorporated Walker County

The headquarters of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), the Texas agency that operates adult state correctional facilities, are in Huntsville.<ref name="NPR">"Huntsville Prison Blues." National Public Radio. September 10, 2001. Retrieved December 2, 2009.</ref><ref>"LIVINGSTON NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF STATE’S CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCY Template:Webarchive." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. July 28, 2005. Retrieved December 2, 2009.</ref>

Walker County has the highest number of state prisons and jails of all of the counties in Texas.<ref name="Horswellhard">Horswell, Cindy. "For hard-hit economy of Liberty County, crime officially pays." Houston Chronicle. June 29, 1995, A30, Retrieved July 23, 2010.</ref> Several TDCJ prisons for men, including the Byrd Unit,<ref>"Byrd Unit Template:Webarchive." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved May 10, 2010.</ref> the Goree Unit,<ref>"Goree Unit Template:Webarchive." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved May 10, 2010.</ref> the Huntsville Unit,<ref>"Huntsville Unit Template:Webarchive." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved May 10, 2010.</ref> and the Wynne Unit, are in the Huntsville city limits.<ref>"Wynne Unit Template:Webarchive." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved May 10, 2010.</ref> The Holliday Unit, a transfer unit, is in Huntsville.<ref>"Holliday Unit Template:Webarchive." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved July 13, 2010.</ref> In addition the Ellis Unit and the Estelle Unit are in unincorporated areas of Walker County.<ref>"Ellis Unit Template:Webarchive." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved May 10, 2010.</ref><ref>"Estelle Unit Template:Webarchive." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved May 10, 2010.</ref> The Huntsville Unit houses the State of Texas execution chamber.<ref name="Drowfacts">"Death Row Facts Template:Webarchive." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved May 7, 2010.</ref>

Politics

Like most of Texas, Walker County was solidly Democratic for the first half of the 20th century. Before 1972, the only time a Republican carried the county was in 1956, and it became a Republican stronghold afterwards, with only one candidate carrying the county from that point forward.

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated community

Dodge

Notable people

Eugene C. Barker
Marilyn McAdams Sibley<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Sherri Ann Jarvis, previously unidentified teenager found murdered on November 1, 1980
Slater Martin, basketball Player

References

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External links

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