Hardin County, Texas
Hardin County, Texas | |
|---|---|
 The Hardin County Courthouse in Kountze | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Texas | |
| Coordinates: 30°20′N 94°23′W / 30.34°N 94.39°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Founded | 1858 |
| Seat | Kountze |
| Largest city | Lumberton |
| Area | |
• Total | 898 sq mi (2,330 km2) |
| • Land | 891 sq mi (2,310 km2) |
| • Water | 7.0 sq mi (18 km2) 0.% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 56,231 |
• Estimate (2025) | 58,723  [1] |
| • Density | 63.1/sq mi (24.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 36th |
| Website | www |
Hardin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 56,231.[2] The county seat is Kountze.[3] The county is named for the family of William Hardin from Liberty County, Texas.[4]
Hardin County is part of the Beaumont-Port Arthur metropolitan statistical area.
History
[edit]The county is named for the family of William Hardin, a settler, judge, and postmaster. The Hardin family cemetery is located north of Liberty.[5]
The current Hardin County Courthouse was built in 1959. It is at least the third courthouse to serve Hardin County.[6]
Geography
[edit]According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 898 square miles (2,330 km2), of which 7.0 square miles (18 km2) (0.8%) are covered by water.[7]
Hardin County is located on the flat coastal plains of Southeast Texas, roughly 30 mi (48 km) north of the Gulf of Mexico. The county is largely covered by the dense forest of the Big Thicket. It is crossed by numerous small streams and creeks that drain the county into the Neches River, which forms the eastern boundary of the county.
Major highways
[edit]
U.S. Highway 69/U.S. Highway 287
U.S. Highway 96
State Highway 105
State Highway 326
State Highway 327
Adjacent counties
[edit]- Tyler County (northern)
- Jasper County (east)
- Orange County (southeast)
- Jefferson County (south)
- Liberty County (southwest)
- Polk County (northwest)
Its eastern boundaries with Jasper County and Orange County are formed by the Neches River. The southern boundary with Jefferson County is formed by Pine Island Bayou
National protected area
[edit]Communities
[edit]Cities
[edit]- Kountze (county seat)
- Lumberton
- Rose Hill Acres
- Silsbee
- Sour Lake
Census-designated places
[edit]- Pinewood Estates
- Wildwood (partly in Tyler County)
Unincorporated communities
[edit]Ghost town
[edit]Demographics
[edit]| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 1,353 | — | |
| 1870 | 1,460 | 7.9% | |
| 1880 | 1,870 | 28.1% | |
| 1890 | 3,956 | 111.6% | |
| 1900 | 5,049 | 27.6% | |
| 1910 | 12,947 | 156.4% | |
| 1920 | 15,983 | 23.4% | |
| 1930 | 13,936 | −12.8% | |
| 1940 | 15,875 | 13.9% | |
| 1950 | 19,535 | 23.1% | |
| 1960 | 24,629 | 26.1% | |
| 1970 | 29,996 | 21.8% | |
| 1980 | 40,721 | 35.8% | |
| 1990 | 41,320 | 1.5% | |
| 2000 | 48,073 | 16.3% | |
| 2010 | 54,635 | 13.7% | |
| 2020 | 56,231 | 2.9% | |
| 2025 (est.) | 58,723 | [8] | 4.4% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1850–2010[10] 2010[11] 2020[12] |
Racial and ethnic composition
[edit]| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[13] | Pop 1990[14] | Pop 2000[15] | Pop 2010[11] | Pop 2020[12] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 35,953 | 37,006 | 42,941 | 48,088 | 46,934 | 88.29% | 89.56% | 89.32% | 88.02% | 83.47% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 4,097 | 3,459 | 3,310 | 3,181 | 3,037 | 10.06% | 8.37% | 6.89% | 5.82% | 5.40% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 40 | 117 | 133 | 182 | 190 | 0.10% | 0.28% | 0.28% | 0.33% | 0.34% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 36 | 54 | 108 | 269 | 399 | 0.09% | 0.13% | 0.22% | 0.49% | 0.71% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [16] | x [17] | 4 | 6 | 34 | x | x | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.06% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 23 | 5 | 20 | 19 | 149 | 0.06% | 0.01% | 0.04% | 0.03% | 0.26% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [18] | x [19] | 334 | 506 | 2,071 | x | x | 0.69% | 0.93% | 3.68% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 572 | 679 | 1,223 | 2,384 | 3,417 | 1.40% | 1.64% | 2.54% | 4.36% | 6.08% |
| Total | 40,721 | 41,320 | 48,073 | 54,635 | 56,231 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2020 census
[edit]As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 56,231. The median age was 39.9 years. 24.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.0 males age 18 and over.[20][21]
The racial makeup of the county was 85.4% White, 5.5% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.8% from some other race, and 6.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 6.1% of the population.[21]
49.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 50.7% lived in rural areas.[22]
There were 21,616 households in the county, of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 54.9% were married-couple households, 16.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[20]
There were 24,003 housing units, of which 9.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 79.0% were owner-occupied and 21.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 12.8%.[20]
2010 census
[edit]As of the 2010 census, Hardin County had a population of 54,635. The ethnic and racial composition of the population was 88.0% non-Hispanic white, 5.8% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 1.3% from some other race, and 1.3% from two or more races.[23]
2000 census
[edit]As of the 2000 census, 48,073 people, 17,805 households, and 13,638 families resided in the county.[24] The population density was 54 people/mi2 (21 people/km2). The 19,836 housing units averaged 22 per square mile (8.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 90.86% White, 6.91% Black or African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.74% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. About 2.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 17,805 households, 37.2% had children under 18 living with them, 62.6% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.4% were not families; 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the county, the age distribution was 27.8% under 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,612, and for a family was $42,890. Males had a median income of $35,881 versus $22,823 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,962. About 8.8% of families and 11.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
[edit]United States Congress
[edit]| Senators | Name | Party | First Elected | Level | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senate Class 1 | John Cornyn | Republican | 2002 | Senior Senator | |
| Senate Class 2 | Ted Cruz | Republican | 2012 | Junior Senator | |
| Representatives | Name | Party | First Elected | Area(s) of Hardin County Represented | |
| District 36 | Brian Babin | Republican | New district created with 2010 census. First elected 2014. | Entire county |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 101 | 7.18% | 979 | 69.58% | 327 | 23.24% |
| 1916 | 158 | 10.30% | 1,279 | 83.38% | 97 | 6.32% |
| 1920 | 202 | 14.68% | 999 | 72.60% | 175 | 12.72% |
| 1924 | 645 | 28.31% | 1,516 | 66.55% | 117 | 5.14% |
| 1928 | 951 | 47.96% | 1,032 | 52.04% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 161 | 5.47% | 2,783 | 94.53% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 119 | 4.82% | 2,351 | 95.18% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 226 | 7.01% | 2,997 | 92.93% | 2 | 0.06% |
| 1944 | 243 | 7.77% | 2,632 | 84.20% | 251 | 8.03% |
| 1948 | 196 | 6.44% | 2,233 | 73.38% | 614 | 20.18% |
| 1952 | 1,653 | 32.53% | 3,423 | 67.36% | 6 | 0.12% |
| 1956 | 2,130 | 47.12% | 2,371 | 52.46% | 19 | 0.42% |
| 1960 | 2,115 | 32.79% | 4,315 | 66.89% | 21 | 0.33% |
| 1964 | 1,987 | 27.81% | 5,143 | 71.97% | 16 | 0.22% |
| 1968 | 1,986 | 22.41% | 2,894 | 32.66% | 3,982 | 44.93% |
| 1972 | 5,190 | 63.63% | 2,952 | 36.19% | 15 | 0.18% |
| 1976 | 4,046 | 37.86% | 6,558 | 61.36% | 84 | 0.79% |
| 1980 | 6,087 | 44.33% | 7,358 | 53.58% | 287 | 2.09% |
| 1984 | 8,380 | 55.11% | 6,782 | 44.60% | 44 | 0.29% |
| 1988 | 6,897 | 45.46% | 8,245 | 54.34% | 31 | 0.20% |
| 1992 | 5,885 | 35.04% | 6,753 | 40.21% | 4,155 | 24.74% |
| 1996 | 8,529 | 47.65% | 7,179 | 40.11% | 2,192 | 12.25% |
| 2000 | 11,962 | 67.07% | 5,595 | 31.37% | 279 | 1.56% |
| 2004 | 15,030 | 72.57% | 5,608 | 27.08% | 72 | 0.35% |
| 2008 | 16,603 | 80.20% | 3,939 | 19.03% | 160 | 0.77% |
| 2012 | 17,746 | 83.33% | 3,359 | 15.77% | 192 | 0.90% |
| 2016 | 19,606 | 86.07% | 2,780 | 12.20% | 394 | 1.73% |
| 2020 | 23,858 | 86.33% | 3,474 | 12.57% | 303 | 1.10% |
| 2024 | 24,691 | 87.69% | 3,347 | 11.89% | 119 | 0.42% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 23,992 | 85.48% | 3,603 | 12.84% | 473 | 1.69% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 23,516 | 85.87% | 3,388 | 12.37% | 480 | 1.75% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2022 | 17,447 | 88.88% | 2,035 | 10.37% | 147 | 0.75% |
See also
[edit]- National Register of Historic Places listings in Hardin County, Texas
- Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Hardin County
References
[edit]- ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 17, 2026.
- ^ "Hardin County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 149.
- ^ Robert L. Schaadt. "Handbook of Texas". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
- ^ Duncan, Patricia L. "Hardin County". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved April 12, 2014.
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
- ^ "QuickFacts: Hardin County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 15, 2025.
- ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
- ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 19, 2013. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
- ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Hardin County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Hardin County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "1980 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics- Texas - Table 15. Persons by Race and Table 16. Total Persons and Spanish Origin Persons by Type of Spanish Origin and Race" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 21-46. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 7, 2022.
- ^ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics- Texas - Table 3. Race and Hispanic Origin: 1990" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 29-138. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 3, 2026.
- ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Hardin County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
- ^ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
- ^ not an option in the 1980 Census
- ^ not an option in the 1990 Census
- ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
- ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
- ^ "2010 census report for Hardin County, Texas". Retrieved April 15, 2016.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
- ^ "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)". Commonwealth of Texas by county. November 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ "Texas Senate Election Results 2020". NBCNews.com. November 3, 2020. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Hardin County, Texas at Wikimedia Commons- Official website
- Hardin County from the Handbook of Texas Online
Places adjacent to Hardin County, Texas | |||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities of Hardin County, Texas, United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Other communities | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other |