Hardin County, Texas

Hardin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 54,635.[1] The county seat is Kountze.[2] The county is named for the family of William Hardin from Liberty County, Texas.[3]

Not to be confused with Hardin, Texas.

Hardin County
U.S. county
The Hardin County Courthouse in Kountze
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30°20′N 94°23′W
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1858
Seat	Kountze
Largest city	Lumberton
Area
• Total	898 sq mi (2,330 km^2)
• Land	891 sq mi (2,310 km^2)
• Water	7.0 sq mi (18 km^2)  0.8%%
Population  (2010)
• Total	54,635
• Density	61/sq mi (24/km^2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	36th
Website	www.co.hardin.tx.us

Hardin County is part of the Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The current Hardin County Courthouse was built in 1959. It is at least the third courthouse to serve Hardin County.[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 898 square miles (2,330 km²), of which 891 square miles (2,310 km²) are land and 7.0 square miles (18 km²) (0.8%) are covered by water.[5]

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 which drain the county into the Neches River, which forms the eastern boundary of the county.

Major highways

Main article: List of highways in Hardin County, Texas

• U.S. Highway 69/U.S. Highway 287
• U.S. Highway 96
• State Highway 105
• State Highway 326
• State Highway 327

Adjacent counties

• 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

• Big Thicket National Preserve (part)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
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%
Est. 2019	57,602	[6]	5.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1850–2010[8] 2010–2018[1]

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.[9]

As of the census[10] of 2000, 48,073 people, 17,805 households, and 13,638 families resided in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile (21/km²). The 19,836 housing units averaged 22 per square mile (9/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 the age of 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 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the county, the population was distributed as 27.8% under the age of 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 years of age 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.

Communities

Cities

• Kountze (county seat)
• Lumberton
• Rose Hill Acres
• Silsbee
• Sour Lake

Census-designated places

• Pinewood Estates
• Wildwood (partly in Tyler County)

Unincorporated communities

• Batson
• Honey Island
• Saratoga
• Thicket
• Village Mills
• Votaw

Ghost Towns

• Bragg

Politics

United States Congress

Senators		Name	Party	First Elected	Level
	Senate Class 1	John Cornyn	Republican	1993	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

Presidential elections results

Presidential elections results[11]

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third parties
2016	86.1% 19,606	12.2% 2,780	1.7% 394
2012	83.3% 17,746	15.8% 3,359	0.9% 192
2008	80.2% 16,603	19.0% 3,939	0.8% 160
2004	72.6% 15,030	27.1% 5,608	0.4% 72
2000	67.1% 11,962	31.4% 5,595	1.6% 279
1996	47.7% 8,529	40.1% 7,179	12.3% 2,192
1992	35.0% 5,885	40.2% 6,753	24.7% 4,155
1988	45.5% 6,897	54.3% 8,245	0.2% 31
1984	55.1% 8,380	44.6% 6,782	0.3% 44
1980	44.3% 6,087	53.6% 7,358	2.1% 287
1976	37.9% 4,046	61.4% 6,558	0.8% 84
1972	63.6% 5,190	36.2% 2,952	0.2% 15
1968	22.4% 1,986	32.7% 2,894	44.9% 3,982
1964	27.8% 1,987	72.0% 5,143	0.2% 16
1960	32.8% 2,115	66.9% 4,315	0.3% 21
1956	47.1% 2,130	52.5% 2,371	0.4% 19
1952	32.5% 1,653	67.4% 3,423	0.1% 6
1948	6.4% 196	73.4% 2,233	20.2% 614
1944	7.8% 243	84.2% 2,632	8.0% 251
1940	7.0% 226	92.9% 2,997	0.1% 2
1936	4.8% 119	95.2% 2,351
1932	5.5% 161	94.5% 2,783
1928	48.0% 951	52.0% 1,032
1924	28.3% 645	66.6% 1,516	5.1% 117
1920	14.7% 202	72.6% 999	12.7% 175
1916	10.3% 158	83.4% 1,279	6.3% 97
1912	7.2% 101	69.6% 979	23.2% 327

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Hardin County, Texas
• Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Hardin County

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on October 18, 2011. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
3. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 149.
4. Duncan, Patricia L. "Hardin County". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
5. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
6. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
8. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
9. "2010 census report for Hardin County, Texas". Retrieved 2016-04-15.
10. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
11. http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS

External links

• Hardin County government's website
• Hardin County in Handbook of Texas Online at the University of Texas