Hill County, Texas

Hill County
County
Hill County Courthouse in downtown Hillsboro
Hill County Courthouse in downtown Hillsboro
Map of Texas highlighting Hill County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°59′N 97°08′W / 31.99°N 97.13°W / 31.99; -97.13
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1853
Named forGeorge Washington Hill
SeatHillsboro
Largest cityHillsboro
Area
 • Total
986 sq mi (2,550 km2)
 • Land959 sq mi (2,480 km2)
 • Water27 sq mi (70 km2)  2.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
35,874
 • Density36/sq mi (14/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district6th
Websitewww.co.hill.tx.us

Hill County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 35,874.[1] Its county seat is Hillsboro.[2] The county is named for George Washington Hill, secretary of war and secretary of the navy under the Republic of Texas. Hill County is part of Central Texas, though not included in the Texas Hill Country.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 986 square miles (2,550 km2), of which 959 square miles (2,480 km2) are land and 27 square miles (70 km2) (2.7%) are covered by water.[3]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18603,653—
18707,453104.0%
188016,554122.1%
189027,58366.6%
190041,35549.9%
191046,76013.1%
192043,332−7.3%
193043,036−0.7%
194038,355−10.9%
195031,282−18.4%
196023,650−24.4%
197022,596−4.5%
198025,02410.7%
199027,1468.5%
200032,32119.1%
201035,0898.6%
202035,8742.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[4]
1850–2010[5] 2010[6] 2020[7]
Hill County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
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.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[8] Pop 2010[6] Pop 2020[7] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 25,079 25,836 24,123 77.59% 73.63% 67.24%
Black or African American alone (NH) 2,359 2,161 2,055 7.30% 6.16% 5.73%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 84 118 137 0.26% 0.34% 0.38%
Asian alone (NH) 78 105 188 0.24% 0.30% 0.52%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 4 20 15 0.01% 0.06% 0.04%
Other Race alone (NH) 9 19 87 0.03% 0.05% 0.24%
Mixed Race or Multiracial (NH) 348 403 1,385 1.08% 1.15% 3.86%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4,360 6,427 7,884 13.49% 18.32% 21.98%
Total 32,321 35,089 35,874 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

'

As of the census[9] of 2000, 32,321 people, 12,204 households, and 8,725 families were residing in the county. The population density was 34 people/sq mi (13 people/km2). The 14,624 housing units averaged 15 per square mile (5.8/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 84.16% White, 7.40% African American, 0.44% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 6.04% from other races, and 1.71% from two or more races. About 13.49% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the 12,204 households, 30.70% had children under 18 living with them, 57.50% were married couples living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.50% were not families. About 24.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.50% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.58, and the average family size was 3.07.

A Williams Institute analysis of 2010 census data found about 3.2 same-sex couples per 1,000 households were in the county.[10]

In the county, the age distribution was 25.90% under 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 24.90% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 17.30% who were 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,600, and for a family was $37,791. Males had a median income of $29,438 versus $20,765 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,514. About 11.90% of families and 15.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.70% of those under age 18 and 14.60% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Confederate memorial at Hill County Courthouse

The Hill County Sheriff's Office is the law enforcement agency that oversees Hill County and operates the Hill County Jail in Hillsboro.[11][12][13] The current sheriff is Rodney B. Watson.[citation needed].The first sheriff of Hill County was Charley Davis.[14]

Media

Serving Hill County exclusively are media outlets KHBR Radio - 1560 AM and The Reporter newspaper. Hill County is currently listed as part of the Dallas-Fort Worth DMA. Local media outlets include: KDFW-TV, KXAS-TV, WFAA-TV, KTVT-TV, KERA-TV, KTXA-TV, KDFI-TV, KDAF-TV, and KFWD-TV, although it is located in Central Texas and a neighboring county of the Waco metropolitan area. All of the Waco/Temple/Killeen market stations also provide coverage for Hill County. They include: KCEN-TV, KWTX-TV, KXXV-TV, KDYW, and KWKT-TV. Northland Cable Television continues to offer all of the above stations in Hillsboro.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

Politics

Hill County, like most of the rural South, is currently overwhelmingly Republican. The last Democrat to carry Hill County was Bill Clinton in 1992. Before this, like most of Texas, Hill County was solidly Democratic: up to 1979, the county had voted Republican only against Catholic Al Smith in 1928 and against George McGovern in 1972.

United States presidential election results for Hill County, Texas[15]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 11,926 79.87% 2,860 19.15% 145 0.97%
2016 10,108 77.93% 2,547 19.64% 315 2.43%
2012 9,132 75.82% 2,752 22.85% 161 1.34%
2008 9,264 70.25% 3,811 28.90% 113 0.86%
2004 9,225 70.67% 3,751 28.74% 77 0.59%
2000 7,054 65.71% 3,524 32.83% 157 1.46%
1996 4,401 46.46% 3,988 42.10% 1,084 11.44%
1992 3,669 35.36% 3,929 37.87% 2,778 26.77%
1988 4,796 52.14% 4,381 47.63% 21 0.23%
1984 5,344 60.80% 3,420 38.91% 26 0.30%
1980 4,113 46.03% 4,688 52.46% 135 1.51%
1976 2,680 33.37% 5,327 66.32% 25 0.31%
1972 4,481 70.25% 1,882 29.50% 16 0.25%
1968 1,809 25.93% 3,415 48.95% 1,753 25.13%
1964 1,557 23.25% 5,130 76.61% 9 0.13%
1960 2,226 33.76% 4,340 65.83% 27 0.41%
1956 2,487 37.08% 4,199 62.61% 21 0.31%
1952 3,242 41.85% 4,504 58.14% 1 0.01%
1948 657 12.18% 4,362 80.85% 376 6.97%
1944 516 8.62% 4,876 81.48% 592 9.89%
1940 627 9.46% 6,002 90.54% 0 0.00%
1936 265 5.32% 4,710 94.58% 5 0.10%
1932 360 6.36% 5,297 93.55% 5 0.09%
1928 2,446 50.34% 2,413 49.66% 0 0.00%
1924 807 12.07% 5,778 86.39% 103 1.54%
1920 1,022 19.83% 3,254 63.12% 879 17.05%
1916 382 8.61% 3,951 89.07% 103 2.32%
1912 129 4.18% 2,674 86.73% 280 9.08%

Education

School districts include:[16]

The entire county is in the service area of Hill College, according to the Texas Education Code.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Hill County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
  4. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  5. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
  6. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Hill County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  7. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Hill County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  8. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Hill County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  9. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  10. ^ Leonhardt, David; Quealy, Kevin (June 26, 2015), "Where Same-Sex Couples Live", The New York Times, retrieved July 6, 2015
  11. ^ "Hill County Sheriff's Office arrest three in NYE aggravated robbery". KCEN. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  12. ^ "Hill County Sheriff's Office in Hillsboro, Texas". www.usacops.com. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  13. ^ "Niederhaus To Run For Hill County Sheriff". hillsbororeporter.com. Archived from the original on December 19, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  14. ^ "TSHA | Hill County". www.tshaonline.org. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  15. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  16. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Hill County, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 26, 2024. - Text list
  17. ^ Texas Education Code, "Sec. 130.181. HILL COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.

31°59′N 97°08′W / 31.99°N 97.13°W / 31.99; -97.13