Jack County, Texas (original) (raw)

County in Texas, United States

County in Texas

Jack County
County
The Jack County Courthouse in JacksboroThe Jack County Courthouse in Jacksboro
Map of Texas highlighting Jack CountyLocation within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting TexasTexas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°14′N 98°11′W / 33.24°N 98.18°W / 33.24; -98.18
Country United States
State Texas
Founded 1857
Seat Jacksboro
Largest city Jacksboro
Area
• Total 920 sq mi (2,400 km2)
• Land 911 sq mi (2,360 km2)
• Water 9.5 sq mi (25 km2) 1.0%
Population (2020)
• Total 8,472
• Density 9.30/sq mi (3.59/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 25th
Website www.jackcounty.org

Jack County is a county located in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 8,472.[1] Its county seat is Jacksboro.[2] The county was created in 1856 and organized the next year.[3] It is named for Patrick Churchill Jack and his brother William Houston Jack, both soldiers of the Texas Revolution.[4][5][6]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 920 sq mi (2,400 km2), of which 911 sq mi (2,360 km2) are land and 9.5 sq mi (25 km2) (1.0%) are covered by water.[7]

Historical population

Census Pop. Note %±
1860 1,000 —
1870 694 −30.6%
1880 6,626 854.8%
1890 9,740 47.0%
1900 10,224 5.0%
1910 11,817 15.6%
1920 9,863 −16.5%
1930 9,046 −8.3%
1940 10,206 12.8%
1950 7,755 −24.0%
1960 7,418 −4.3%
1970 6,711 −9.5%
1980 7,408 10.4%
1990 6,981 −5.8%
2000 8,763 25.5%
2010 9,044 3.2%
2020 8,472 −6.3%
2024 (est.) 9,398 [8] 10.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]1850–2010[10] 2010[11] 2020[12]

A scene typical of the mixed pastures and wooded hills of eastern Jack County

Jack County, Texas – Racial and ethnic compositionNote: 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[13] Pop 2010[11] Pop 2020[12] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 7,468 7,289 6,358 85.22% 80.59% 75.05%
Black or African American alone (NH) 481 340 294 5.49% 3.76% 3.47%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 48 38 35 0.55% 0.42% 0.41%
Asian alone (NH) 24 30 41 0.27% 0.33% 0.48%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 1 3 5 0.01% 0.03% 0.06%
Other race alone (NH) 1 6 9 0.01% 0.07% 0.11%
Mixed or multiracial (NH) 49 55 209 0.56% 0.61% 2.47%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 691 1,283 1,521 7.89% 14.19% 17.95%
Total 8,763 9,044 8,472 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the 2000 census,[14] 8,763 people, 3,047 households, and 2,227 families were residing in Jack County. The population density was 10 people/sq mi (3.9 people/km2). The 3,668 housing units averaged 4 per square mile (1.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 88.68% White, 5.55% African American, 0.67% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 3.85% from other races, and 0.97% from two or more races. About 7.89% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the 3,047 households, 32.7% had children under 18 living with them, 60.3% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.9% were not families. About 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.52, and the average family size was 2.99. As of the 2010 census, about 4.1 same-sex couples per 1,000 households were in the county.[15]

In the county, the age distribution was 23.4% under 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 120.40 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 126.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was 32,500,andforafamilywas32,500, and for a family was 32,500,andforafamilywas37,323. Males had a median income of 28,838versus28,838 versus 28,838versus20,216 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,210. About 10.1% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.9% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.

The county is dominated by agriculture (mostly ranching), which has kept population density low. The extensive mechanization of agriculture has resulted in large farms and few workers.

A $200 million, 110 MW Keechi wind farm project with Enbridge, financed via a 20-year agreement with Microsoft, was announced in 2014.[16][17][18]

Census-designated place

[edit]

Unincorporated communities

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Prior to 1952, Jack County was solidly Democratic in presidential elections in similar fashion to almost all of Texas and the Solid South. From 1952 to 1996, the county was a swing county, though became somewhat of a bellwether earlier, voting for the national winner in all presidential elections from 1928 to 2004 except for 1960, 1968, and 1996. From 2000 on, the county has become a Republican Party stronghold, with its presidential candidates winning by increasing margins in each passing election. As a testament to how strongly Republican the county has swung, Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton by a margin of 79.4 percent in 2016, compared to an only 6.7 percent margin Bob Dole won the county by 20 years prior at the start of its Republican trend.

  1. ^ "Jack County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Archived from the original on April 12, 2017. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
  4. ^ "Jack, Patrick Churchill". The Handbook of Texas Online. The Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved May 27, 2009.
  5. ^ "Jack, William Houston". The Handbook of Texas Online. The Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved May 27, 2009.
  6. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 167.
  7. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  8. ^ "QuickFacts: Jack County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 15, 2025.
  9. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  10. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  11. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Jack County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  12. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Jack County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  13. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Jack County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  14. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  15. ^ "Where Same-Sex Couples Live", The New York Times, June 26, 2015, retrieved July 6, 2015
  16. ^ Smith, Patrick (January 6, 2014). "Enbridge funds $200 million RES Texas wind project". Windpower Monthly. Retrieved September 4, 2014. See also Enbridge
  17. ^ Ingle, John. "Casper, Wyoming-based company begins hauling wind generator pieces to Jack County," Times Record News, September 3, 2014. Accessed: September 4, 2014.
  18. ^ "Portfolio - RES - Global Renewable Energy Company". www.res-americas.com. Archived from the original on November 17, 2014. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  19. ^ Nancy Baker Jones; Ruthe Winegarten (July 22, 2010). Capitol Women: Texas Female Legislators, 1923–1999. University of Texas Press. pp. 80–. ISBN 978-0-292-78853-4.
  20. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  21. ^ "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)". Commonwealth of Texas by county. November 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.

33°14′N 98°11′W / 33.24°N 98.18°W / 33.24; -98.18