Kaufman County, Texas (original) (raw)

County in Texas, United States

County in Texas

Kaufman County
County
The Kaufman County Courthouse in KaufmanThe Kaufman County Courthouse in Kaufman
Map of Texas highlighting Kaufman CountyLocation within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting TexasTexas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°36′N 96°17′W / 32.6°N 96.28°W / 32.6; -96.28
Country United States
State Texas
Founded February 1848
Named after David Spangler Kaufman
Seat Kaufman
Largest city Forney
Area
• Total 808 sq mi (2,090 km2)
• Land 781 sq mi (2,020 km2)
• Water 27 sq mi (70 km2) 3.3%
Population (2020)
• Total 145,310
• Estimate (2024) 197,829 Increase
• Density 186/sq mi (71.8/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 5th
Website www.kaufmancounty.net

Kaufman County is a county in the northeastern area of the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 145,310.[1] Its county seat is Kaufman.[2] Both the county, established in 1848, and the city were named for David S. Kaufman, a U.S. Representative and diplomat from Texas. Kaufman County is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Western artist Frank Reaugh moved from Illinois to Kaufman County in 1876. There he was directly inspired for such paintings as The Approaching Herd (1902).[3]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 808 square miles (2,090 km2), of which 781 square miles (2,020 km2) are land and 27 square miles (70 km2) (3.3%) are covered by water.[4] Located in the northeast portion of Texas, it is bounded on the southwest by the Trinity River, and drained by the east fork of that stream.[5]

Cities (multiple counties)

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Map showing cities and towns in Kaufman County

Census-designated places

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Unincorporated communities

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Historical population

Census Pop. Note %±
1850 1,047 —
1860 3,936 275.9%
1870 6,895 75.2%
1880 15,448 124.0%
1890 21,598 39.8%
1900 33,376 54.5%
1910 35,323 5.8%
1920 41,276 16.9%
1930 40,905 −0.9%
1940 38,308 −6.3%
1950 31,170 −18.6%
1960 29,931 −4.0%
1970 32,392 8.2%
1980 39,015 20.4%
1990 52,220 33.8%
2000 71,313 36.6%
2010 103,350 44.9%
2020 145,307 40.6%
2024 (est.) 197,829 [6] 36.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]1850–2010[8] 2020[9]

Kaufman 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[10] Pop 2010[11] Pop 2020[9] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 54,424 73,328 78,626 76.32% 69.98% 54.11%
Black or African American alone (NH) 7,472 10,571 21,541 10.48% 10.23% 14.82%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 369 551 623 0.52% 0.53% 0.43%
Asian alone (NH) 330 869 2,107 0.46% 0.84% 1.45%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 12 32 70 0.02% 0.03% 0.05%
Other Race alone (NH) 54 69 435 0.08% 0.07% 0.30%
Mixed Race or Multiracial (NH) 727 1,382 5,743 1.02% 1.34% 3.95%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7,925 17,548 36,168 11.11% 16.98% 24.89%
Total 71,313 103,350 145,310 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

According to the census of 2000,[12] 71,313 people, 24,367 households, and 19,225 families were residing in the county. The population density was 91 per square mile (35/km2). Its 26,133 housing units averaged 33 per square mile (13/km2). In 2020, the population was 145,310.[9] According to the 2000 census, the racial and ethnic makeup of the county was 81.10% White, 10.53% African American, 0.61% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 5.68% from other races, and 1.61% from two or more races. About 11.11% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. By the 2020 census, its racial and ethnic makeup was 54.11% non-Hispanic white, 14.82% African American, 0.43% Native American, 1.45% Asian American, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.30% some other race, 3.95% multiracial, and 24.89% Hispanic or Latino American of any race.

American Community Survey 2023 Data

The United States Census Bureau estimated that in 2023, Kaufman County’s population was 185,690. It was also estimated that the population was 46.6% Non-Hispanic White, 28.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.8% Non-Hispanic Black, 2.2% Asian, 0.4% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 1.9% Multiracial.[13]

Race Total Percentage
Hispanic or Latino 52,087 28.1%
NH White 86,611 46.6%
NH Black 38,535 20.8%
NH Asian 4,061 2.2%
NH Native American 737 0.4%
NH Pacific Islander 135 0.1%
NH Multiracial 3,524 1.9%

Kaufman County is 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, KFWD-TV, and KDTX-TV. Other nearby stations that provide coverage for Kaufman County come from the Tyler/Longview/Jacksonville market and they include KLTV, KYTX-TV, KFXK-TV, and KETK-TV.

Kaufman County is served by three newspapers, the Terrell Tribune, the Kaufman Herald, and the Forney Messenger. Forney, Texas, is also served by online news media outlet inForney.com, which covers breaking news for the county. A quarterly magazine called Kaufman County Life is produced by the Terrell Tribune. The Kemp and Mabank areas are included in coverage by The Monitor and Athens Daily Review newspapers.

The Kaufman County Sheriff's Office is Kaufman County's main police force. Smaller cities depend on the sheriff's office, along with the Texas Highway Patrol, for law-enforcement duties.

Kaufman County murders

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In December 2012, Texas officials issued a statewide bulletin warning that the Aryan Brotherhood was "actively planning retaliation against law enforcement officials" who worked to prosecute the gang's leadership.[14]

In January 2013, Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse of Kaufman County was assassinated by gunshot outside the Kaufman County courthouse.[14] On March 30, 2013, District Attorney Mike McLelland, along with his wife, were found shot and killed in their home.[15] On April 13, 2013, ex-justice of the peace Eric Williams was arrested for making terrorist threats to county officials by email. Hasse and McLelland had aggressively prosecuted Williams in a theft case. Williams was convicted, and lost his position and his law license as a result.[16] On April 17, 2013, his wife Kim Williams was arrested on capital murder charges in all three deaths.[17]

Officials did not link these arrests or events to the Aryan Brotherhood. Eric Williams was convicted at trial and sentenced to death on December 16, 2014.[18] Kim Williams pleaded guilty on December 30, 2014, and received a 40-year sentence.[19]

Prior to 1952, Kaufman County was a Democratic Party stronghold in presidential elections. From 1952 to 1980, it was still primarily Democratic, though the party's margin of victories were far lower than before. Republican Richard Nixon won the county handily in 1972 as part of his national landslide. Starting with the 1984 election, it has become a Republican stronghold, though neither of Bill Clinton's two Republican opponents managed a majority despite winning the county due to Ross Perot's strong third-party candidacy.

The county's Republican lean has lessened a bit due to population growth in the DFW metroplex in recent years, but it still remains strongly Republican. Republicans have consistently won more than 60% of the vote in the county in the 21st century.

School districts in the county include:[22]

It is in the service area for Trinity Valley Community College.[23]

  1. ^ "Kaufman 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. ^ Kaufman County Historical Commission, History of Kaufman County (Dallas, Texas: Taylor, 1978)
  4. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  5. ^ Ripley, George; Dana, Charles A., eds. (1879). "Kaufman" . The American Cyclopædia.
  6. ^ "QuickFacts: Kaufman County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  7. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  8. ^ "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.
  9. ^ a b c "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Kaufman County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  10. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Kaufman County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  11. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Kaufman County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  12. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  13. ^ "County Population by Characteristics: 2020-2023". Census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Breaking news: Texas County District Attorney and Wife Found Dead". The New York Times. March 30, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2013.
  15. ^ "Breaking news: Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland, wife reportedly found dead in home". The Dallas Morning News. March 30, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  16. ^ Eiserer, Tanya and Jana J. Pruet (April 13, 2013). "Ex-justice of peace is prime suspect in Kaufman DA slayings". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
  17. ^ Eiserer, Tanya (April 17, 2013). "Wife of jailed ex-Kaufman County justice of the peace is now behind bars, charged with capital murder". Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on April 18, 2013. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
  18. ^ Eiserer, Tanya. "Ex-judge sentenced to death in Texas revenge plot". USA TODAY.
  19. ^ "Wife of convicted Kaufman County killer sentenced to 40 years in prison". Dallas News. July 29, 2018.
  20. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  21. ^ "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)". Commonwealth of Texas by county. November 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  22. ^ Geography Division (December 22, 2020). 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Kaufman County, TX (PDF) (Map). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022. - Text list
  23. ^ Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.205. TRINITY VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.

32°36′N 96°17′W / 32.60°N 96.28°W / 32.60; -96.28