Walker County, Texas

Walker County is a county located in the east-central section of the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 76,400. Its county seat is Huntsville. Initially, Walker County was named for Robert J. Walker, a legislator from Mississippi, who introduced into the United States Congress the resolution to annex Texas. Walker later supported the U.S. during its Civil War and earned some enmity for it. To keep the county's name, the state renamed it for Samuel H. Walker (no relation), a Texas Ranger and soldier in the United States Army.

Walker County comprises the Huntsville micropolitan statistical area that is part of the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land combined statistical area.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which (2.2%) are covered by water.

Major highways Interstate 45 U.S. Highway 190 State Highway 19 State Highway 30 State Highway 75 State Highway 150 Spur 59

Adjacent counties Houston County (north) Trinity County (northeast) San Jacinto County (east) Montgomery County (south) Grimes County (west) Madison County (northwest)

National protected area Sam Houston National Forest (part)

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition +Walker County, Texas – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980 Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)28,19132,85637,09039,67139,82367.46%64.53%60.06%58.46%52.12%Black or African American alone (NH)10,04712,05014,67215,09816,38224.04%23.67%23.76%22.25%21.44%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)1331471691862510.32%0.29%0.27%0.27%0.33%Asian alone (NH)2003014646171,1260.48%0.59%0.75%0.91%1.47%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census251939xx0.04%0.03%0.05%Other race alone (NH)2467070723180.59%0.14%0.11%0.11%0.42%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census5568091,883xx0.90%1.19%2.46%Hispanic or Latino (any race)2,9725,4938,71211,38916,5787.11%10.79%14.11%16.78%21.70%Total41,78950,91761,75867,86176,400 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 76,400. The median age was 36.9 years. 15.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 138.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 144.4 males.

The racial makeup of the county was 56.0% White, 21.8% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 13.2% from some other race, and 6.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 21.7% of the population.

56.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 43.2% lived in rural areas.

There were 24,568 households in the county, of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 39.0% were married-couple households, 24.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 28,632 housing units, of which 14.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 53.1% were owner-occupied and 46.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.2%.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 61,758 people, 18,303 households, and 11,384 families resided in the county. The population density was . The 21,099 housing units had an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 69.12% White, 23.88% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.42% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races. About 14.11% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the 18,303 households, 28.7% had children under 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were not families. Around 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the age distribution was 18.0% under 18, 23.0% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 151.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 161.9 males (numbers are skewed from normal due to men's prison population).

The median income for a household in the county was $31,468, and for a family was $42,589. Males had a median income of $27,634 versus $22,579 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,508. About 10.6% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.1% of those under 18 and 13.4% of those 65 or over. Education Sam Houston State University is located in Huntsville.

School districts serving portions of the county include:"Education Service Center, Region VI ." (Map) Educational Service Center 6. Retrieved December 8, 2011. - See text list Huntsville Independent School District New Waverly Independent School District Richards Independent School District (portion) Trinity Independent School District (portion)

The Gulf Coast Trades Center, a charter school, is in an unincorporated area of the county."We can be reached at: " Gulf Coast Trades Center. Retrieved December 8, 2011. "Gulf Coast Trades Center / Raven School 143 Forest Service Rd. 233 New Waverly, TX 77358"

The Huntsville and New Waverly ISDs are assigned to Lone Star College. Areas of Walker County in Trinity ISD are assigned to Angelina College. The portion of Richards ISD in Walker County is zoned to Blinn College.Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.165. ANGELINA COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. Sec. 130.168. BLINN JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. Sec. 130.191. LONE STAR COLLEGE SYSTEM DISTRICT SERVICE AREA..

Government and infrastructure

The headquarters of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), the Texas agency that operates adult state correctional facilities, are in Huntsville."Huntsville Prison Blues." National Public Radio. September 10, 2001. Retrieved December 2, 2009."LIVINGSTON NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF STATE’S CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCY ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. July 28, 2005. Retrieved December 2, 2009.

Walker County has the highest number of state prisons and jails of all of the counties in Texas.Horswell, Cindy. "For hard-hit economy of Liberty County, crime officially pays." Houston Chronicle. June 29, 1995, A30, Retrieved July 23, 2010. Several TDCJ prisons for men, including the Byrd Unit,"Byrd Unit ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved May 10, 2010. the Goree Unit,"Goree Unit ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved May 10, 2010. the Huntsville Unit,"Huntsville Unit ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved May 10, 2010. and the Wynne Unit, are in the Huntsville city limits."Wynne Unit ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved May 10, 2010. The Holliday Unit, a transfer unit, is in Huntsville."Holliday Unit ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved July 13, 2010. In addition the Ellis Unit and the Estelle Unit are in unincorporated areas of Walker County."Ellis Unit ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved May 10, 2010."Estelle Unit ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved May 10, 2010. The Huntsville Unit houses the State of Texas execution chamber."Death Row Facts ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved May 7, 2010.

Politics Like most of Texas, Walker County was solidly Democratic for the first half of the 20th century. Before 1972, the only time a Republican carried the county was in 1956, and it became a Republican stronghold afterwards, with only one candidate carrying the county from that point forward.

Communities Cities Huntsville (county seat) New Waverly Riverside

Unincorporated community Dodge

Notable people Eugene C. Barker Marilyn McAdams Sibley Sherri Ann Jarvis, previously unidentified teenager found murdered on November 1, 1980 Slater Martin, basketball Player

Walker County, Texas

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