Eastland County, Texas
County in Texas, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eastland County is a county located in central West Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 17,725.[1] The county seat is Eastland.[2] The county was founded in 1858 and later organized in 1873.[3] It is named for William Mosby Eastland, a soldier during the Texas Revolution and the only officer to die as a result of the "Black Bean executions" of the Mier Expedition.
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Eastland County, Texas | |
|---|---|
Eastland County Courthouse | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Texas | |
| Coordinates: 32°20′N 98°50′W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Founded | 1873 |
| Seat | Eastland |
| Largest city | Eastland |
| Area | |
• Total | 932 sq mi (2,410 km2) |
| • Land | 926 sq mi (2,400 km2) |
| • Water | 5.4 sq mi (14 km2) 0.6% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 17,725 |
• Estimate (2025) | 18,143  |
| • Density | 19.1/sq mi (7.39/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 25th |
| Website | www |
Two Eastland County communities, Cisco and Ranger, have junior colleges.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 932 sq mi (2,410 km2), of which 5.4 sq mi (14 km2) (0.6%) are covered by water.[4]
Major highways
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Adjacent counties
- Stephens County (north)
- Palo Pinto County (northeast)
- Erath County (east)
- Comanche County (southeast)
- Brown County (south)
- Callahan County (west)
- Shackelford County (northwest)
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 99 | — | |
| 1870 | 88 | −11.1% | |
| 1880 | 4,855 | 5,417.0% | |
| 1890 | 10,373 | 113.7% | |
| 1900 | 17,971 | 73.2% | |
| 1910 | 23,421 | 30.3% | |
| 1920 | 58,505 | 149.8% | |
| 1930 | 34,156 | −41.6% | |
| 1940 | 30,345 | −11.2% | |
| 1950 | 23,942 | −21.1% | |
| 1960 | 19,526 | −18.4% | |
| 1970 | 18,092 | −7.3% | |
| 1980 | 19,480 | 7.7% | |
| 1990 | 18,488 | −5.1% | |
| 2000 | 18,297 | −1.0% | |
| 2010 | 18,583 | 1.6% | |
| 2020 | 17,725 | −4.6% | |
| 2025 (est.) | 18,143 | [5] | 2.4% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1850–2010[7] 2010[8] 2020[9] | |||
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 17,725. The median age was 43.4 years; 21.1% of the residents were under 18 and 22.7% were 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 96.5 males, and for every 100 females 18 and over, there were 95.5 males 18 and over.[10]
The racial makeup of the county was 82.8% White, 2.0% Black or African American, 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 5.4% from some other race, and 8.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 16.6% of the population.[11]
None of the residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[12]
Of the 7,167 households in the county, 27.2% had children under 18 living in them, 49.2% were married-couple households, 18.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 or older.[10]
The county had 9,341 housing units, of which 23.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.9% were owner-occupied and 27.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.9%.[10]
Racial and ethnic composition
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[13] | Pop 1990[14] | Pop 2000[15] | Pop 2010[8] | Pop 2020[9] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 18,105 | 16,605 | 15,686 | 15,271 | 13,653 | 92.94% | 89.82% | 85.73% | 82.18% | 77.03% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 365 | 395 | 397 | 318 | 335 | 1.87% | 2.14% | 2.17% | 1.71% | 1.89% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 46 | 43 | 61 | 92 | 96 | 0.24% | 0.23% | 0.33% | 0.50% | 0.54% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 33 | 33 | 36 | 62 | 95 | 0.17% | 0.18% | 0.20% | 0.33% | 0.54% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [16] | x [17] | 2 | 8 | 16 | x | x | 0.01% | 0.04% | 0.09% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 2 | 8 | 15 | 8 | 26 | 0.01% | 0.04% | 0.08% | 0.04% | 0.15% |
| Multiracial (NH) | x [18] | x [19] | 124 | 151 | 570 | x | x | 0.68% | 0.81% | 3.22% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 929 | 1,404 | 1,976 | 2,673 | 2,934 | 4.77% | 7.59% | 10.80% | 14.38% | 16.55% |
| Total | 19,480 | 18,488 | 18,297 | 18,583 | 17,725 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, 18,297 people, 7,321 households, and 5,036 families resided in the county.[20] The population density was 20 inhabitants per square mile (7.7/km2). The 9,547 housing units averaged 10 per square mile (3.9/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 91.03% White, 2.18% African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 4.85% from other races, and 1.25% from two or more races. About 10.80% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 7,321 households, 27.7% had children under 18 living with them, 55.4% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.2% were not families. About 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the county, the population was distributed as 23.2% under 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 22.3% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.
The median income in the county for a household was $26,832 and for a family was $33,562. Males had a median income of $25,598 versus $17,112 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,870. About 12.10% of families and 16.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.10% of those under 18 and 14.80% of those 65 or over.
Eastland Complex fires of 2022
| Eastland Complex fires of 2022 | |
|---|---|
| Part of the 2022 Texas wildfires | |
| Date |
|
| Location | Central Texas |
| Statistics | |
| Total fires | 382 |
| Total area | 54,463 acres (22,040 ha) |
| Impacts | |
| Deaths | 1 |
| Injuries | 1 |
| Structures destroyed | 50 |
| Cost | Unknown |
On March 17, 2022, a fire complex formed about 3 km (1.9 mi) southeast of Romney.[21] It was claimed to have been started by drought conditions. The biggest fire so far was the Kidd fire, burning about 42,333 acres.[22]
Smoke from the fires reached as far as Houston.[23]
Education
School districts include:[24]
- Cisco Independent School District
- Cross Plains Independent School District
- De Leon Independent School District
- Eastland Independent School District
- Gorman Independent School District
- Huckabay Independent School District
- Lingleville Independent School District
- Ranger Independent School District
- Rising Star Independent School District
Despite its small population, the county is home to two community colleges – Cisco College and Ranger College, located in their respective towns.
The service area of Cisco College in the county is Cisco ISD, as per the Texas Education Code (TEC).[25] The service area of Ranger College in the county is the portion of Ranger ISD in that county, except for the "old Bullock School Land", as per the TEC.[26] As of 2024[update], the TEC does not specify community college service areas for the remainder of the county.
Media
Eastland County is part of the Abilene/Sweetwater/Brownwood television viewing area in west-central Texas. Local news media outlets include KRBC-TV, KTXS-TV, KXVA, and KTAB-TV. In the cities of Eastland, Ranger, and Cisco on Suddenlink Communications Cable Television service, residents can view the Dallas/Fort Worth market stations WFAA-TV and KERA-TV.
Eastland County is also served by four local newspapers: the Eastland Telegram, the Rising Star, Ranger Times, and Cisco Press.
Communities
Politics
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 66 | 3.99% | 1,498 | 90.51% | 91 | 5.50% |
| 1916 | 146 | 7.53% | 1,486 | 76.64% | 307 | 15.83% |
| 1920 | 941 | 23.13% | 2,942 | 72.30% | 186 | 4.57% |
| 1924 | 972 | 17.11% | 4,548 | 80.04% | 162 | 2.85% |
| 1928 | 3,233 | 56.38% | 2,501 | 43.62% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 598 | 10.76% | 4,958 | 89.24% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 724 | 13.36% | 4,659 | 85.99% | 35 | 0.65% |
| 1940 | 1,063 | 15.43% | 5,818 | 84.48% | 6 | 0.09% |
| 1944 | 643 | 10.59% | 4,607 | 75.87% | 822 | 13.54% |
| 1948 | 1,177 | 17.66% | 5,121 | 76.83% | 367 | 5.51% |
| 1952 | 4,518 | 57.15% | 3,370 | 42.63% | 18 | 0.23% |
| 1956 | 3,580 | 58.61% | 2,512 | 41.13% | 16 | 0.26% |
| 1960 | 3,359 | 52.09% | 3,058 | 47.42% | 32 | 0.50% |
| 1964 | 2,049 | 30.35% | 4,692 | 69.49% | 11 | 0.16% |
| 1968 | 2,453 | 38.63% | 2,884 | 45.42% | 1,013 | 15.95% |
| 1972 | 4,106 | 71.50% | 1,630 | 28.38% | 7 | 0.12% |
| 1976 | 2,340 | 34.95% | 4,320 | 64.53% | 35 | 0.52% |
| 1980 | 3,442 | 50.05% | 3,346 | 48.65% | 89 | 1.29% |
| 1984 | 4,841 | 65.52% | 2,522 | 34.13% | 26 | 0.35% |
| 1988 | 3,929 | 54.83% | 3,215 | 44.86% | 22 | 0.31% |
| 1992 | 2,830 | 38.87% | 2,738 | 37.60% | 1,713 | 23.53% |
| 1996 | 3,272 | 49.61% | 2,594 | 39.33% | 730 | 11.07% |
| 2000 | 4,531 | 70.64% | 1,774 | 27.66% | 109 | 1.70% |
| 2004 | 5,249 | 76.55% | 1,582 | 23.07% | 26 | 0.38% |
| 2008 | 5,165 | 79.35% | 1,271 | 19.53% | 73 | 1.12% |
| 2012 | 5,444 | 83.82% | 970 | 14.93% | 81 | 1.25% |
| 2016 | 6,011 | 86.33% | 776 | 11.14% | 176 | 2.53% |
| 2020 | 7,237 | 87.27% | 983 | 11.85% | 73 | 0.88% |
| 2024 | 7,397 | 88.44% | 918 | 10.98% | 49 | 0.59% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 7,132 | 86.21% | 1,026 | 12.40% | 115 | 1.39% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 7,015 | 86.72% | 910 | 11.25% | 164 | 2.03% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2022 | 5,468 | 88.91% | 634 | 10.31% | 48 | 0.78% |
