Parker County, Texas

Not to be confused with Parmer County, Texas.

Parker County, Texas
County
The Parker County courthouse in Weatherford
The Parker County courthouse in Weatherford
Map of Texas highlighting Parker County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Coordinates: 32°47′N 97°49′W / 32.78°N 97.81°W / 32.78; -97.81
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1856
Named afterIsaac Parker, Texas legislator
SeatWeatherford
Largest cityWeatherford
Area
 • Total
910 sq mi (2,400 km2)
 • Land903 sq mi (2,340 km2)
 • Water6.6 sq mi (17 km2)  0.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
148,222
 • Estimate 
(2024)
179,707 Increase
 • Density160/sq mi (62/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts12th, 25th
Websitewww.parkercountytx.com

Parker County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 148,222.[1] The county seat is Weatherford.[2] The county was created in 1855 and organized the following year.[3] It is named for Isaac Parker, a state legislator who introduced the bill that established the county in 1855.[4] Parker later fought in the Texas Brigade.[5]

Parker County is included in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan statistical area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 910 square miles (2,400 km2), of which 903 square miles (2,340 km2) are land and 6.6 square miles (17 km2) (0.7%) are covered by water.[6] The county is intersected by the Brazos River.[7]

Highest point

Main article: Slipdown Mountain

Slipdown Mountain and Slipdown Bluff, at a height of 1,368 feet (417 m), are the highest points in Parker County.[8] They are located just east of the Advance community, southwest of Poolville.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Communities

Cities (multiple counties)

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18604,213—
18704,186−0.6%
188015,870279.1%
189021,68236.6%
190025,82319.1%
191026,3312.0%
192023,382−11.2%
193018,759−19.8%
194020,4829.2%
195021,5285.1%
196022,8806.3%
197033,88848.1%
198044,60931.6%
199064,78545.2%
200088,49536.6%
2010116,92732.1%
2020148,22026.8%
2024 (est.)179,707[9]21.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1850–2010[11] 2010[12] 2020[13]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 148,222, up from 88,495 in 2000.[14] The median age was 39.8 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.0 males age 18 and over.[15]

The racial makeup of the county was 83.0% White, 1.2% Black or African American, 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.6% from some other race, and 9.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 13.4% of the population.[16]

35.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 64.3% lived in rural areas.[17]

There were 53,482 households in the county, of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 61.5% were married-couple households, 14.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 19.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[15]

There were 57,427 housing units, of which 6.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 79.3% were owner-occupied and 20.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.1%.[15]

Racial and ethnic composition

Parker 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[14] Pop 2010[12] Pop 2020[13] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
  White alone (NH) 78,980 99,698 117,747 89.25% 85.27% 79.44%
  Black or African American alone (NH) 1,559 1,842 1,636 1.76% 1.58% 1.10%
  Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 518 768 878 0.59% 0.66% 0.59%
Asian alone (NH) 298 631 990 0.34% 0.54% 0.67%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 19 35 97 0.02% 0.03% 0.07%
Other race alone (NH) 58 64 470 0.07% 0.05% 0.32%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 852 1,479 6,585 0.96% 1.26% 4.44%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6,211 12,410 19,819 7.02% 10.61% 13.37%
Total 88,495 116,927 148,222 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Politics

Parker County, like most suburban counties in the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area, has been a Republican stronghold for decades. Republicans have held all public offices since 1999 and the county has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1976.

United States presidential election results for Parker County, Texas[18]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
№  % №  % №  %
1912 135 5.62% 1,700 70.72% 569 23.67%
1916 173 7.77% 1,797 80.69% 257 11.54%
1920 488 20.60% 1,765 74.50% 116 4.90%
1924 438 14.70% 2,391 80.26% 150 5.04%
1928 2,178 66.24% 1,110 33.76% 0 0.00%
1932 372 10.68% 3,074 88.28% 36 1.03%
1936 375 12.95% 2,493 86.08% 28 0.97%
1940 558 13.12% 3,687 86.69% 8 0.19%
1944 559 12.27% 3,503 76.90% 493 10.82%
1948 806 19.75% 3,061 75.02% 213 5.22%
1952 3,523 50.50% 3,434 49.23% 19 0.27%
1956 3,390 51.46% 3,165 48.04% 33 0.50%
1960 3,467 48.50% 3,629 50.77% 52 0.73%
1964 2,175 29.16% 5,270 70.66% 13 0.17%
1968 3,068 32.98% 4,301 46.23% 1,934 20.79%
1972 7,152 69.11% 3,184 30.77% 13 0.13%
1976 4,692 36.18% 8,186 63.12% 91 0.70%
1980 8,505 52.65% 7,336 45.41% 314 1.94%
1984 13,647 69.07% 6,050 30.62% 62 0.31%
1988 14,090 62.01% 8,517 37.48% 116 0.51%
1992 10,321 37.54% 7,934 28.86% 9,239 33.60%
1996 14,580 54.29% 9,447 35.18% 2,828 10.53%
2000 23,651 71.18% 8,878 26.72% 696 2.09%
2004 31,795 77.63% 8,966 21.89% 196 0.48%
2008 36,974 77.11% 10,502 21.90% 475 0.99%
2012 39,243 82.28% 7,853 16.47% 598 1.25%
2016 46,473 81.79% 8,344 14.69% 2,000 3.52%
2020 62,045 81.50% 13,017 17.10% 1,066 1.40%
2024 75,168 82.75% 14,872 16.37% 800 0.88%
United States Senate election results for Parker County, Texas1[19]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
№  % №  % №  %
2024 72,477 79.89% 16,349 18.02% 1,900 2.09%

Notable people

  • Oliver Loving, developer of the Loving-Goodnight Cattle Trail
  • Bose Ikard, trusted cattle driver of Oliver Loving and Charles Goodnight
  • Mary Martin, star of stage and screen
  • S.W.T. Lanham, last Confederate veteran to serve as governor of Texas
  • Jim Wright, youngest mayor of Weatherford, Texas, and Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives

See also

References

  1. ^ "Parker 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 May 13, 2015. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  4. ^ "PARKER COUNTY". Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  5. ^ "Parker, Isaac".
  6. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
  7. ^ Ripley, George; Dana, Charles A., eds. (1879). "Parker" . The American Cyclopædia.
  8. ^ "Parker County Highpoint Trip Report". Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  9. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
  10. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  11. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
  12. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Parker County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  13. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Parker County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  14. ^ a b "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Parker County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  15. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
  16. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
  17. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
  18. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  19. ^ "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)". Commonwealth of Texas by county. November 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.

[1]

32°47′N 97°49′W / 32.78°N 97.81°W / 32.78; -97.81

  1. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Parker County, Texas". www.census.gov. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parker_County,_Texas