Concho County, Texas


Concho County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. At the 2020 [United States census|2020 census], the population was 3,303. Its county seat is Paint Rock. The county was founded in 1858 and later organized in 1879. It is named for the Concho River.

History

In the 1800s, Paleo-Indians lived in the county and left behind archaeological remains of a burned-rock midden. Athabascan-speaking Indians associated with the pre-horse Plains culture live in this part of Texas. Later native inhabitants included Jumano, Tonkawa, Comanche and Lipan Apache.
In 1847, John O. Meusebach sent surveyors into the area. In 1849, Robert Simpson Neighbors led a small expedition through the area.
The Texas Legislature formed Concho County from Bexar County in 1858.
In 1874, Ranald S. Mackenzie led a campaign to drive out the remaining native peoples and established the Mackenzie Trail. The county seat was formally established and named Paint Rock after the nearby pictographs. The Eden community was established in 1882. In 1909, the community of Lowake was established.

Railroad development

Railroads came to the county first in 1910, with the Concho, San Saba and Llano Valley railroad being completed to Paint Rock. The Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway was completed across the southeastern corner of the county in 1911, and the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe railroad finished a line to Eden in 1912.
By 1930, the area had 449 owner-operated farms and 682 tenant-operated farms, of whom 619 were sharecroppers.
In 1940, Concho County became part of a soil-conservation district. In 1985, the Texas Water Commission granted permission to impound of water on the Colorado River at Stacy, to create the O. H. Ivie Reservoir.
In 1988, Concho County was the leading sheep-producing county in Texas.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water.

Major highways

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 3,303 and a median age of 42.6 years. 13.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 187.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 205.6 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 76.2% White, 2.5% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 10.3% from some other race, and 9.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 31.3% of the population.
<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 977 households in the county, of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 53.0% were married-couple households, 20.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 1,407 housing units, of which 30.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 79.4% were owner-occupied and 20.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.5%.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, 3,966 people, 1,058 households and 757 families resided in the county. The population density was. There were 1,488 housing units at an average density of. The racial make-up of the county was 88.20% White, 0.98% Black or African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 8.93% from other races and 1.24% from two or more races. About 41.33% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.
Of the 1,058 households, 29.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.40% were married couples living together, 9.70% had a female householder with no husband present and 28.40% were not families. About 26.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.97.
16.10% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 38.20% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64 and 13.80% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 181.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 209.90 males.
The median household income was $31,313 and the median family income was $36,894. Males had a median income of $20,750 and females $21,458. The per capita income was $15,727. About 7.50% of families and 11.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.80% of those under age 18 and 14.20% of those age 65 or over.
In 2004, Concho County has the third-highest proportion of prison inmates amongst its residents of any county equivalent in the United States, behind Crowley County, Colorado, and West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. As a result, the county had the highest gender ratio in the United States with 232 men to every 100 women.

Communities

City

The 1968 movie Journey to Shiloh features a group known as the "Concho County Comanches," and mentions neighboring Menard County.

Politics

Education

School districts include:
All of Concho County is in the service area of Howard County Junior College District.