Tom Green County, Texas


Tom Green County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 120,003. Its county seat is San Angelo. The county was created in 1874 and organized the following year. It is named for Thomas Green, who was a Texas revolutionary, Confederate soldier, and lawyer. Tom Green County is included in the San Angelo metropolitan area; the county is home to Goodfellow Air Force Base, as well as Angelo State University, part of the Texas Tech University System.

History

The county was established by the state legislature on March 13, 1874, and named after Thomas Green, a Texas revolutionary and a Confederate brigadier general. It originally comprised an area over.
The original county seat was the town of Ben Ficklin. In 1882, flood waters of the Concho River destroyed the town and drowned 65 people. The county seat was moved to Santa Angela. In 1883, the town's name was officially changed to San Angelo by the United States Post Office. Following completion of the Santa Fe Railway in September 1888, the county increased its cattle production to an estimated export of 3,500 to 5,000 railroad cars. In 1889, San Angelo became incorporated to a city, and Fort Concho shut down after 22 years of operation.
Tom Green County has a long, narrow strip of land extending to the west. This unusual feature is because Reagan County to the west used to be part of Tom Green County, and the state of Texas required that all counties have a contiguous land route to their county seat. The small strip of land served to connect the two main regions. In 1903, the residents of the western section voted to form Reagan County, while the same vote decided that the connecting strip would remain part of Tom Green County.
In 2021, during Winter Storm Uri, the city of San Angelo endured 152 hours at or below freezing temperatures. Hurricanes and tropical storms that have hit Tom Green include:
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which are land and are covered by water. The county's protected areas are Lake Nasworthy, O.C. Fisher Reservoir, Twin Buttes Reservoir, San Angelo State Park and Heart of Texas Wildlife Trail. Tom Green County also has the Concho Rivers, North Concho River, South Concho River; and a small creek named Kickapoo Creek as well.

Adjacent counties

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 120,003. The median age was 36.0 years. 23.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.6 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 65.5% White, 3.8% Black or African American, 0.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 10.5% from some other race, and 17.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 39.2% of the population.
83.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 16.7% lived in rural areas.
There were 46,683 households in the county, of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.1% were married-couple households, 20.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 51,406 housing units, of which 9.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 62.4% were owner-occupied and 37.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.4%.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 104,010 people, 39,503 households, and 26,783 families resided in the county. The population density was. The 43,916 housing units averaged. The racial makeup of the county was 50.76% White, 5.13% African American, 0.65% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 12.82% from other races, and 2.39% from two or more races. About 30.71% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race, 13.2% were of German, 10.7% American, 8.2% English, and 7.2% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000.
Of the 39,503 households, 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.10% were married couples living together, 11.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.20% were not families. About 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.52, and the average family size was 3.09.
In the county, the age distribution was 26.10% under 18, 12.80% from 18 to 24, 27.10% from 25 to 44, 20.60% from 45 to 64, and 13.40% who were 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $33,148, and for a family was $39,482. Males had a median income of $27,949 versus $20,683 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,325. About 11.20% of families and 15.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.20% of those under age 18 and 11.80% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Colleges

All of Tom Green County is in the service area of Howard County Junior College District.

Public school districts

School districts include:

Major highways

  • 20px U.S. Highway 67
  • 20px U.S. Highway 87
  • 25px U.S. Highway 277
  • SH Loop 306

    Communities

City

Notable person