Veterans Memorial with eternal flame (not visible in photo) at Wharton County CourthouseMemorial toSheriff Hamilton B. Dickson of Wharton County who served during the 1880s and was killed in anambush in the line of duty.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,094 square miles (2,830 km2), of which 1,086 square miles (2,810 km2) is land and 8.2 square miles (21 km2) (0.8%) is water.[3]
The county is about 130 miles (210 km) southeast ofAustin.[4]
U.S. Decennial Census[5] 1850–2010[6] 2010[7] 2020[8]
Wharton 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.
As of thecensus[10] of 2000, there were 41,188 people, 14,799 households, and 10,744 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 38 people per square mile (15 people/km2). There were 16,606 housing units at an average density of 15 units per square mile (5.8 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 69.01%White, 14.95%Black orAfrican American, 0.37%Native American, 0.31%Asian, 0.06%Pacific Islander, 13.65% fromother races, and 1.64% from two or more races. 31.29% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 12.8% were ofCzech, 11.0%German and 7.0%American ancestry according toCensus 2000. 73.8% spokeEnglish, 24.0%Spanish and 2.0%Czech as their first language.
There were 14,799 households, out of which 35.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.50% weremarried couples living together, 12.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 24.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.70% under the age of 18, 9.30% from 18 to 24, 26.50% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,208, and the median income for a family was $39,919. Males had a median income of $30,480 versus $20,101 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $15,388. About 13.30% of families and 16.50% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 18.50% of those under age 18 and 17.70% of those age 65 or over.
A map commissioned by the United States government in the 1860s, and sold by theUnion Army for the benefit of wounded troops, indicates that, based on data from the 1860national census, 80.9% of the population of Wharton County wasenslaved.[11] The county then had a total of 3,380 people. This was the highest proportion of slaves in a single county in the state of Texas. Demand related to development of new areas forcultivation had caused the number ofslaves overall in the state to triple between 1850 and 1860, from 58,000 to 182,566.[12]
.svg)
