According to theU.S. Census Bureau, as of 2023,Texas was thesecond largest state in population afterCalifornia, with a population of 30,503,301, an increase of more than 1.3 million people, or 4.7%, since the 29,145,505 of the2020 census.[1][2] Its apportioned population in 2020 was 29,183,290.[3] Since the beginning of the 21st century, the state of Texas has experienced strong population growth.[4][5] Texas has many major cities and metropolitan areas, along with many towns and rural areas. Much of the population is concentrated in the major cities ofDallas–Fort Worth,Austin,San Antonio,Houston,McAllen,Brownsville,El Paso, and their correspondingmetropolitan areas. The first four aforementioned main urban centers are also referred to as theTexas Triangle megaregion.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 212,592 | — | |
| 1860 | 604,215 | 184.2% | |
| 1870 | 818,579 | 35.5% | |
| 1880 | 1,591,749 | 94.5% | |
| 1890 | 2,235,527 | 40.4% | |
| 1900 | 3,048,710 | 36.4% | |
| 1910 | 3,896,542 | 27.8% | |
| 1920 | 4,663,228 | 19.7% | |
| 1930 | 5,824,715 | 24.9% | |
| 1940 | 6,414,824 | 10.1% | |
| 1950 | 7,711,194 | 20.2% | |
| 1960 | 9,579,677 | 24.2% | |
| 1970 | 11,196,730 | 16.9% | |
| 1980 | 14,229,191 | 27.1% | |
| 1990 | 16,986,510 | 19.4% | |
| 2000 | 20,851,820 | 22.8% | |
| 2010 | 25,145,561 | 20.6% | |
| 2020 | 29,145,505 | 15.9% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 30,503,301 | 4.7% | |
| 1910–2020 census; 2023.[6][2] | |||
Texas is the second-largest U.S. state in population, after California.[7] The state is also the most populous state in theSouth Central United States, and the most populous state in theSouth.[8] Texas' population growth between 2000 and 2010 represents the highest population increase, by number of people, for any U.S. state during this time period.
At the2020 United States census it was reported that Texas had a resident population of 29,145,505,[1] a 15.9% increase since the2010 U.S. census. Its apportioned population in 2020 was 29,183,290.[3] At the 2010 census, Texas had a population of 25.1 million—an increase of 4.3 million since the year 2000, involving an increase in population in all three subcategories of population growth: natural increase (births minus deaths), net immigration, and net migration. Texas added almost 4 million people between the 2010 and 2020 census'.[9]
Increasing by 470,708 people since July 2021, Texas was the largest-gaining state in the nation, reaching a total population of 30,029,572.[10] By crossing the 30-million-population threshold, Texas joins California as the only states with a resident population above 30 million as of 2023. Growth in Texas was fueled by gains from all three components: net domestic migration (230,961), net international migration (118,614), and natural increase (118,159).[11]
As of 2012, the state had an estimated 4.1 million foreign-born residents, constituting approximately 15% of the state population at the time.[12] An estimated 1.7 million people were undocumented immigrants in 2014.[13] The undocumented population of Texas decreased to an estimated 1,597,000 at the 2016American Community Survey. Of the undocumented immigrant population, 960,000 have resided in Texas from less than 5 up to 14 years. An estimated 637,000 lived in Texas from 15 to 19 and 20 years or more. The undocumented immigrant population rebounded to 1,730,000 in 2018.[14]
Thecenter of population ofTexas is located at30°54′19″N97°21′56″W / 30.905244°N 97.365594°W /30.905244; -97.365594 inBell County, in the town ofHolland.[8]
| Year[15] | In-migrants | Out-migrants | Net migration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 486,558 | 411,641 | 74,917 |
| 2011 | 514,726 | 404,839 | 109,887 |
| 2012 | 507,752 | 402,187 | 105,565 |
| 2013 | 548,034 | 409,977 | 138,057 |
| 2014 | 538,572 | 435,107 | 103,465 |
| 2015 | 553,032 | 445,343 | 107,689 |
| 2016 | 531,996 | 444,340 | 87,656 |
| 2017 | 524,511 | 467,338 | 57,173 |
| 2018 | 563,945 | 462,140 | 101,805 |
| 2019 | 559,661 | 453,015 | 106,646 |
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2000[16] | Pop 2010[17] | Pop 2020[18] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 10,933,313 | 11,397,345 | 11,584,597 | 52.43% | 45.33% | 39.75% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 2,364,255 | 2,886,825 | 3,444,712 | 11.34% | 11.48% | 11.82% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 68,859 | 80,586 | 85,425 | 0.33% | 0.32% | 0.29% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 554,445 | 948,426 | 1,561,518 | 2.66% | 3.77% | 5.36% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 10,757 | 17,920 | 27,857 | 0.05% | 0.07% | 0.10% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 19,958 | 33,980 | 113,584 | 0.10% | 0.14% | 0.39% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 230,567 | 319,558 | 886,095 | 1.11% | 1.27% | 3.04% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6,669,666 | 9,460,921 | 11,441,717 | 31.99% | 37.62% | 39.26% |
| Total | 20,851,820 | 25,145,561 | 29,145,505 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Racial composition | 1900[19] | 1910[19][20] | 1920[19][20] | 1930[19][20] | 1940[19][20] | 1950[19][20] | 1960[19][20] | 1970[19] | 1980[19] | 1990[19] | 2000[21] | 2010[22] | 2020[23] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | 79.6% | 82.2% | 84.0% | 85.3% | 85.5% | 87.2% | 87.4% | 86.8% | 78.7% | 75.2% | 71.0% | 70.4% | 50.1% |
| Non-Hispanic White | – | – | – | – | 74.1% | – | – | 71.0% | 65.7% | 60.6% | 52.4% | 45.3% | 39.7% |
| Black | 20.4% | 17.7% | 15.9% | 14.7% | 14.4% | 12.7% | 12.4% | 12.5% | 12.0% | 11.9% | 11.5% | 11.9% | 12.2% |
| Hispanic (of any race) | – | 7.1% | 9.9% | 13.8% | 11.5% | 13.3% | 14.8% | 16.4% | 21.0% | 25.5% | 32.0% | 37.6% | 39.3% |
| Asian | – | – | – | – | – | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.8% | 1.9% | 2.7% | 3.8% | 5.4% |
| Native Hawaiian and | – | – | – | – | – | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | |||||
| Native | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Other race | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.4% | 8.2% | 10.6% | 11.7% | 10.5% | 13.6% |
| Two or more races | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2.5% | 2.7% | 17.6% |
In 2021, 40.2% of the population was Hispanic and Latino American of any race, 39.3% non-Hispanic white, 11.6% Black or African American, 1.5% American Indian or Alaska Native, 5.1% Asian, 0.2% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 0.4% some other race, and 3.1% two or more races.[24] At the2020 census, the racial and ethnic composition of the state was 42.5%white (39.7% non-Hispanic white), 11.8% Black or African American, 5.4% Asian, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 13.6% some other race, 17.6% two or more races, and 39.3% Hispanic and Latin American of any race.[25][26]
In 2015non-Hispanic whites made up 11,505,371 (41.9%) of the population, followed byBlack Americans at 3,171,043 (11.5%); other races 1,793,580 (6.5%); andHispanics and Latinos (of any race) 10,999,120 (40.0%).[27] At the2010 United States census, the racial composition of Texas was the following:[28]White American 70.4 percent, (Non-Hispanic whites 45.3 percent),Black or African American 11.8 percent,American Indian 0.7 percent,Asian 3.8 percent(1.0 percent Indian, 0.8 percentVietnamese, 0.6 percentChinese, 0.4 percentFilipino, 0.3 percentKorean, 0.1 percentJapanese, 0.6 percent other Asian),Pacific Islander 0.1 percent, some other race 10.5 percent, andtwo or more races 2.7 percent. In addition, 37.6 percent of the population wasHispanic or Latino (of any race)(31.6 percentMexican, 0.9 percentSalvadoran, 0.5 percentPuerto Rican, 0.4 percentHonduran, 0.3 percentGuatemalan 0.3 percentSpaniard, 0.2 percentColombian, 0.2 percentCuban).[29] In 2011, 69.8% of the population of Texas younger than age 1 were minorities (meaning they had at least one parent who was not non-Hispanic white).[30]
Hispanics and Latinos are the largest ethnic group in Texas, outnumbering non-HispanicEuropean Americans as of 2021.[31] More than 11 million people claim Hispanic or Latin American ethnicity. This group forms over 37 percent of Texas's population. People ofMexican descent alone number over 9 million, and made up 31.7 percent of the population. The vast majority of the Hispanic/Latino population in the state is of Mexican descent, the next two largest groups are Salvadorans and Puerto Ricans. There are 385,716Salvadorans and 269,448Puerto Ricans in Texas.[32] Other groups with large numbers in Texas includeHondurans,Guatemalans,Nicaraguans, andCubans, among others.[33][34] Historically, Hispanics in Texas were more likely than in some other states (such as California) to identify as white; according to the 2010 U.S. census, Texas was home to 6,304,207White Hispanics and only 2,594,206 Hispanics of "some other race" (usuallymestizo), compared to a majority of Hispanics identifying as "some other race" in California. However, self-identification among Hispanics has changed significantly from 2010 to 2020, partly due to changes in census methodology. According to the 2023 American Community Survey, only 2,740,386 Hispanics in Texas identified as White alone, while 9,035,783 Hispanics identified as "some other race" or "two or more races".[35]
In 1980,German,Irish, andEnglish Americans were the three largest European ancestry groups in Texas.[36] German Americans made up 11.3 percent of the population and numbered over 2.7 million members. Irish Americans made up 8.2 percent of the population and numbered over 1.9 million. There are roughly over 600,000French Americans, 472,000 Italian Americans, 369,161Scottish Americans, and 288,610Polish Americans residing in Texas; these four ethnic groups made up 2.5 percent, 2.0 percent, 1.5 percent, and 1.0 percent of the population respectively. In the1980 United States census the largest ancestry group reported in Texas was English with 3,083,323 Texans citing they were of English or mostly English ancestry, making them 27 percent of the state at the time.[36] Their ancestry primarily goes back to the original thirteen colonies (the census of 1790 gives 48% of the population of English ancestry, together with 12% Scots and Scots-Irish, 4.5% other Irish, and 3% Welsh, for a total of 67.5% British and Irish; 13% were German, Swiss, Dutch, and French Huguenots; 19% were African American),[37] thus many of them today identify as "American" in ancestry, though they are of predominantlyBritish stock.[38][39] In 2012 there were nearly 200,000Czech Americans living in Texas, the largest number of any state.[40]
African Americans are a racial minority in Texas. Their proportion of the population has declined since the early 20th century after many left the state in theGreat Migration. Blacks of both Hispanic and non-Hispanic origin made up 11.5 percent of the population in 2015; blacks of non-Hispanic origin formed 11.3 percent of the populace. African Americans of both Hispanic and non-Hispanic origin numbered at roughly 2.7 million individuals, increasing in 2018 to 3,908,287.[41] The majority of the Black and African American population of Texas lives in theGreater Houston,Dallas–Fort Worth,San Antonio,Tyler andBeaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan areas.[42]
Native Americans are a smaller minority in the state. Native Americans made up 0.5 percent of Texas's population and number over 118,000 individuals as of 2015.[43] Native Americans of non-Hispanic origin made up 0.3 percent of the population and number over 75,000 individuals.Cherokee made up 0.1 percent of the population, and numbered over 19,400. In contrast, only 583 identified asChippewa.
Asian Americans are a sizable minority group in Texas. Americans of Asian descent formed 4.5 percent of the population in 2015.[43] They total more than 1.2 million individuals. Over 200,000Indian Americans make Texas their home. Texas is also home to more than 187,000Vietnamese and 136,000Chinese. In addition to 92,000Filipinos and 62,000Koreans, there are 18,000Japanese Americans living in the state. Lastly, more than 111,000 people are of other Asian ancestry groups, such asCambodian,Thai, andHmong.Sugar Land, a city within the Houston metropolitan area, andPlano, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area, both have high concentrations of ethnic Chinese and Korean residents. The Houston and Dallas areas,[44][45][46][47] and to a lesser extent, the Austin metropolitan area,[48] all contain substantial Vietnamese communities.
Americans with origins from the Pacific Islands are the smallest minority in Texas. According to the 2019 American Community Survey, only 21,484 Texans are Pacific Islanders.[49] The city ofEuless, a suburb ofFort Worth, contains a sizable population ofTongan Americans, at nearly 900 people, over one percent of the city's population.Killeen has a sufficient population of Samoans and Guamanian,[50] and people of Pacific Islander descent surpass one percent of the city's population.
Multiracial individuals are also a visible minority in Texas. People identifying as multiracial form 2.9 percent of the population, and number over 800,000 people.[49] Over 80,000 Texans claim African and European heritage. People of European and American Indian ancestry number over 108,800. People of European and Asian ancestry number over 57,600. People of African and Native American ancestry were even smaller in number at 15,300.
German descendants inhabit much of central and southeast-central Texas. Over one-third of Texas residents are of Hispanic origin; while many have recently arrived, someTejanos have ancestors with multi-generational ties to 18th century Texas. The African American population in Texas is increasing due to theNew Great Migration.[51][52] In addition to the descendants of the state's former slave population, many African American college graduates have come to the state for work recently in the New Great Migration.[51] Since the early 21st century, the Asian population in Texas has grown—primarily in Houston and Dallas. Other communities with a significantly growing Asian American population is in Austin, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and the Sharyland area next toMcAllen, Texas. Three federally recognized Native American tribes reside in Texas: theAlabama-Coushatta Tribe, theKickapoo Traditional Tribe, and theYsleta del Sur Pueblo.[53] There are 29,000Cherokee Nation citizens, the largest number of any state outside ofOklahoma.[54]
In 2010, 49% of all births were Hispanics; 35% were non-Hispanic whites; 11.5% were non-Hispanic blacks, and 4.3 percent were Asians/Pacific Islanders.[55] Based on U.S. Census Bureau data released in February 2011, for the first time in recent history, Texas's non-Hispanic white population is below 50% (45%) and Hispanics grew to 38%. Between 2000 and 2010, the total population growth by 20.6%, but Hispanics and Latin Americans growth by 65%, whereas non-Hispanic whites grew by only 4.2%.[56] Texas has the fifth highest rate of teenage births in the nation and a plurality of these are to Hispanics or Latinos.[57]
Romani Americans are present in Texas. In Texas, the two main Roma subgroups are Vlax andRomanichal. They mainly live in Houston and Fort Worth, though significant numbers of Romani families live in Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, and El Paso.[58]
There is an Italian community in Texas.[59]
Source:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)[60][61]
| Year | Population | Live births | Deaths | Natural change | Crude birth rate (per 1,000) | Crude death rate (per 1,000) | Natural change (per 1,000) | Crude migration change (per 1,000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 12,904,089 | 218,746 | 100,760 | 117,986 | 17.0 | 7.8 | 9.1 | |
| 1977 | 13,193,050 | 234,985 | 100,185 | 134,800 | 17.8 | 7.6 | 10.2 | |
| 1978 | 13,500,429 | 236,952 | 103,845 | 133,107 | 17.6 | 7.7 | 9.9 | |
| 1979 | 13,888,371 | 254,508 | 104,821 | 149,687 | 18.3 | 7.5 | 10.8 | |
| 1980 | 14,338,208 | 273,580 | 108,160 | 165,420 | 19.1 | 7.5 | 11.5 | |
| 1981 | 14,746,318 | 281,651 | 110,548 | 171,103 | 19.1 | 7.5 | 11.6 | |
| 1982 | 15,331,415 | 303,016 | 111,319 | 191,697 | 19.8 | 7.3 | 12.5 | |
| 1983 | 15,751,676 | 299,650 | 114,813 | 184,837 | 19.0 | 7.3 | 11.7 | |
| 1984 | 16,007,086 | 303,569 | 117,021 | 186,548 | 19.0 | 7.3 | 11.7 | |
| 1985 | 16,272,734 | 312,598 | 118,336 | 194,262 | 19.2 | 7.3 | 11.9 | |
| 1986 | 16,561,113 | 311,006 | 118,747 | 192,259 | 18.8 | 7.2 | 11.6 | |
| 1987 | 16,621,791 | 305,520 | 121,400 | 184,120 | 18.4 | 7.3 | 11.1 | |
| 1988 | 16,667,022 | 307,563 | 124,329 | 183,234 | 18.5 | 7.5 | 11.0 | |
| 1989 | 16,806,735 | 312,279 | 124,878 | 187,401 | 18.6 | 7.4 | 11.2 | |
| 1990 | 17,044,714 | 321,041 | 125,479 | 195,562 | 18.8 | 7.4 | 11.5 | |
| 1991 | 17,339,904 | 322,065 | 126,795 | 195,270 | 18.6 | 7.3 | 11.3 | |
| 1992 | 17,650,479 | 320,845 | 129,108 | 191,737 | 18.2 | 7.3 | 10.9 | |
| 1993 | 17,996,764 | 326,257 | 134,664 | 191,593 | 18.1 | 7.5 | 10.6 | |
| 1994 | 18,338,319 | 321,114 | 136,079 | 185,035 | 17.5 | 7.4 | 10.1 | |
| 1995 | 18,679,706 | 322,753 | 137,821 | 184,932 | 17.3 | 7.4 | 9.9 | |
| 1996 | 19,006,240 | 327,163 | 139,962 | 187,201 | 17.2 | 7.4 | 9.8 | |
| 1997 | 19,355,427 | 333,974 | 142,776 | 191,198 | 17.3 | 7.4 | 9.9 | |
| 1998 | 19,712,389 | 346,101 | 142,605 | 203,496 | 17.6 | 7.2 | 10.3 | |
| 1999 | 20,044,141 | 349,245 | 146,858 | 202,387 | 17.43 | 7.33 | 10.10 | 34.73 |
| 2000 | 20,944,499 | 373,414 | 149,939 | 223,475 | 17.83 | 7.16 | 10.67 | 20.36 |
| 2001 | 21,319,622 | 366,410 | 152,779 | 213,631 | 17.19 | 7.17 | 10.02 | 17.11 |
| 2002 | 21,690,325 | 372,450 | 155,524 | 216,926 | 17.17 | 7.17 | 10.00 | 12.46 |
| 2003 | 22,030,931 | 377,476 | 154,870 | 222,606 | 17.14 | 7.03 | 10.11 | 6.45 |
| 2004 | 22,394,023 | 381,293 | 152,870 | 228,423 | 17.03 | 6.83 | 10.20 | 6.31 |
| 2005 | 22,778,123 | 385,915 | 156,457 | 229,458 | 16.95 | 6.87 | 10.08 | 14.50 |
| 2006 | 23,359,580 | 399,603 | 157,150 | 242,453 | 17.11 | 6.73 | 10.38 | 16.19 |
| 2007 | 23,831,983 | 407,625 | 160,548 | 247,077 | 17.11 | 6.74 | 10.37 | 9.49 |
| 2008 | 24,309,039 | 405,554 | 164,914 | 240,640 | 16.69 | 6.79 | 9.90 | 10.48 |
| 2009 | 24,801,761 | 401,977 | 163,249 | 238,728 | 16.21 | 6.58 | 9.63 | 10.44 |
| 2010 | 25,241,897 | 386,188 | 166,527 | 219,661 | 15.30 | 6.60 | 8.70 | 7.44 |
| 2011 | 25,645,504 | 377,445 | 168,640 | 208,805 | 14.72 | 6.58 | 8.14 | 8.17 |
| 2012 | 26,084,120 | 382,727 | 174,187 | 208,540 | 14.68 | 6.68 | 8.00 | 7.07 |
| 2013 | 26,479,646 | 387,340 | 179,183 | 208,157 | 14.63 | 6.77 | 7.86 | 10.93 |
| 2014 | 26,963,092 | 399,766 | 183,912 | 215,854 | 14.83 | 6.82 | 8.01 | 10.44 |
| 2015 | 27,468,531 | 403,618 | 189,654 | 213,964 | 14.69 | 6.91 | 7.79 | 10.52 |
| 2016 | 27,914,064 | 398,047 | 191,966 | 206,081 | 14.26 | 6.88 | 7.38 | 8.24 |
| 2017 | 28,291,024 | 382,050 | 198,106 | 183,944 | 13.51 | 7.00 | 6.51 | 9.80 |
| 2018 | 28,624,564 | 378,624 | 202,211 | 176,413 | 13.22 | 7.06 | 6.16 | 8.62 |
| 2019 | 28,986,794 | 377,599 | 203,362 | 174,237 | 13.02 | 7.02 | 6.01 | 6.31 |
| 2020 | 29,239,570 | 368,190 | 250,339 | 117,851 | 12.59 | 8.56 | 4.03 | 4.80 |
| 2021 | 29,570,351 | 373,594 | 267,651 | 105,943 | 12.63 | 9.05 | 3.58 | 11.61 |
| 2022 | 30,113,488 | 389,741 | 241,441 | 148,300 | 12.94 | |||
| 2023 | 30,727,890 | 387,636 | 229,122 | 158,514 | 12.62 | |||
| 2024 | 390,506 |
Note: Births in table don't add up, because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number.
| Race | 2013[62] | 2014[63] | 2015[64] | 2016[65] | 2017[66] | 2018[67] | 2019[68] | 2020[69] | 2021[70] | 2022[71] | 2023[72] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | 136,608 (35.3%) | 140,992 (35.3%) | 140,553 (34.8%) | 134,262 (33.7%) | 127,533 (33.4%) | 125,549 (33.2%) | 124,678 (33.0%) | 120,329 (32.7%) | 123,452 (33.0%) | 121,868 (31.3%) | 119,189 (30.7%) |
| Black | 49,039 (12.7%) | 51,274 (12.4%) | 53,144 (13.2%) | 48,562 (12.2%) | 48,642 (12.6%) | 48,144 (12.7%) | 47,326 (12.5%) | 46,643 (12.7%) | 46,371 (12.4%) | 47,804 (12.3%) | 47,140 (12.2%) |
| Asian | 18,861 (4.9%) | 20,844 (5.2%) | 21,775 (5.4%) | 20,889 (5.2%) | 20,385 (5.3%) | 19,850 (5.2%) | 19,930 (5.3%) | 19,064 (5.2%) | 19,424 (5.2%) | 20,794 (5.3%) | 21,694 (5.6%) |
| American Indian | 1,229 (0.3%) | 1,168 (0.3%) | 1,270 (0.3%) | 782 (0.2%) | 664 (0.2%) | 721 (0.2%) | 689 (0.2%) | 638 (0.2%) | 610 (0.2%) | 685 (0.2%) | 630 (0.2%) |
| Pacific Islander | ... | ... | ... | 498 (0.1%) | 510 (0.1%) | 487 (0.1%) | 566 (0.1%) | 543 (0.1%) | 571 (0.1%) | 579 (0.1%) | 607 (0.1%) |
| Hispanic (any race) | 185,467 (47.9%) | 189,462 (47.4%) | 191,157 (47.4%) | 188,393 (47.3%) | 180,216 (47.2%) | 179,142 (47.3%) | 179,689 (47.6%) | 175,940 (47.8%) | 177,386 (47.5%) | 190,889 (49.0%) | 191,967 (49.5%) |
| Total | 387,340 (100%) | 399,766 (100%) | 403,618 (100%) | 398,047 (100%) | 382,050 (100%) | 378,624 (100%) | 377,599 (100%) | 368,190 (100%) | 373,594 (100%) | 389,741 (100%) | 387,945 (100%) |
The most commonAmerican Englishaccent spoken wasTexan English, which is a mix ofSouthern American English andWestern American Englishdialects.Louisiana Creole language is spoken mostly inSoutheast Texas.Chicano English is also widely spoken, as well asAfrican American Vernacular English, andGeneral American English.
| Language | Percentage of population (as of 2010)[73] |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 29.21% |
| Vietnamese | 0.75% |
| Chinese (includingMandarin andCantonese) | 0.56% |
| German | 0.33% |
| Tagalog | 0.29% |
| French | 0.25% |
| Korean andUrdu (tied) | 0.24% |
| Hindi | 0.23% |
| Arabic | 0.21% |
| Niger-Congo languages of West Africa (Ibo,Kru, andYoruba) | 0.15% |
In 2010, 65.80% (14,740,304) of Texas residents age 5 and older spoke English at home as aprimary language, while 29.21% (6,543,702) spoke Spanish, 0.75% (168,886)Vietnamese, and Chinese (which includesCantonese andMandarin) was spoken as amain language by 0.56% (122,921) of the population over the age of five.[73] Other languages spoken include German (includingTexas German) by 0.33% (73,137,)Tagalog with 0.29% (73,137) speakers, and French (includingCajun French) was spoken by 0.25% (55,773) of Texans.[73] In total, 34.20% (7,660,406) of Texas's population age 5 and older spoke amother language other than English.[73]
The 2019 American Community Survey estimated 64.4% of the population spoke only English, and 35.6% spoke a language other than English.[74] Roughly 30% of the total population spoke Spanish. Approximately 50,742 Texans spoke French or a French-creole language. German and other West Germanic languages were spoken by 47,098 residents; Russian, Polish, and other Slavic languages by 27,956; Korean by 31,581; Chinese 22,616; Vietnamese 81,022; Tagalog 43,360; and Arabic by 26,281 Texans.[75]
The majority of Texas's population have been and remain predominantlyChristian (75.5%). Influenced by Spanish Catholic and American Protestant missionary work.[77][78] Texas's large Christian population is also influenced due to its location within theBible Belt.[79] The following largest groups were theirreligious (20%),Judaism (1%),Islam (1%),Buddhism (1%) andHinduism, and other religions at less than 1 percent each.
| Christian | 75.5% | |||
| Catholic | 28% | |||
| Protestant | 47% | |||
| Other Christian | 0.5% | |||
| Unaffiliated | 20% | |||
| Jewish | 1% | |||
| Muslim | 1% | |||
| Buddhist | 1% | |||
| Other faiths | 5% | |||
The largest Christian denomination as of 2014 has been theCatholic Church, per thePew Research Center at 23% of the population, thoughProtestants altogether made up 50% of the Christian population in 2014;[81] in another study by thePublic Religion Research Institute in 2020, the Catholic Church's membership increased to encompassing 28% of the population identifying with a religious or spiritual belief.[78] At the 2020Association of Religion Data Archives study, there were 5,905,142 Catholics in the state.[82] The largest Catholic jurisdictions in Texas are theArchdiocese of Galveston-Houston—the first and oldestLatin Church diocese in Texas[83]—the dioceses ofDallas,Fort Worth, and theArchdiocese of San Antonio.
Among Protestant Christians, which as a whole declined to 47% of the population in a separate study by the Public Religion Research Institute, predominantly-whiteEvangelical Protestantism declined to 14% of the Protestant Christian population.Mainline Protestants in contrast made up 15% of Protestant Texas. Hispanic or Latino American-dominated Protestant churches andhistorically Black or African American Protestantism grew to a collective 13% of the Protestant population.
In contrast, Evangelical Protestants altogether were 31% of the population at the Pew Research Center's 2014 study, andBaptists were the largest Evangelical tradition (14%);[81] per the 2014 study, they made up the second largest Mainline Protestant group behindMethodists (4%).Nondenominational and interdenominational Christians were the second largest Evangelical group (7%) followed byPentecostals (4%). The largest Evangelical Baptists in the state were theSouthern Baptist Convention (9%) and independent Baptists (3%). TheAssemblies of God made the largest Evangelical Pentecostal denomination in 2014. Among Mainline Protestants, theUnited Methodist Church was the largest denomination (4%) and theAmerican Baptist Churches USA comprised the second largest Mainline Protestant group (2%).
According to the Pew Research Center in 2014, the largest historically African American Christian denominations were theNational Baptist Convention (USA) and theChurch of God in Christ. Black Methodists and other Christians made up less than 1 percent each of the Christian demographic. Other Christians made up 1 percent of the total Christian population, and theEastern andOriental Orthodox formed less than 1 percent of the statewide Christian populace. TheChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the largestnontrinitarian Christian group in Texas alongside theJehovah's Witnesses.[81]
The Association of Religion Data Archives in 2020 determined Southern Baptists numbered 3,319,962; non-denominational Protestants 2,405,786 (includingChristian Churches and Churches of Christ, and theChurches of Christ altogether numbering 2,758,353); and United Methodists 938,399 as the most numerous Protestant groups in the state.[82] Baptists altogether (Southern Baptists,American Baptist Associates, American Baptists,Full Gospel Baptists,General Baptists,Free Will Baptists, National Baptists,National Baptists of America,National Missionary Baptists,National Primitive Baptists, andProgressive National Baptists) numbered 3,837,306; Methodists within United Methodism, theAME,AME Zion,CME, and theFree Methodist Church numbered up 1,026,453 Texans.
In 2020, the same study numbered 425,038 Pentecostals spread among the Assemblies of God,Church of God (Cleveland), and Church of God in Christ. Nontrinitarian orOneness Pentecostals numbered 7,042 amongBible Way Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ,COOLJC, and thePentecostal Assemblies of the World. Other Christians including the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox numbered 55,329 altogether, and Episcopalians numbered 134,318 although theAnglican Catholic Church,Anglican Church in America,Anglican Church in North America,Anglican Province of America, andHoly Catholic Church Anglican Rite had a collective presence in 114 churches.
Non-Christian faiths accounted for 4% of the religious population in 2014, and 5% in 2020 per the Pew Research Center and Public Religion Research Institute.[81][78] Adherents of many other religions reside predominantly in the urban centers of Texas. Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism were tied as the second largest religion as of 2014 and 2020. In 2014, 18% of the state's population were religiously unaffiliated. Of the unaffiliated in 2014, an estimated 2% wereatheists and 3%agnostic.
In 1990, the Islamic population was about 140,000 with more recent figures putting the current number of Muslims between 350,000 and 400,000 as of 2012.[84] The Association of Religion Data Archives estimated there were 313,209 Muslims as of 2020.[82] Texas is the fifth-largestMuslim-populated state in the country.[85] The Jewish population was around 128,000 in 2008.[86] In 2020, the Jewish population grew to over 176,000.[87] According to ARDA's 2020 study, there were 43Chabad synagogues; 17,513Conservative Jews; 8,110Orthodox Jews; and 31,378Reform Jews. Around 146,000 adherents of religions such asHinduism andSikhism lived in Texas as of 2004.[88] By 2020, there were 112,153 Hindus and 20 Sikh gurdwaras; 60,882 Texans adhered toBuddhism.
As of 2010, the state has three cities with populations exceeding one million: Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas.[89] These three rank among the 10 most populous cities of the United States. As of 2020, six Texas cities had populations greater than 600,000 people. Austin, Fort Worth, and El Paso are among the 20largest U.S. cities. Texas has fourmetropolitan areas with populations greater than a million:Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington,Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown,San Antonio–New Braunfels, andAustin–Round Rock–San Marcos. The Dallas–Fort Worth and Houston metropolitan areas numbered about 7.5 million and 7 million residents as of 2019.[90]
| Largest city in Texas by year[91] | |
|---|---|
| Year(s) | City |
| 1850–1860 | Galveston[92] |
| 1860–1870 | San Antonio[93] |
| 1870–1890 | Galveston[92] |
| 1890–1900 | Dallas[91] |
| 1900–1930 | San Antonio[93] |
| 1930–present | Houston[94] |
Threeinterstate highways—I-35 to the west (Dallas–Fort Worth to San Antonio, with Austin in between),I-45 to the east (Dallas to Houston), andI-10 to the south (San Antonio to Houston) define theTexas Trianglemegaregion. The region of 60,000 square miles (160,000 km2) contains most of the state's largest cities and metropolitan areas as well as 17 million people, nearly 75 percent of Texas's total population.[95] Houston and Dallas have been recognized as betaworld cities.[96] These cities are spread out amongst the state. Texas has254 counties, which is more than any other state by 95 (Georgia).[97]
In contrast to the cities, unincorporated rural settlements known ascolonias often lack basic infrastructure and are marked by poverty.[98] The office of the Texas Attorney General stated, in 2011, that Texas had about 2,294 colonias and estimates about 500,000 lived in the colonias.Hidalgo County, as of 2011, has the largest number of colonias.[99] Texas has the largest number of people of all states, living in colonias.[98]
| Rank | Name | County | Pop. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston | Harris | 2,288,250 | ||||||
| 2 | San Antonio | Bexar | 1,451,853 | ||||||
| 3 | Dallas | Dallas | 1,288,457 | ||||||
| 4 | Austin | Travis | 964,177 | ||||||
| 5 | Fort Worth | Tarrant | 935,508 | ||||||
| 6 | El Paso | El Paso | 678,415 | ||||||
| 7 | Arlington | Tarrant | 392,786 | ||||||
| 8 | Corpus Christi | Nueces | 317,773 | ||||||
| 9 | Plano | Collin | 288,253 | ||||||
| 10 | Lubbock | Lubbock | 260,993 | ||||||
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston...… serves 1.7 million-plus Catholics.… is the first and oldest diocese in Texas, established by Pope Pius IX in 1847, when Galveston was named themother diocese of the Lone Star State.