Foard County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofTexas. As of the2020 census, its population was 1,095.[1] Itscounty seat isCrowell,[2] which is also the county's only incorporated community. The county is named for Robert Levi Foard, an attorney who served as a major with the Confederate Army,[3][4] in theAmerican Civil War.
Foard County was one of 46 prohibitions, or entirelydry, counties in the state of Texas until voters approved a referendum to permit the legal sale of alcoholic beverages in May 2006.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 708 square miles (1,830 km2), of which 704 sq mi (1,820 km2) are land and 3.3 sq mi (8.5 km2) (0.5%) are covered by water.[5]
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 1,095, and the median age was 52.0 years. 17.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 29.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.0 males age 18 and over.[9]
<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[11]
There were 474 households in the county, of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.3% were married-couple households, 20.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 571 housing units, of which 17.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 73.2% were owner-occupied and 26.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.6%.[9]
As of the2000 census, 1,622 people, 664 households, and 438 families resided in the county. Thepopulation density was two people per square mile (0.77 people/km2). The 850 housing units averaged one units per square mile (0.39 units/km2). Theracial makeup of the county was 84.16% White, 3.27% Black or African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 10.23% from other races, and 1.54% from two or more races. About 16.34% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 664 households, 29.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.10% were married couples living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.00% were not families; 31.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38, and the average family size was 3.02.
In the county, the population was distributed as 25.80% under the age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 22.30% from 25 to 44, 22.90% from 45 to 64, and 23.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $25,813, and for a family was $34,211. Males had a median income of $21,852 versus $16,450 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $14,799. About 9.90% of families and 14.30% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 14.50% of those under age 18 and 16.20% of those age 65 or over.
Foard County was once a stronghold for theDemocratic Party at both the state and federal levels, remaining so even as ruralWest Texas trended towards theRepublican Party. It had only voted for Republicans in their 1972 and 1984 landslides in the 20th century. The county last voted for a Democratic presidential candidate when it gave its votes toBill Clintonin 1996.
In the 21st century, the vote share of Republican presidential candidates has steadily increased in every election.Barack Obama lost the county by a larger margin in 2008 thanJohn Kerry in 2004, even though Kerry ran against former Governor of TexasGeorge W. Bush. The Republican vote jumped to a record high of over 82% forDonald Trump in 2024.
United States presidential election results for Foard County, Texas[13]
At the statewide level, most notably in gubernatorial races, the county was one of the few rural ones that continued to give its votes to Democratic candidates in West Texas, even as it trended Republican on the national level. For instance, in the landslide re-election of then-governorGeorge W. Bushin 1998, it was one of only 14 counties that gave its votes to Bush's Democratic challengerGarry Mauro, albeit by one vote, as Mauro won 206 votes (49.6%) to Bush's 205 votes (49.4%). The county continued this trend through all ofRick Perry's three gubernatorial landslide elections in2002,2006, and2010, the most recent one when it gave its votes toBill White. This streak endedin 2014, when the county gave its votes to then-Attorney GeneralGreg Abbott, who won 66% of the popular vote overWendy Davis's 33%.
Foard County vote by party in gubernatorial elections[13]
Copper Breaks State Park[15] is located near the Pease River about 8 miles north of Crowell off State Highway 6. The park is located in neighboring Hardeman County.
Comanche Springs Astronomy Campus is located 10 miles west of Crowell off U.S. Highway 70. It is operated as part of the 3 Rivers Ranch by the Texas Tech University System.
