Hardeman County, Tennessee | |
|---|---|
 Hardeman County Courthouse in Bolivar | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofTennessee | |
| Coordinates:35°12′N89°00′W / 35.2°N 89°W /35.2; -89 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Tennessee |
| Founded | 1823 |
| Named after | Thomas J. Hardeman[1] |
| Seat | Bolivar |
| Largest city | Bolivar |
| Area | |
• Total | 670 sq mi (1,700 km2) |
| • Land | 668 sq mi (1,730 km2) |
| • Water | 2.6 sq mi (6.7 km2) 0.4% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 25,462 |
| • Density | 41/sq mi (16/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 8th |
| Website | https://hardemancounty.org/ |
Hardeman County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofTennessee. As of the2020 census, the population was 25,462.[2] Itscounty seat isBolivar.[3]
Hardeman County was created by theTennessee General Assembly in 1823 from parts ofHardin County and "Indian lands." It is named for Thomas J. Hardeman[4] (1788–1854), a veteran of theCreek War and theWar of 1812 and a prominent figure in the fight forTexas independence. He served as a congressman in theRepublic of Texas, and was also the father ofConfederate brigadier generalWilliam Polk Hardeman.[1]
Settlers began arriving in the area that is now Hardeman County in 1819, following a treaty with theChickasaw allowing settlement in West Tennessee signed on October 19, 1818.[5] Among these earliest settlers were the county's namesame Thomas Hardeman andEzekiel Polk, the paternal grandfather of presidentJames K. Polk.[6] Thereafter, further settlers arrived from Middle Tennessee, Alabama, North and South Carolina, and Virginia.[5]
The first permanent settlement was established in 1823 along theHatchie River, dubbed Hatchie Town. The town's location along the river led to recurrent flooding, and ultimately the decision was made to relocate the settlement approximately one mile south to what is now Bolivar.[5][6]
Hardeman County was the site of several battles and skirmishes in theCivil War. The largest of these was theBattle of Hatchie's Bridge which took place on October 5, 1862, and resulted in 900 total casualties. Much of downtown Bolivar was also burned down during the war.[5][6] The town ofGrand Junction was the site of the firstcontraband camp, organized by John Eaton to shelter and employ enslaved individuals captured by the Union.[5][6][7]
The county is the location of two of Tennessee's four private prisons, theWhiteville Correctional Facility and theHardeman County Correctional Center. Both are medium-security facilities for men, operated by theCorrections Corporation of America.[8][9]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 670 square miles (1,700 km2), of which 668 square miles (1,730 km2) is land and 2.6 square miles (6.7 km2) (0.4%) is water.[10] It is the fifth-largest county in Tennessee by area.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1830 | 11,655 | — | |
| 1840 | 14,563 | 25.0% | |
| 1850 | 17,456 | 19.9% | |
| 1860 | 17,769 | 1.8% | |
| 1870 | 18,074 | 1.7% | |
| 1880 | 22,921 | 26.8% | |
| 1890 | 21,029 | −8.3% | |
| 1900 | 22,976 | 9.3% | |
| 1910 | 23,011 | 0.2% | |
| 1920 | 22,278 | −3.2% | |
| 1930 | 22,193 | −0.4% | |
| 1940 | 23,590 | 6.3% | |
| 1950 | 23,311 | −1.2% | |
| 1960 | 21,517 | −7.7% | |
| 1970 | 22,435 | 4.3% | |
| 1980 | 23,873 | 6.4% | |
| 1990 | 23,377 | −2.1% | |
| 2000 | 28,105 | 20.2% | |
| 2010 | 27,253 | −3.0% | |
| 2020 | 25,462 | −6.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] 1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13] 1990-2000[14] 2010-2014[2] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[16] | Pop 2010[17] | Pop 2020[18] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 15,994 | 15,197 | 13,970 | 56.91% | 55.76% | 54.87% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 11,474 | 11,228 | 10,150 | 40.83% | 41.20% | 39.86% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 66 | 56 | 46 | 0.23% | 0.21% | 0.18% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 78 | 145 | 162 | 0.28% | 0.53% | 0.64% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0.02% | 0.00% | 0.02% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 13 | 18 | 68 | 0.05% | 0.07% | 0.27% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 202 | 233 | 566 | 0.72% | 0.85% | 2.22% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 273 | 376 | 494 | 0.97% | 1.38% | 1.94% |
| Total | 28,105 | 27,253 | 25,462 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 25,462, 8,891 households, and 5,816 families. The median age was 42.0 years; 18.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.3% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 121.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 126.9 males.[19]
The racial makeup of the county was 55.3%White, 40.0%Black or African American, 0.2%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Asian, <0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 1.1% from some other race, and 2.7% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.9% of the population.[20]
20.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 79.3% lived in rural areas.[21]
There were 9,174 households in the county, of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 40.6% were married-couple households, 19.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 34.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[19]
There were 10,655 housing units, of which 13.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 69.8% were owner-occupied and 30.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.5%.[19]
As of the2010 census[22] the racial makeup of the county was 56.1%White (non-Hispanic) orEuropean American, 41.01%Black orAfrican American, 0.24%Native American, 0.29%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.2% fromother races, and 0.79% from two or more races. 0.96% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
As of the2000 census[22] there were 28,105 people, 9,412 households, and 6,767 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 42 people per square mile (16 people/km2). There were 10,694 housing units at an average density of 16 units per square mile (6.2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 57.34%White (non-Hispanic) orEuropean American, 40.97%Black orAfrican American, 0.26%Native American, 0.31%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 0.30% fromother races, and 0.79% from two or more races. 0.97% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 9,412 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.00% weremarried couples living together, 17.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 25.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.90% under the age of 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 31.30% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 116.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 121.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,111, and the median income for a family was $34,746. Males had a median income of $27,828 versus $20,759 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $13,349. About 16.90% of families and 19.70% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 24.40% of those under age 18 and 20.80% of those age 65 or over.
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Apart from its powerful vote againstHubert Humphrey in 1968 andGeorge McGovern in 1972 as well asGeorge H. W. Bush's 21-vote plurality in 1988, Hardeman County was a solidly Democratic county up until it flipped toDonald Trump in 2016.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 320 | 16.71% | 1,323 | 69.09% | 272 | 14.20% |
| 1916 | 485 | 21.89% | 1,724 | 77.80% | 7 | 0.32% |
| 1920 | 895 | 28.59% | 2,212 | 70.67% | 23 | 0.73% |
| 1924 | 254 | 13.39% | 1,586 | 83.61% | 57 | 3.00% |
| 1928 | 491 | 25.04% | 1,453 | 74.09% | 17 | 0.87% |
| 1932 | 281 | 10.49% | 2,377 | 88.69% | 22 | 0.82% |
| 1936 | 157 | 7.74% | 1,869 | 92.11% | 3 | 0.15% |
| 1940 | 319 | 11.10% | 2,549 | 88.66% | 7 | 0.24% |
| 1944 | 444 | 18.50% | 1,949 | 81.21% | 7 | 0.29% |
| 1948 | 317 | 9.61% | 1,609 | 48.76% | 1,374 | 41.64% |
| 1952 | 1,256 | 31.17% | 2,747 | 68.18% | 26 | 0.65% |
| 1956 | 818 | 24.40% | 1,754 | 52.31% | 781 | 23.29% |
| 1960 | 1,601 | 44.42% | 1,711 | 47.48% | 292 | 8.10% |
| 1964 | 2,450 | 47.80% | 2,675 | 52.20% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 1,171 | 20.18% | 1,709 | 29.45% | 2,924 | 50.38% |
| 1972 | 3,494 | 66.00% | 1,550 | 29.28% | 250 | 4.72% |
| 1976 | 2,254 | 35.95% | 3,934 | 62.74% | 82 | 1.31% |
| 1980 | 2,931 | 40.68% | 4,153 | 57.64% | 121 | 1.68% |
| 1984 | 3,712 | 48.68% | 3,797 | 49.79% | 117 | 1.53% |
| 1988 | 3,547 | 49.69% | 3,526 | 49.40% | 65 | 0.91% |
| 1992 | 3,122 | 36.19% | 4,832 | 56.01% | 673 | 7.80% |
| 1996 | 2,961 | 35.97% | 4,859 | 59.03% | 411 | 4.99% |
| 2000 | 3,729 | 42.36% | 4,953 | 56.26% | 121 | 1.37% |
| 2004 | 4,704 | 44.95% | 5,685 | 54.32% | 77 | 0.74% |
| 2008 | 5,225 | 46.50% | 5,919 | 52.67% | 93 | 0.83% |
| 2012 | 4,865 | 46.60% | 5,482 | 52.51% | 92 | 0.88% |
| 2016 | 4,919 | 53.05% | 4,185 | 45.13% | 169 | 1.82% |
| 2020 | 5,760 | 57.24% | 4,180 | 41.54% | 123 | 1.22% |
| 2024 | 5,793 | 61.63% | 3,527 | 37.53% | 79 | 0.84% |
Places adjacent to Hardeman County, Tennessee | |
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Municipalities and communities ofHardeman County, Tennessee,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
35°12′N89°00′W / 35.20°N 89.00°W /35.20; -89.00
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