As of 2000, it had the second-lowest population density for all counties inEast Texas, behind onlyRed River County, and the lowest population density inDeep East Texas.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 940 square miles (2,400 km2), of which 934 square miles (2,420 km2) is land and 6.1 square miles (16 km2) (0.6%) is covered by water.[3]
U.S. Decennial Census[4] 1850–2010[5] 2010–2020[6]
Newton 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[9] of 2000, 15,072 people, 5,583 households, and 4,092 families resided in the county. Thepopulation density was 16 people per square mile (6.2 people/km2). The 7,331 housing units averaged 8 units per square mile (3.1/km2). Theracial makeup of the county was 75.84% White, 20.69% Black, 0.63% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.56% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. About 3.79% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 5,583 households, 32.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.10% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.70% were not families; 24.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the county, the population was distributed as 26.20% under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 26.60% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $28,500, and for a family was $34,345. Males had a median income of $31,294 versus $17,738 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $13,381. About 15.50% of families and 19.10% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 24.40% of those under age 18 and 17.30% of those age 65 or over.
Newton County was once one of the mostDemocratic-leaning counties in East Texas and the Deep South altogether. Until 1968, the county had voted for the Democratic candidate in every election since Texas first participatedin 1848 (excluding the1860,1864, and1868 elections when the state had seceded). Even whenRepublicansHerbert Hoover andDwight D. Eisenhower carried Texas in1928,1952, and1956, respectively, Newton County remained Democratic, usually by wide margins.
The Democratic streak in Newton County was endedin 1968 whenAmerican Independent Party candidateGeorge Wallace narrowly won the county with 42.6% of the vote against DemocratHubert Humphrey's 41.7%. PresidentRichard Nixonin 1972 became the first Republican to ever win the county in an election with 54% of the vote against DemocratGeorge McGovern's 45.4%. After 1972, the county returned to voting Democratic, surviving the landslide elections of RepublicansRonald Reagan andGeorge H. W. Bush in1980,1984, and1988, respectively. In fact, Newton County wasWalter Mondale's strongest county in East Texas in the 1984 election, winning 60.6% of the vote, and one of only four in the region to vote for him.Michael Dukakis in 1988 remains the last Democratic presidential candidate to win over 60% of the vote in the county.[10]
Since 1988, the Democratic percentage in Newton County has decreased in every election, culminating inAl Gore's narrow winin 2000 with 50.16% against GovernorGeorge W. Bush's 48.56%. As of 2024, Gore remains the last Democrat to win the county's votes in a presidential election. Since 2004, the Republican candidate has comfortably carried the county in every election, with Bush winning 55.42% in2004,John McCain winning 65.51% in2008,Mitt Romney winning 70.06% in2012 andDonald Trump winning 77.48%, 80.11%, and 83.13% in 2016, 2020, and 2024 respectively.[10]
United States presidential election results for Newton County, Texas[11]
Areas of Newton County in Brookeland ISD, Burkeville ISD, and Newton ISD are assigned toAngelina College.[13] Legislation does not specify a community college for the remainder of the county.
