Baylor County, Texas

Baylor County
County
The Baylor County Courthouse in Seymour
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°38′N99°13′W / 33.63°N 99.22°W / 33.63; -99.22
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1879
Named for	Henry Weidner Baylor
Seat	Seymour
Largest city	Seymour
Area
• Total	901 sq mi (2,330 km2)
• Land	867 sq mi (2,250 km2)
• Water	34 sq mi (90 km2)  3.7%
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,465
• Density	3.8/sq mi (1.5/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	13th
Website	www.co.baylor.tx.us

Baylor County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 3,465. ^{[1] [2]} Its county seat is Seymour. ^[3]

History

In 1858, the Texas Legislature established Baylor County, naming it for Henry Weidner Baylor, a surgeon in the Texas Rangers during the Mexican–American War. It organized in 1879. ^[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 901 sq mi (2,330 km²), of which 34 sq mi (88 km²) (3.7%) are covered by water. ^[5]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 82
• U.S. Highway 183
• U.S. Highway 277
• U.S. Highway 283
• State Highway 114

Adjacent counties

• Wilbarger County (north)
• Wichita County (northeast)
• Archer County (east)
• Young County (southeast)
• Throckmorton County (south)
• Haskell County (southwest)
• Knox County (west)
• Foard County (northwest)

Geology

See also: Geology of Wichita Falls, Texas

Baylor County is part of the Texas Red Beds, which are strata of red-colored sedimentary rock from the Early Permian. The fossils of Permian period vertebrates in the Texas Red Beds were first discovered by Edward Drinker Cope in 1877. ^{[6] [7]} Subsequent research has revealed rare fossils of Permian amphibians like Trimerorhachis, ^[8] as well as rich deposits of other Permian tetrapods such as Dimetrodon and Diadectes. ^[9] Seymouria baylorensis, a species of Seymouria , was first discovered and named after Baylor County and the city of Seymour. ^[10]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	715		—
1890	2,595		262.9%
1900	3,052		17.6%
1910	8,411		175.6%
1920	7,027		−16.5%
1930	7,418		5.6%
1940	7,755		4.5%
1950	6,875		−11.3%
1960	5,893		−14.3%
1970	5,221		−11.4%
1980	4,919		−5.8%
1990	4,385		−10.9%
2000	4,093		−6.7%
2010	3,726		−9.0%
2020	3,465		−7.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [11] 1850–2010 [12] 2010 [13] 2020 [14]

Baylor 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.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000 [15]	Pop 2010 [13]	Pop 2020 [14]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	3,511	3,147	2,797	85.78%	84.46%	80.72%
Black or African American alone (NH)	135	71	52	3.30%	1.91%	1.50%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	22	10	11	0.54%	0.27%	0.32%
Asian alone (NH)	15	4	9	0.37%	0.11%	0.26%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	5	3	0	0.12%	0.08%	0.00%
Other race alone (NH)	0	1	8	0.00%	0.03%	0.23%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	23	35	149	0.56%	0.94%	4.30%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	382	455	439	9.33%	12.21%	12.67%
Total	4,093	3,726	3,465	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the census ^[16] of 2000, 4,093 people, 1,791 households, and 1,156 families resided in the county. The population density was five people per square mile (1.9 people/km²). The 2,820 housing units averaged three units per square mile (1.2 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.96% White, 3.35% Black or African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 3.32% from other races and 1.15% from two or more races; 9.33% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 1,791 households, 25.2% had children under the age of 18 residing in them, 53.5% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were not families. In addition, 33.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the county, the population was distributed as 23.4% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 21.4% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 24.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $24,627, and for a family was $34,583. Males had a median income of $21,607 versus $19,571 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,384. About 16.1% of the population and 12.9% of families were below the poverty line, and 26.3% of those under the age of 18 and 9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Educational attainment

According to the 2000 census, 21.2% of those aged over 25 did not have a high school diploma, while 32.7% did. Roughly 8.7% of the population had a bachelor's degree, 2.3% had a master's degree, and 0.2% had a doctoral degree. No males had doctoral degrees, while 0.4% of females had one.

Education

Almost all of Baylor County is served by the Seymour Independent School District, which also serves portions of adjacent counties. A small portion is served by the Olney Independent School District. ^[17] The OISD portion was served by the Megargel Independent School District, ^[18] until MISD closed after May 2006. ^[19]

The county is in the service area of Vernon College. ^[20]

Communities

City

• Seymour (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

• Bomarton
• Mabelle
• Red Springs
• Round Timber
• Westover

Politics

Baylor County is represented in the Texas House of Representatives by Republican James Frank, a businessman from Wichita Falls.

United States presidential election results for Baylor County, Texas ^[21]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	1,494	87.78%	183	10.75%	25	1.47%
2016	1,267	84.52%	191	12.74%	41	2.74%
2012	1,297	81.47%	267	16.77%	28	1.76%
2008	1,262	76.81%	366	22.28%	15	0.91%
2004	1,169	71.28%	467	28.48%	4	0.24%
2000	1,285	64.77%	663	33.42%	36	1.81%
1996	860	41.23%	955	45.78%	271	12.99%
1992	611	28.66%	990	46.44%	531	24.91%
1988	914	44.15%	1,153	55.70%	3	0.14%
1984	1,314	56.01%	1,019	43.44%	13	0.55%
1980	1,098	47.61%	1,183	51.30%	25	1.08%
1976	783	36.76%	1,335	62.68%	12	0.56%
1972	1,190	66.52%	598	33.43%	1	0.06%
1968	657	30.36%	1,064	49.17%	443	20.47%
1964	389	21.68%	1,403	78.21%	2	0.11%
1960	713	37.27%	1,199	62.68%	1	0.05%
1956	715	40.49%	1,047	59.29%	4	0.23%
1952	879	43.43%	1,142	56.42%	3	0.15%
1948	101	6.03%	1,522	90.81%	53	3.16%
1944	102	5.70%	1,568	87.65%	119	6.65%
1940	139	7.69%	1,667	92.25%	1	0.06%
1936	100	6.09%	1,541	93.85%	1	0.06%
1932	55	3.68%	1,437	96.25%	1	0.07%
1928	491	38.51%	784	61.49%	0	0.00%
1924	135	11.61%	1,012	87.02%	16	1.38%
1920	139	16.18%	632	73.57%	88	10.24%
1916	47	5.62%	711	85.05%	78	9.33%
1912	15	2.43%	551	89.30%	51	8.27%

See also

• Texas portal

• Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Baylor County

References

1. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Baylor County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
2. "Baylor County, Texas". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved February 23, 2021.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 4, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Archived from the original on April 12, 2017. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
5. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
6. Cope, E. D. Descriptions of extinct vertebrata from the Permian and Triassic formations of the United States. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, 1877. Volume 17:182–195. JSTOR. Accessed on August 28, 2017.
7. Case, E.C. The Red Beds between Wichita Falls, Texas, and Las Vegas, New Mexico, in Relation to Their Vertebrate Fauna. The Journal of Geology, vol. 22, no. 3, 1914, pp. 243–259. JSTOR. Accessed on August 28, 2017.
8. Henry, Randy. NRCS and Landowner Team Up With Houston Museum after Rare Species Discovery. Natural Resources Conservation Service. Accessed on August 28, 2017.
9. Caulfield, Dave. Prehistoric Predators: Fossil Findings in Seymour 'Redefining'. Newschannel 6: October 25, 2015. Accessed on August 28, 2017.
10. Williston, S. W. Restoration of Seymouria Baylorensis Broili, an American Cotylosaur. The Journal of Geology: 1911, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 232–237. JSTOR. Accessed on August 28, 2017.
11. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
12. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
13. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Baylor County, Texas". United States Census Bureau .
14. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Baylor County, Texas". United States Census Bureau .
15. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Baylor County, Texas". United States Census Bureau .
16. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
17. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Baylor County, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved June 29, 2022. - Text list
18. Texas Education Agency: See map of Baylor County. Retrieved on April 9, 2020.
19. "Mergargel School Closes Its Doors". KAUZ-TV. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved July 17, 2010.
20. Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.207. VERNON REGIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
21. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 19, 2018.

External links

• Baylor County from the Handbook of Texas Online
• Baylor County from the Texas Almanac
• Baylor County from the TXGenWeb Project
• Baylor County Profile from the Texas Association of Counties
• Baylor County Website

33°38′N99°13′W / 33.63°N 99.22°W / 33.63; -99.22