Jack County, Texas

For the county in southeast Texas, see Jackson County, Texas.

Jack County
County
The Jack County Courthouse in Jacksboro
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°14′N98°11′W / 33.24°N 98.18°W / 33.24; -98.18
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1857
Seat	Jacksboro
Largest city	Jacksboro
Area
• Total	920 sq mi (2,400 km2)
• Land	911 sq mi (2,360 km2)
• Water	9.5 sq mi (25 km2)  1.0%
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,472
• Density	9.2/sq mi (3.6/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	25th
Website	www.jackcounty.org

Jack County is a county located in the north central part of the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 8,472. ^[1] Its county seat is Jacksboro. ^[2] The county was created in 1856 and organized the next year. ^[3] It is named for Patrick Churchill Jack and his brother William Houston Jack, both soldiers of the Texas Revolution. ^{[4] [5] [6]}

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 920 sq mi (2,400 km²), of which 911 sq mi (2,360 km²) are land and 9.5 sq mi (25 km²) (1.0%) are covered by water. ^[7]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 281
• U.S. Highway 380
• State Highway 59
• State Highway 114
• State Highway 148
• State Highway 199

Adjacent counties

• Clay County (north)
• Montague County (northeast)
• Wise County (east)
• Parker County (southeast)
• Palo Pinto County (south)
• Young County (west)
• Archer County (northwest)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	1,000		—
1870	694		−30.6%
1880	6,626		854.8%
1890	9,740		47.0%
1900	10,224		5.0%
1910	11,817		15.6%
1920	9,863		−16.5%
1930	9,046		−8.3%
1940	10,206		12.8%
1950	7,755		−24.0%
1960	7,418		−4.3%
1970	6,711		−9.5%
1980	7,408		10.4%
1990	6,981		−5.8%
2000	8,763		25.5%
2010	9,044		3.2%
2020	8,472		−6.3%
U.S. Decennial Census [8] 1850–2010 [9] 2010 [10] 2020 [11]

A scene typical of the mixed pastures and wooded hills of eastern Jack County

Jack 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 [12]	Pop 2010 [10]	Pop 2020 [11]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	7,468	7,289	6,358	85.22%	80.59%	75.05%
Black or African American alone (NH)	481	340	294	5.49%	3.76%	3.47%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	48	38	35	0.55%	0.42%	0.41%
Asian alone (NH)	24	30	41	0.27%	0.33%	0.48%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	1	3	5	0.01%	0.03%	0.06%
Other Race alone (NH)	1	6	9	0.01%	0.07%	0.11%
Mixed Race or Multiracial (NH)	49	55	209	0.56%	0.61%	2.47%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	691	1,283	1,521	7.89%	14.19%	17.95%
Total	8,763	9,044	8,472	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the 2000 census, ^[13] 8,763 people, 3,047 households, and 2,227 families were residing in Jack County. The population density was 10 people/sq mi (3.9 people/km²). The 3,668 housing units averaged 4 per square mile (1.5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.68% White, 5.55% African American], 0.67% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 3.85% from other races, and 0.97% from two or more races. About 7.89% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the 3,047 households, 32.7% had children under 18 living with them, 60.3% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.9% were not families. About 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.52, and the average family size was 2.99. As of the 2010 census, about 4.1 same-sex couples per 1,000 households were in the county. ^[14]

In the county, the age distribution was 23.4% under 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 120.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 126.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,500, and for a family was $37,323. Males had a median income of $28,838 versus $20,216 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,210. About 10.1% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.9% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

The county is dominated by agriculture (mostly ranching), which has kept population density low. The extensive mechanization of agriculture has resulted in large farms and few workers.

A $200 million, 110 MW Keechi wind farm project with Enbridge, financed via a 20-year agreement with Microsoft, was announced in 2014. ^{[15] [16] [17]}

Communities

Cities

• Bryson
• Jacksboro (county seat)

Census-designated place

• Perrin

Unincorporated communities

• Antelope
• Cundiff
• Jermyn
• Maryetta
• Newport (also in Clay County)
• Postoak
• Vineyard
• Wizard Wells

Ghost towns

• Barton's Chapel
• Bob Town
• Gibtown
• Joplin
• Senate
• Truce
• Westbrook

Notable people

• Frank Shelby Groner (1877-1943) was county attorney and later president of the College of Marshall.
• Edith Wilmans, first woman elected to the Texas State Legislature, lived near Vineyard, in Jack County, for some years after leaving office; she raised goats and cattle on her farm, and was a practicing lawyer. ^[18]

Politics

Prior to 1952, Jack County was solidly Democratic in presidential elections in similar fashion to almost all of Texas and the Solid South. From 1952 to 1996, the county was a swing county, though became somewhat of a bellwether earlier, voting for the national winner in all presidential elections from 1928 to 2004 except for 1960, 1968, and 1996. From 2000 on, the county has become a Republican Party stronghold, with its presidential candidates winning by increasing margins in each passing election. As a testament to how strongly Republican the county has swung, Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton by a margin of 79.4 percent in 2016, compared to an only 6.7 percent margin Bob Dole won the county by 20 years prior at the start of its Republican trend.

United States presidential election results for Jack County, Texas ^[19]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	3,819	90.91%	363	8.64%	19	0.45%
2020	3,418	90.38%	331	8.75%	33	0.87%
2016	2,973	88.75%	314	9.37%	63	1.88%
2012	2,580	88.72%	303	10.42%	25	0.86%
2008	2,528	83.63%	470	15.55%	25	0.83%
2004	2,470	79.01%	643	20.57%	13	0.42%
2000	2,107	70.85%	822	27.64%	45	1.51%
1996	1,162	46.72%	1,019	40.97%	306	12.30%
1992	1,041	31.10%	1,254	37.47%	1,052	31.43%
1988	1,542	50.16%	1,521	49.48%	11	0.36%
1984	1,825	65.67%	945	34.01%	9	0.32%
1980	1,482	51.51%	1,349	46.89%	46	1.60%
1976	1,049	36.54%	1,814	63.18%	8	0.28%
1972	1,719	68.57%	775	30.91%	13	0.52%
1968	966	37.00%	1,133	43.39%	512	19.61%
1964	847	34.66%	1,594	65.22%	3	0.12%
1960	1,342	55.18%	1,079	44.37%	11	0.45%
1956	1,327	56.54%	997	42.48%	23	0.98%
1952	1,406	55.38%	1,130	44.51%	3	0.12%
1948	265	14.58%	1,426	78.48%	126	6.93%
1944	217	11.05%	1,484	75.56%	263	13.39%
1940	305	12.97%	2,046	86.99%	1	0.04%
1936	183	14.01%	1,113	85.22%	10	0.77%
1932	189	11.57%	1,429	87.45%	16	0.98%
1928	1,068	70.22%	450	29.59%	3	0.20%
1924	290	19.73%	1,154	78.50%	26	1.77%
1920	253	28.72%	566	64.25%	62	7.04%
1916	121	10.98%	862	78.22%	119	10.80%
1912	85	7.35%	755	65.25%	317	27.40%

See also

• Texas portal

• List of museums in North Texas
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Jack County, Texas
• Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Jack County

References

1. "Jack County, Texas". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 30, 2022.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Archived from the original on April 12, 2017. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
4. "Jack, Patrick Churchill". The Handbook of Texas Online. The Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved May 27, 2009.
5. "Jack, William Houston". The Handbook of Texas Online. The Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved May 27, 2009.
6. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  167.
7. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
8. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
9. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
10. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Jack County, Texas". United States Census Bureau .
11. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Jack County, Texas". United States Census Bureau .
12. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Jack County, Texas". United States Census Bureau .
13. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
14. "Where Same-Sex Couples Live", The New York Times, June 26, 2015, retrieved July 6, 2015
15. Smith, Patrick (January 6, 2014). "Enbridge funds $200 million RES Texas wind project". Windpower Monthly . Retrieved September 4, 2014. See also Enbridge
16. Ingle, John. "Casper, Wyoming-based company begins hauling wind generator pieces to Jack County," Times Record News , September 3, 2014. Accessed: September 4, 2014.
17. "Portfolio - RES - Global Renewable Energy Company". www.res-americas.com. Archived from the original on November 17, 2014. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
18. Nancy Baker Jones; Ruthe Winegarten (July 22, 2010). Capitol Women: Texas Female Legislators, 1923–1999. University of Texas Press. pp. 80–. ISBN   978-0-292-78853-4.
19. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 12, 2018.

External links

• Jack County Web Site
• Jack County from the Handbook of Texas Online

33°14′N98°11′W / 33.24°N 98.18°W / 33.24; -98.18