Houston County

The first new county created under the nine-year Republic of Texas on June 12, 1837. The original boundaries of Houston County also included all of present-day Anderson and Trinity Counties, and portions of present-day Henderson and Polk Counties. The county is named for Sam Houston, President of the Republic of Texas and Governor of Texas. Other than being named for the same person, Houston County is not related to Texas' most populous city, Houston, which is located about 100 mi to the south, in Harris County.

• County — Houston County • State — Texas • Founded — 1837 • Seat Wl — Crockett • Largest City Wl — Crockett • Area Total Sq Mi — 1237 • Area Land Sq Mi — 1231 • Area Water Sq Mi — 5.7 • Area Water Percent — 0.5 • Population As Of — 2020 • Population Total — 22066 • Pop Est As Of — 2025 • Population Est — 22316 • Population Density Sq Mi — auto • Time Zone — Central • District — 17th • Named For — Sam Houston

• Illustration — The Houston County Museum is located in a restored railroad depot south of Crockett. The Four C Mill operated in Houston County during the first two decades of the 20th century. R. M. Keith, agent of the Central Coal and Coke Company in Kansas City, Missouri, began buying virgin timber in the fall of 1899. Lumber to construct the new mill was cut by a small sawmill purchased in early 1901 from J. H. Ratcliff. Keith organized the Louisiana and Texas Lumber Company to operate the Four C. The mill was producing 300,000 board feet of lumber daily by June 1902. Ratcliff Lake, now a United States Department of Interior recreational site, was the millpond for the Four C. The Texas Southeastern Railroad laid track from Lufkin to haul out the lumber. The town of Ratcliff was separated from the Four C by a fence, built to discourage the mill workers from spending their money outside the company town. The 120,000 acres were in time exhausted, and by 1920, the mill shut down.

• Illustration — Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area is located in the Davy Crockett National Forest in Houston County east of Crockett. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1237 sqmi, of which 1231 sqmi are land and 5.7 sqmi (0.5%) are covered by water.

• Anderson County (north) • Cherokee County (northeast) • Angelina County (east) • Trinity County (southeast) • Walker County (south) • Madison County (southwest) • Leon County (west)

• Davy Crockett National Forest (part)

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 22,066. The median age was 45.2 years. 18.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 117.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 120.8 males age 18 and over. The racial makeup of the county was 60.9% White, 23.5% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 8.8% from some other race, and 5.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 13.9% of the population. 26.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 73.1% lived in rural areas. There were 8,132 households in the county, of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.0% were married-couple households, 19.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 10,758 housing units, of which 24.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.4% were owner-occupied and 27.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.9%.

As of the 2000 census, 23,185 people, 8,259 households, and 5,756 families were residing in the county. The population density was 19 /mi2; it had the second-lowest population density for all counties in Deep East Texas, behind only Newton County. The 10,730 housing units averaged 9 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 68.57% White, 27.93% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 2.23% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. About 7.50% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race. Of the 8,259 households, 28.7% had children under 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were not families. About 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.44, and the average family size was 2.97. In the county, the age distribution was 23.2% under 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 or older. The median age was 40.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.1 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 115.9 males. The median income for a household in the county was $28,119, and for a family was $35,033. Males had a median income of $29,143 versus $19,885 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,525. About 15.6% of families and 21.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.3% of those under 18 and 18.2% of those 65 or over.

• Illustration — Austonio Baptist Church off Texas State Highway 21 in Houston County Eastham Unit, a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison for men, is located in an unincorporated area in the county. The Crockett State School, a Texas Youth Commission juvenile correctional facility for boys, was located in Crockett. but was closed on August 31, 2011. Republican

• U.S. Highway 287 • State Highway 7 • State Highway 19 • State Highway 21 • Loop 304 Houston County is served by US Highway 287 and State Highways 7, 19, and 21. All of these highways intersect at the Courthouse Square in downtown Crockett. SH 21 follows the 300-year-old route of Old San Antonio Road. Texas State Highway Loop 304 circles the city of Crockett.

Freight rail service is provided by Union Pacific Railroad. The Crockett Depot, built in 1909, has been restored and now serves as the Houston County Museum.

Houston County Airport (KDKR), located 3 miles east of Crockett on SH 7, features a 4,000-foot runway. On-site aircraft services are provided by East Texas Aircraft.

Demand and response public transportation within Houston County is provided by Brazos Transit District.

• Crockett (county seat) • Grapeland • Kennard • Latexo • Lovelady

• Ash • Augusta • Austonio • Belott • Berea • Burrantown • Center Hill • Cooper • Creath • Fodice • Germany • Hagerville • Hickory Creek • Holly • Hopewell • Lone Pine • Mapleton • Mound City‡ • Pennington‡ • Percilla • Porter Springs • Ratcliff • Refuge • Reynard • Stubblefield • Tadmor • Weches • Weldon

• Allen Chapel • Antioch • Arbor Grove • Center Grove • Coltharp • Creek • Cut • Druso • Easley Chapel • Elkins • Givens Hill • Guiceland • Halls Bluff • Liberty Hill • Livelyville • Mount Vernon • Pearson's Chapel • Plain • Plainview • Pleasant Grove • Pleasant Hill • Post Oak • Prairie Point • Randolph • San Pedro • Sand Ridge • Shady Grove • Shiloh • Smith Grove • Sorghumville • Vistula • Volga • Waneta • Wesley Chapel • Wheeler Springs

Five school districts are located entirely in the county: • Crockett Independent School District • Lovelady Independent School District • Kennard Independent School District • Latexo Independent School District • Grapeland Independent School District In addition, small portions of Groveton Independent School District and Elkhart Independent School District, located in Trinity County and Anderson County, respectively, extend into Houston County. The county is in the district for Angelina College.