Kent County, Texas

County in Texas, United States

County in Texas

Kent County

County

Kent County Courthouse in Jayton

Location within the U.S. state of Texas

Texas's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 33°11′N 100°46′W﻿ / ﻿33.19°N 100.77°W﻿ / 33.19; -100.77
Country|  United States
State|  Texas
Founded| 1892
Named after| Andrew Kent
Seat| Jayton
Largest city| Jayton
Area

• Total

| 903 sq mi (2,340 km2)
• Land| 903 sq mi (2,340 km2)
• Water| 0.4 sq mi (1 km2)  0.05%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 753

• Estimate

(2022)

| 740
• Density| 0.83/sq mi (0.32/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district| 19th
Website| www.co.kent.tx.us

Kent County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 753,[1] making it the sixth-least populous county in Texas. Its county seat is Jayton.[2] The county was created in 1876 and later organized in 1892.[3] It is named for Andrew Kent, who died at the Battle of the Alamo. Kent County is a prohibition or entirely dry county,[4] one of four remaining in the state.[5]

## History timeline

[edit]

* 8000 BC Paleo-Indians were the first inhabitants. Later Native American inhabitants included the Wanderers band of Comanche.[6]
* 1872 Ranald S. Mackenzie and his soldiers trounced the Comanches at Treasure Butte, southeast of Clairemont.[6]
* 1876 The Texas legislature formed Kent County from Young and Bexar districts. The new county is named after Alamo defender Andrew Kent.[6]
* 1888 Cattleman R. L. Rhomberg settled in the new county and named a settlement Clairemont for his daughter, Claire.[7]
* 1890 The county census recorded 324 residents.[6]
* 1891 A conflict arose between cattle ranchers and farmers who tried to fence their farms against cattle.[6]
* 1892 Kent County was organized, with Clairemont as the county seat.[8]
* 1900 The county population was 899.[6]
* 1909 The Stamford and Northeastern Railway built a line across the county's northeast corner. The railroad, which connected Stamford and Spur, later became part of the Wichita Valley Railroad. The Jayton community was founded.[9]
* 1930 The county's population peaked at 3,851.[6]
* 1946-1991 Oil was discovered in Kent County in 1946. From 1946 to 1991, more than 448,448,000 barrels (71,297,500 m3) of oil have been produced in the county.[6]

## Geography

[edit]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 903 square miles (2,340 km2), of which 0.4 sq mi (1.0 km2) (0.05%) is covered by water.[10]

### Major highways

[edit]

* U.S. Highway 380
* State Highway 70
* State Highway 208

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Dickens County (north)
* Stonewall County (east)
* Fisher County (southeast)
* Scurry County (south)
* Garza County (west)
* King County (northeast)
* Crosby County (northwest)

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1880| 92| | —
1890| 324| | 252.2%
1900| 899| | 177.5%
1910| 2,655| | 195.3%
1920| 3,335| | 25.6%
1930| 3,851| | 15.5%
1940| 3,413| | −11.4%
1950| 2,249| | −34.1%
1960| 1,727| | −23.2%
1970| 1,434| | −17.0%
1980| 1,145| | −20.2%
1990| 1,010| | −11.8%
2000| 859| | −15.0%
2010| 808| | −5.9%
2020| 753| | −6.8%
2022 (est.)| 740| [11]| −1.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1850–2010[13] 2010-2020[1]
Kent 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[14] | Pop 2010[15] | Pop 2020[16] | % 2000  | % 2010  | % 2020

|
|
|
|
|
|

White alone (NH)  | 777  | 669  | 657  | 90.45%  | 82.80%  | 87.25%
Black or African American alone (NH)  | 2  | 6  | 2  | 0.23%  | 0.74%  | 0.27%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)  | 1  | 5  | 3  | 0.12%  | 0.62%  | 0.40%
Asian alone (NH)  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0.00%  | 0.00%  | 0.00%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0.00%  | 0.00%  | 0.00%
Other race alone (NH)  | 0  | 0  | 3  | 0.00%  | 0.00%  | 0.40%
Mixed or multiracial (NH)  | 1  | 8  | 7  | 0.12%  | 0.99%  | 0.93%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)  | 78  | 120  | 81  | 9.08%  | 14.85%  | 10.76%
Total | 859 | 808 | 753 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00%

As of the 2000 census,[17] 859 people, 353 households, and 247 families resided in the county. The population density was less than 1/km2 (2.6/sq mi). The 551 housing units averaged about zero point six units per square mile (0.23 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.46% White, 0.23% Black or African American, 0.35% Native American, 3.73% from other races, and 0.23% from two or more races. About 9% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 353 households, 26.1% had children under 18 living with them, 61.2% were married couples living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were not families. About 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the county, the population was distributed as 20.6% under 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 25.5% who were 65 or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 91.6 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,433, and for a family was $35,568. Males had a median income of $23,875 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,626. About 9.20% of families and 10.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.10% of those under age 18 and 6.10% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities

[edit]

### City

[edit]

* Jayton (county seat)

### Other communities

[edit]

* Clairemont (ghost town)
* Girard (census-designated place)

## Politics

[edit]

In the 2024 Texas Republican presidential primary, Kent County was the only county in Texas that Donald Trump lost.

Throughout the 20th century, Kent County was a reliably Democratic county, having only voted for a Republican three times from 1912 until 2000. Kent County has realigned into a Republican stronghold since George W. Bush won the county in 2000. As of 2024, Kent County has not selected a Democrat in a presidential election since 1996, when then Democratic incumbent Bill Clinton won it.

Republican Drew Springer, Jr., a businessman from Muenster in Cooke County, has since January 2013 represented Kent County in the Texas House of Representatives.[18]

United States presidential election results for Kent County, Texas[19] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2024 | 390  | 87.64% | 50  | 11.24%  | 5  | 1.12%
2020 | 411  | 88.96% | 47  | 10.17%  | 4  | 0.87%
2016 | 360  | 82.95% | 59  | 13.59%  | 15  | 3.46%
2012 | 335  | 82.72% | 66  | 16.30%  | 4  | 0.99%
2008 | 342  | 76.34% | 99  | 22.10%  | 7  | 1.56%
2004 | 382  | 73.18% | 138  | 26.44%  | 2  | 0.38%
2000 | 346  | 64.55% | 185  | 34.51%  | 5  | 0.93%
1996 | 187  | 36.31%  | 260  | 50.49% | 68  | 13.20%
1992 | 175  | 28.69%  | 271  | 44.43% | 164  | 26.89%
1988 | 274  | 40.65%  | 398  | 59.05% | 2  | 0.30%
1984 | 332  | 56.46% | 253  | 43.03%  | 3  | 0.51%
1980 | 339  | 48.85%  | 351  | 50.58% | 4  | 0.58%
1976 | 171  | 26.43%  | 474  | 73.26% | 2  | 0.31%
1972 | 465  | 67.59% | 223  | 32.41%  | 0  | 0.00%
1968 | 143  | 22.56%  | 303  | 47.79% | 188  | 29.65%
1964 | 115  | 16.96%  | 563  | 83.04% | 0  | 0.00%
1960 | 205  | 29.37%  | 491  | 70.34% | 2  | 0.29%
1956 | 234  | 30.99%  | 519  | 68.74% | 2  | 0.26%
1952 | 259  | 32.95%  | 526  | 66.92% | 1  | 0.13%
1948 | 33  | 6.18%  | 479  | 89.70% | 22  | 4.12%
1944 | 31  | 4.71%  | 572  | 86.93% | 55  | 8.36%
1940 | 79  | 9.97%  | 712  | 89.90% | 1  | 0.13%
1936 | 31  | 5.50%  | 533  | 94.50% | 0  | 0.00%
1932 | 23  | 3.92%  | 561  | 95.57% | 3  | 0.51%
1928 | 363  | 69.01% | 163  | 30.99%  | 0  | 0.00%
1924 | 80  | 16.88%  | 386  | 81.43% | 8  | 1.69%
1920 | 45  | 15.90%  | 214  | 75.62% | 24  | 8.48%
1916 | 2  | 0.84%  | 212  | 88.70% | 25  | 10.46%
1912 | 7  | 3.83%  | 135  | 73.77% | 41  | 22.40%

## Education

[edit]

School districts include:[20]

* Jayton-Girard Independent School District
* Post Independent School District
* Rotan Independent School District
* Snyder Independent School District
* Spur Independent School District

The Texas Legislature designated the county as being in the Western Texas College district.[21]

## See also

[edit]

* Texas portal

* Dry counties
* Double Mountain Fork Brazos River
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Kent County, Texas
* Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Kent County

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
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. ^ "Texas counties wet/dry status as of May 2020" (Spreadsheet). Texas.gov.
5. ^ "We/Dry Status of Texas Counties". June 1, 2023.
6. ^ a b c d e f g h Hunt, William R (June 15, 2010). "Kent County, Texas". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
7. ^ Davis, Charles G (June 12, 2010). "Clairmont". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
8. ^ "Clairemont, Texas". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
9. ^ Davis, Charles G (June 15, 2010). "Jayton, Texas". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
10. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
11. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". Retrieved December 17, 2023.
12. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
13. ^ "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.
14. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Kent County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
15. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Kent County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
16. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Kent County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
17. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
18. ^ "State Rep. Springer announces district tour July 30". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, July 16, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
19. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
20. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Kent County, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 22, 2024. \- Text list
21. ^ "Sec. 130.210. WESTERN TEXAS COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA". Retrieved September 22, 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Kent County government’s website
* Kent County from the Handbook of Texas Online
* Kent County Profile from the Texas Association of Counties

* v
* t
* e

Places adjacent to Kent County, Texas

|  | Dickens County |

|
|

|  |
Garza County |

Kent County, Texas

| Stonewall County
|  |
| Scurry County | Fisher County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Kent County, Texas, United States

County seat: Jayton

City|

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Kent County map

CDP|

* Girard

Ghost town|

* Clairemont

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33°11′N 100°46′W﻿ / ﻿33.19°N 100.77°W﻿ / 33.19; -100.77

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