SafekipediaPolk County, Texas
Adapted from Wikipedia · Adventurer experience
Polk County is a place in the U.S. state of Texas. It had 50,123 people as of the 2020 census. The main town, called the county seat, is Livingston. The county is named after President James K. Polk.
An important part of Polk County is the Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation. This reservation is home to the Alabama-Coushatta tribe, who have lived there since the early 1800s. The tribe also runs a place called Naskila, which is a casino.
History
See also: National Register of Historic Places listings in Polk County, Texas
Polk County was named after James Knox Polk, a president from Tennessee who later became the President of the United States. The county was created by the first Legislature of the State of Texas on March 30, 1846. It was formed from part of Liberty County and was one of the first 23 counties created by Texas after it joined the United States.
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Polk County had 50,123 people. The median age was 47.7 years. About 18.9% were under 18, and 24.1% were 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 111.7 males.
The racial makeup was 72.5% White, 9.8% Black or African American, 2.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, and 0.7% Asian. Many people identified as being from two or more races. About 9.39% were Hispanic or Latino.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 2,348 | — | |
| 1860 | 8,300 | 253.5% | |
| 1870 | 8,707 | 4.9% | |
| 1880 | 7,189 | −17.4% | |
| 1890 | 10,332 | 43.7% | |
| 1900 | 14,447 | 39.8% | |
| 1910 | 17,459 | 20.8% | |
| 1920 | 16,784 | −3.9% | |
| 1930 | 17,555 | 4.6% | |
| 1940 | 20,635 | 17.5% | |
| 1950 | 16,194 | −21.5% | |
| 1960 | 13,861 | −14.4% | |
| 1970 | 14,457 | 4.3% | |
| 1980 | 24,407 | 68.8% | |
| 1990 | 30,687 | 25.7% | |
| 2000 | 41,133 | 34.0% | |
| 2010 | 45,413 | 10.4% | |
| 2020 | 50,123 | 10.4% | |
| 2025 (est.) | 53,434 |  | 6.6% |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 | |||
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980 | Pop 1990 | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 19,070 | 24,531 | 30,723 | 32,830 | 34,808 | 78.13% | 79.94% | 74.69% | 72.29% | 69.45% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 3,816 | 3,848 | 5,357 | 5,153 | 4,869 | 15.63% | 12.54% | 13.02% | 11.35% | 9.71% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 603 | 635 | 649 | 778 | 914 | 2.47% | 2.07% | 1.58% | 1.71% | 1.82% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 10 | 55 | 156 | 180 | 340 | 0.04% | 0.18% | 0.38% | 0.40% | 0.68% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x | x | 3 | 7 | 0 | x | x | 0.01% | 0.02% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 5 | 8 | 5 | 14 | 135 | 0.02% | 0.03% | 0.01% | 0.03% | 0.27% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x | x | 379 | 492 | 1,712 | x | x | 0.92% | 1.08% | 3.42% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 903 | 1,610 | 3,861 | 5,959 | 7,345 | 3.70% | 5.25% | 9.39% | 13.12% | 14.65% |
| Total | 24,407 | 30,687 | 41,133 | 45,413 | 50,123 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Geography
Polk County in Texas is a big place. It has an area of 1,110 square miles (2,900 square kilometers). A small part, 53 square miles (140 square kilometers), is covered by water.
The county touches many other counties. These are Angelina County to the north, Tyler County to the east, Hardin County to the southeast, Liberty County to the south, San Jacinto County to the southwest, and Trinity County to the northwest. Part of the county is inside the Big Thicket National Preserve.
Education
Polk County, Texas, has several school districts. These include Big Sandy, Chester, Corrigan-Camden, Goodrich, Leggett, Livingston, Onalaska, and Woodville Independent School Districts.
The county is also part of the district for Angelina College. In 2013, Polk County College / Commerce Center was finished. It is located on U.S. Highway 59 Bypass and offers advanced studies and technical training. The center also has space for public events and can be used as a shelter if needed.
Government
Polk County is a place in the state of Texas. It is run by leaders who are chosen by the people to help make decisions for the community. The main city where important meetings happen is called Livingston.
| Name | Party | |
|---|---|---|
| County Judge | Sydney Murphy | Republican |
| Commissioner, Precinct 1 | Guylene Robertson | Republican |
| Commissioner, Precinct 2 | Mark Dubose | Republican |
| Commissioner, Precinct 3 | Milton Purvis | Republican |
| Commissioner, Precinct 4 | Jerry Cassity | Republican |
Infrastructure
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice Allan B. Polunsky Unit is in West Livingston. Since 1999, this place has been used for a special part of the state’s prison system.
Transportation
Polk County has important roads that help people travel. Some of these roads include U.S. Highway 59, U.S. Highway 190, U.S. Highway 287, and State Highway 146. There are also smaller roads like Farm to Market Road 350 that connect local areas.
There is a bus station in Livingston run by Greyhound Lines. The city of Livingston also has an airport called the Livingston Municipal Airport in West Livingston.
Communities
Polk County, Texas, has many places where people live. Some of these are cities, like Goodrich, Onalaska, and Seven Oaks. There are also towns, such as Corrigan and Livingston, which is the county seat.
Other places in the county are spots like Big Thicket Lake Estates, Cedar Point, Indian Springs, Pleasant Hill, and West Livingston. There are also many smaller areas like Ace, Asia, and Barnum. One old place that is no longer lived in is the ghost town of Laurelia.
Notable people
Polk County, Texas, has been home to many interesting people.
Sam Houston, a leader who helped Texas become independent, lived here for a long time. Annette Gordon-Reed, a famous historian and writer from Livingston, Texas, has won important prizes for her books.
Other well-known people from the county are John Wesley Hardin, a famous figure from the Old West, and Mark Moseley, a professional football player who won a Super Bowl.
Politics
United States Congress
Polk County, Texas, chooses representatives to send to the United States Congress. These representatives speak for the people of the county in the big meetings that make laws for the whole country.
| Name | Party | First Elected | Level | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senate Class 1 | John Cornyn | Republican | 1993 | Senior Senator |
| Senate Class 2 | Ted Cruz | Republican | 2012 | Junior Senator |
| Name | Party | First Elected | Area(s) of Polk County Represented | |
| District 8 | Morgan Luttrell | Republican | 2022 | Entire county |
Related articles
This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Polk County, Texas, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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