Harris County, Texas

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Harris County, Texas
Seal of Harris County, Texas
Map
Map of Texas highlighting Harris County
Location in the state of Texas
Map of the USA highlighting Texas
Texas's location in the USA
Statistics
Founded December 22, 1836
Seat Houston
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water
1,778 sq mi (4,605 km²)
1,729 sq mi (4,478 km²)
49 sq mi (127 km²), 2.75%
Population
 - (2006)
 - Density
3,886,207
2,248/sq mi (868/km²)
Website: www.co.harris.tx.us

Harris County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of 2000 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 3.4 million (though a 2006 estimate placed the population at nearly 3.9 million), making it the most populous county in Texas and the third most populous county in the United States. Its county seat is Houston6.

Harris County is named for John Richardson Harris, an early settler of the area.

Contents

The county was founded on December 22, 1836 as Harrisburg County and Harrisburgh County. The name was changed to Harris County in December 1839.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,604 km² (1,778 sq mi). 4,478 km² (1,729 sq mi) of it is land and 127 km² (49 sq mi) of it (2.75%) is water.

See List of Highways in Harris County for more roadways in Harris County.

Historical populations
Census Pop.  %±
1850 4,668
—
1860 9,070 94.3%
1870 17,375 91.6%
1880 27,985 61.1%
1890 37,249 33.1%
1900 63,786 71.2%
1910 115,693 81.4%
1920 186,667 61.3%
1930 359,328 92.5%
1940 528,961 47.2%
1950 806,701 52.5%
1960 1,243,158 54.1%
1970 1,741,912 40.1%
1980 2,409,547 38.3%
1990 2,818,199 17.0%
2000 3,400,578 20.7%

As of the census² of 2000, there were 3,400,578 people, 1,205,516 households, and 834,217 families residing in the county, making it the largest county by population in Texas. The population density was 759/km² (1,967/sq mi). There were 1,298,130 housing units at an average density of 290/km² (751/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 58.73% White, 18.49% Black or African American, 0.45% Native American, 5.14% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 14.18% from other races, and 2.96% from two or more races. 32.93% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In 2006 Harris County had 3,886,207 residents. This represented 14.3% growth since 2000.

2005 saw Harris county with 37.5% of its population Latino. This represented an increase of over 120,000 in the number of Latinos in the county. 5.5% of the population was Asian. African Americans constituted 18.4% of the county's population, representing a slight decline in percentage. It however meant the total number of African-Americans in the county had risen.[1].

In 2000 There were 1,205,516 households out of which 37.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.60% were married couples living together, 13.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.80% were non-families. 25.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.38.

In the county, the population was spread out with 29.00% under the age of 18, 10.30% from 18 to 24, 33.40% from 25 to 44, 19.80% from 45 to 64, and 7.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 99.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,598, and the median income for a family was $49,004. Males had a median income of $37,361 versus $28,941 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,435. About 12.10% of families and 14.97% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.60% of those under age 18 and 12.20% of those age 65 or over.

Senators Name Party First Elected Level
  Senate Class 1 Kay Bailey Hutchison Republican 1993 Senior Senator
  Senate Class 2 John Cornyn Republican 2002 Junior Senator
Representatives Name Party First Elected Area(s) of Harris County Represented
  District 2 Ted Poe Republican 2004 Kingwood portion of Houston, Spring, northeastern communities (including Baytown, Humble and La Porte)
  District 7 John Culberson Republican 2000 West Houston, Memorial Villages, Bellaire, West University Place, west and northwest areas of county
  District 9 Al Green Democrat 2004 Alief, Southwest Houston, Houston’s Southside
  District 10 Michael McCaul Republican 2004 Northwest
  District 18 Sheila Jackson Lee Democrat 1994 Downtown Houston, Bush IAH, northwest and northeast Houston, inner portions of Houston’s Southside
  District 22 Nick Lampson Democrat 2006 (also served 1997-2005) Clear Lake City, NASA Johnson Space Center, Ellington Field, southern and central Pasadena, Deer Park
  District 29 Gene Green Democrat 1992 East Houston, northern Pasadena, Galena Park, Channelview

List above took effect January 4, 2007.

District Name Party First Elected Area(s) of Harris County Represented
  4 Tommy Williams Republican 2003 Kingwood, far eastern portions of Baytown
  6 Mario Gallegos Democrat 1995 Houston Ship Channel, eastern portions of Houston, Jacinto City, Galena Park, northern Pasadena, western portion of Baytown
  7 Dan Patrick Republican 2007 Memorial Villages, Memorial/Spring Branch area, Addicks Reservoir, northwest portions of county
  11 Mike Jackson Republican 1999 Southeast
  13 Rodney Ellis Democrat 1990 Downtown Houston, Texas Medical Center, southwest and northeast Houston, Houston’s Southside
  15 John Whitmire Democrat 1983 Northwest Houston, Bush IAH, southern portion of Humble, eastern Harris County
  17 Kyle Janek Republican 2002 Meyerland, Bellaire, West University Place, much of Katy area, far west Houston, Barker Reservoir

District Name Party First Elected Area(s) of Harris County Represented
  126 Patricia Harless Republican 2006 Champions/FM 1960
  127 Joe Crabb Republican 1992 Kingwood, Lake Houston, Crosby, Wallisville
  128 Wayne Smith Republican 2002 Baytown, Deer Park, La Porte
  129 John Davis Republican 1998 Clear Lake City, NASA Johnson Space Center
  130 Corbin Van Arsdale Republican 2002 Northwest
  131 Alma Allen Democrat 2004 Outer portions of Houston’s Southside
  132 Bill Callegari Republican 2000 West
  133 Jim Murphy Republican 2006 West Houston, western portion of Memorial/Spring Branch, part of the Energy Corridor
  134 Ellen Cohen Democrat 2006 Inner western portions of Houston (including Meyerland, River Oaks and Memorial Park), Texas Medical Center, West University Place, Bellaire, Southside Place
  135 Gary Elkins Republican 1994 Jersey Village and southeastern segments of the Champions/FM 1960 area
  136 Beverly Woolley Republican 1994 Memorial Villages
  137 Scott Hochberg Democrat 1992 Southwest Houston
  138 Dwayne Bohac Republican 2002 Northwest Houston and parts of the Memorial/Spring Branch area north of I-10, Addicks Reservoir
  139 Sylvester Turner Democrat 1988 North Houston and Aldine west of I-45
  140 Kevin Bailey Democrat 1990 North Houston and Aldine east of I-45
  141 Senfronia Thompson Democrat 1972 Northeast Houston, Bush IAH, Greenspoint, southern portion of Humble
  142 Harold Dutton, Jr. Democrat 1984 East Houston, Northshore
  143 Ana Hernandez Democrat 2006 East Houston within Loop 610, Houston Ship Channel, Galena Park, Jacinto City, northern Pasadena
  144 Robert Talton Republican 1992 Southern Pasadena, far southeast Houston
  145 Rick Noriega Democrat 1998 Inner southeastern portions of Houston (mainly east of I-45), South Houston (not part of the city of Houston)
  146 Borris Miles Democrat 2006 Inner portions of Houston’s Southside
  147 Garnet Coleman Democrat 1990 Downtown Houston, inner southeastern portions of Houston (mainly west of I-45)
  148 Jessica Farrar Democrat 1994 Northwest Houston mainly within Loop 610 (including Houston Heights)
  149 Hubert Vo Democrat 2004 Far west Houston, Alief, unincorporated portions of Katy area east of Fry Rd, Barker Reservoir
  150 Debbie Riddle Republican 2002 North

Position Official Party
County Judge Ed Emmett Republican
County Commissioner Precinct 1 El Franco Lee Democrat
County Commissioner Precinct 2 Sylvia Garcia Democrat
County Commissioner Precinct 3 Steve Radack Republican
County Commissioner Precinct 4 Jerry Eversole Republican
County Attorney Mike Stafford Republican
County Clerk Beverly Kaufman Republican
District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal Republican
District Clerk Theresa Chang Republican
Sheriff Tommy Thomas Republican
Assessor-Collector Paul Bettencourt Republican
County Treasurer Orlando Sanchez Republican
Constable Precinct 1 Jack F. Abercia Democrat
Constable Precinct 2 Gary L. Freeman Democrat
Constable Precinct 3 Ken Jones Democrat
Constable Precinct 4 Ron Hickman Republican
Constable Precinct 5 Phil Camus Republican
Constable Precinct 6 Victor Trevino Democrat
Constable Precinct 7 May Walker Democrat
Constable Precinct 8 Bill Bailey Republican

Several school districts serve Harris County communities.

Harris County operates its own public library system, the Harris County Public Library.

In addition, Houston has the Houston Public Library, a city-controlled public library system.

The cities of Baytown, Bellaire, Deer Park, and Pasadena have their own city-controlled libraries.

Incorporated areas operate their own police departments.

Harris County operates the Harris County Sheriff's Office, which serves unincorporated areas and supplements police forces of incorporated areas.

Harris County also has a constable for each of its eight precincts and hundreds of deputies assigned to each. They mainly serve in a patrol function, established to maintain peace in the county as well as providing security to county buildings such as court houses and district attorney's offices.

Harris County maintains the Harris County Fire Marshall office [1] to assist with fire investigations.

Incorporated cities operate their own fire departments; some cities share fire departments.

Fire departments serving unincorporated areas:

The head of a Texas County, as set up in the Texas Constitution, is the County Judge, who sits as the chair of the county's Commissioners' Court. As of 2007, this position in Harris County is held by Judge Ed Emmett. The county is split into 4 geographical divisions called Precincts. Each precinct elects a Commissioner to sit as a representative of their precinct on the commissioners court and also for the oversight of county functions in their area.

Other elected positions in Harris County include a County Attorney, a County Clerk, a District Attorney, a District Clerk, a Sheriff, 8 Constables, a Tax Assessor-Collector, a County Treasurer, and every judge in the county except municipal judges, who are appointed by the officials of their respective cities.

Within Harris County, hospital services for the indigent and needy are provided by the Harris County Hospital District, a separate governmental entity. Harris County Hospital District operates three hospitals: LBJ General Hospital, Quentin Mease Community Hospital, and Ben Taub General Hospital, as well as many clinics.

Additionally, numerous private and public hospitals operate in Harris County, including institutions in Texas Medical Center and throughout the county.

Many areas in Harris County are served by Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO), a public transportation agency headquartered in Downtown Houston.

Two commercial airports, George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport, are located in Houston and in Harris County.

  1. ^ http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/48201.html
  2. ^ Thousands could die if a giant tornado ever hits Houston, Eric Berger, Houston Chronicle, Feb. 20, 2007.
  3. ^ Death Penalty Uneven, Dallas News, Jul. 28, 2007.

Harris County local event listings

v • d • e
Municipalities and communities of
Harris County, Texas
County seat: Houston
Incorporated
places
Harris County map
CDPs and other
unincorporated areas
Footnotes

‡This city also has portions in adjacent county or counties
Flag of Texas Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown
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Coordinates: 29°52′N 95°23′W / 29.86, -95.39

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris_County%2C_Texas"
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