Rockwall County, Texas

Rockwall County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. At 149 square miles (390 sq km), Rockwall County has the smallest area of any Texas county. Per the 2020 Census, its population was 107,819.[1] Its county seat is Rockwall.[2] The county and city are named for a wall-like subterranean rock formation that runs throughout the county.

Rockwall County
County
The Rockwall County Courthouse in Rockwall
The Rockwall County Courthouse in Rockwall
Map of Texas highlighting Rockwall County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°53′N 96°25′W
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1873
Named forRockwall, Texas, named in turn for its clastic dikes
SeatRockwall
Largest cityRockwall
Area
 • Total149 sq mi (390 km2)
 • Land127 sq mi (330 km2)
 • Water22 sq mi (60 km2)  15%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total107,819 Increase
 • Density720/sq mi (280/km2)
DemonymRockwallian
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district4th
Websitewww.rockwallcountytexas.com

Rockwall County is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan statistical area. It was one of the top 25 fastest-growing counties in the U.S. in 2010.[3] Rockwall County is listed as the sixth-wealthiest county in Texas.

Cities in Rockwall County include Rockwall, Heath, Royse City, Fate, McClendon-Chisholm, Mobile City, and part of Rowlett.

History

Rockwall County was formed in 1873 from portions of Kaufman County. It split off because access to the county seat of Kaufman was inconvenient. It was named for its county seat, Rockwall. Rockwall County also is home to the great rock wall, which is no longer in public view today. [4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 149 square miles (390 km2), of which 127 square miles (330 km2) are land and 22 square miles (57 km2) (15%) are covered by water.[5] It is the smallest county by area in Texas.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Communities[6]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18802,984—
18905,972100.1%
19008,53142.8%
19108,072−5.4%
19208,5916.4%
19307,658−10.9%
19407,051−7.9%
19506,156−12.7%
19605,878−4.5%
19707,04619.9%
198014,528106.2%
199025,60476.2%
200043,08068.3%
201078,33781.8%
2020107,81937.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1850–2010[8] 2010–2020[1]
Rockwall County, Texas - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[9] Pop 2020[10] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 58,046 70,198 74.10% 65.11%
Black or African American alone (NH) 4,397 8,179 5.61% 7.59%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 345 479 0.44% 0.44%
Asian alone (NH) 1,850 3,306 2.36% 3.07%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 47 75 0.06% 0.07%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 116 344 0.15% 0.32%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 1,066 4,678 1.36% 4.34%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 12,470 20,560 15.92% 19.07%
Total 78,337 107,819 100.00% 100.00%

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 can be of any race.

According to the census of 2000,[11] there were 43,080 people, 14,530 households, and 11,972 families residing in the county. The population density was 334 people per square mile (129 people/km2). There were 15,351 housing units at an average density of 119 units per square mile (46/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 89.17% White, 3.24% Black or African American, 0.40% Native American, 1.32% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.45% from other races, and 1.37% from two or more races. 11.07% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. By the 2020 census, its population increased to 107,819 with a racial and ethnic makeup of 65.11% non-Hispanic whites, 7.59% African Americans, 0.44% Native Americans, 3.07% Asians, 0.07% Pacific Islanders, 0.32% some other race, 4.34% multiracial, and 19.07% Hispanic or Latino of any race.[10]

Education

The following school districts serve Rockwall County:[12]

From 1997 to 2015 the number of non-Hispanic white children in K-12 schools in the county increased by 6,000 as part of a trend of white flight and suburbanization by non-Hispanic white families.[13][14]

Collin College's official service area includes all of Rockwall County.[15]

Politics

Prior to 1972, Rockwall County was a Democratic stronghold. The 1968 election was highly transitional for the county with Hubert Humphrey only winning with 39% of the vote thanks to the strong third-party candidacy of George Wallace. From 1972 on, the county has become a Republican stronghold. George H. W. Bush in 1992 has been the only Republican to fail to win a majority in the county since then, as the strong third-party candidacy of Ross Perot that year led him to a second-place finish in the county over national winner Bill Clinton. However, the county was represented in Congress by a Democrat as late as January 2004, when Representative and Rockwall resident Ralph Hall, a conservative Democrat, switched parties and became a Republican.

However, in recent years, especially as the Dallas-Fort Worth Metro area continues to grow and spill over into neighboring counties, the county's Republican bent has lessened a bit. Native son George W. Bush registered 78% of the vote here in 2004, however, in 2020, Joe Biden turned in the showing for the Democrats since Jimmy Carter's 32.10% in 1980 by getting 30.45%, besting even Barack Obama's 2008 margin of 26.40% (one of several counties across the country where Biden did better than Obama), and also the first time Democrats have cracked 30% of the vote here since Carter's 1980 run. Donald Trump's 68.15% margin is the lowest for Republicans since Bob Dole's 65.01% in 1996.

Local government

Rockwall County is divided into four precincts, each represented by a County Commissioner.

As of the most recent elections in 2020, all four Commissioners are Republicans.

United States presidential election results for Rockwall County, Texas[16]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 36,726 68.15% 16,412 30.45% 753 1.40%
2016 28,451 70.81% 9,655 24.03% 2,074 5.16%
2012 27,113 75.81% 8,120 22.70% 531 1.48%
2008 23,300 72.45% 8,492 26.40% 370 1.15%
2004 20,120 78.65% 5,320 20.80% 141 0.55%
2000 13,666 77.42% 3,642 20.63% 344 1.95%
1996 8,319 65.01% 3,289 25.70% 1,188 9.28%
1992 6,427 48.44% 2,397 18.06% 4,445 33.50%
1988 7,214 72.58% 2,659 26.75% 66 0.66%
1984 6,688 80.11% 1,639 19.63% 22 0.26%
1980 4,036 65.27% 1,985 32.10% 163 2.64%
1976 2,087 53.02% 1,828 46.44% 21 0.53%
1972 1,890 75.06% 610 24.23% 18 0.71%
1968 614 31.09% 778 39.39% 583 29.52%
1964 445 25.36% 1,305 74.36% 5 0.28%
1960 652 41.19% 917 57.93% 14 0.88%
1956 657 41.50% 920 58.12% 6 0.38%
1952 602 33.73% 1,175 65.83% 8 0.45%
1948 117 9.35% 947 75.64% 188 15.02%
1944 98 7.22% 1,153 84.90% 107 7.88%
1940 95 5.92% 1,510 94.08% 0 0.00%
1936 26 2.18% 1,168 97.74% 1 0.08%
1932 62 4.77% 1,237 95.23% 0 0.00%
1928 289 25.37% 850 74.63% 0 0.00%
1924 93 6.32% 1,371 93.20% 7 0.48%
1920 104 10.46% 873 87.83% 17 1.71%
1916 27 3.10% 828 94.95% 17 1.95%
1912 0 0.00% 642 95.82% 28 4.18%

See also

References
  1. "Rockwall County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. El Naser, Haya (March 23, 2010). "Texas big Census winner this decade". USA Today. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  4. "The Mysterious Rock Walls of Rockwall, Texas". February 28, 2017.
  5. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  6. "Population of Texas Cities and Towns Sorted by County". The County Information Project Texas Association of Counties. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
  7. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  8. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  9. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Rockwall County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  10. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Rockwall County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  11. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  12. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Rockwall County, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 14, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2022. - Text list
  13. "Texas Education Agency - Student Enrollment Reports, by Grade, Gender and Ethnicity". Texas Education Agency. February 10, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  14. Nicholson, Eric (May 3, 2016). "In Dallas, White Flight Never Ends". Dallas Observer. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  15. Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.175. COLLIN COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
  16. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 29, 2018.

32.89°N 96.41°W / 32.89; -96.41

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