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Cass County, Texas

Coordinates: 33°04′N 94°21′W / 33.07°N 94.35°W / 33.07; -94.35
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cass County, Texas
County
Cass County Courthouse in Linden
Cass County Courthouse in Linden
Map of Texas highlighting Cass County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Coordinates: 33°04′N 94°21′W / 33.07°N 94.35°W / 33.07; -94.35
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1846
Named afterLewis Cass
SeatLinden
Largest cityAtlanta
Area
 • Total
960 sq mi (2,500 km2)
 • Land937 sq mi (2,430 km2)
 • Water23 sq mi (60 km2)  2.4%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
28,454
 • Density30.4/sq mi (11.7/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitewww.co.cass.tx.us Edit this at Wikidata

Cass County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 28,454.[1] The county seat is Linden.[2] The county was named for Lewis Cass, a United States Senator representing Michigan who favored the U.S. annexation of Texas in the mid-19th century.

History

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Cass County was formed in 1846 from sections of Bowie County and houses some outskirts of Texarkana.[3] It was named for Lewis Cass,[4] a U.S. Senator from Michigan who had favored the annexation of Texas to the United States and became the first presidential candidate to win the state.

The county was originally developed by planters for cotton plantations. By 1860, the majority of the population were enslaved African Americans. After the war, freedmen worked largely as tenant farmers and sharecroppers into the early 20th century. Black residents faced violence and discrimination in Cass County, which was the location of nine lynchings, the fifth-highest total among Texas' 254 counties.[5][6]

From 1861 to 1871, this county was known as Davis County, after Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederate States of America, as opposed to Jeff Davis County in West Texas.

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 960 square miles (2,500 km2), of which 937 square miles (2,430 km2) is land and 23 square miles (60 km2) (2.4%) is water.[7]

Cass County, Texas is one of only three counties in Texas to border two other U.S. states (the others are Bowie and Dallam counties). Cass County forms part of the tripoint of Texas-Arkansas-Louisiana.

Adjacent counties and parish

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Major highways

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State protected area

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Communities

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Cities

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Towns

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Census-designated places

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Unincorporated communities

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18504,991—
18608,41168.5%
18708,8755.5%
188016,72488.4%
189022,55434.9%
190022,8411.3%
191027,58720.8%
192030,0418.9%
193030,0300.0%
194033,49611.5%
195026,732−20.2%
196023,496−12.1%
197024,1332.7%
198029,43021.9%
199029,9821.9%
200030,4381.5%
201030,4640.1%
202028,454−6.6%
2024 (est.)28,622[8]0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1850–2010[10] 2010–2020[11]

Racial and ethnic composition

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Cass 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[12] Pop 2010[13] Pop 2020[11] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 23,542 23,522 21,028 77.34% 77.21% 73.90%
Black or African American alone (NH) 5,915 5,299 4,518 19.43% 17.39% 15.88%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 130 133 155 0.43% 0.44% 0.54%
Asian alone (NH) 44 89 119 0.14% 0.29% 0.42%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 4 4 10 0.01% 0.01% 0.04%
Other race (NH) 11 15 86 0.04% 0.05% 0.30%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 266 349 1,202 0.87% 1.15% 4.22%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 526 1,053 1,336 1.73% 3.46% 4.70%
Total 30,438 30,464 28,454 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 28,454. The median age was 45.9 years. 21.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 23.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.9 males age 18 and over.[14]

The racial makeup of the county was 75.5% White, 16.0% Black or African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.0% from some other race, and 5.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.7% of the population.[15]

19.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 80.6% lived in rural areas.[16]

There were 11,738 households in the county, of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.9% were married-couple households, 18.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[14]

There were 13,870 housing units, of which 15.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.6% were owner-occupied and 24.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.7%.[14]

2010 census

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As of the 2010 census, the county had 30,464 residents and 12,190 households, out of which 30.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.90% were married couples living together, 12.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.00% were non-families; 26.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[17]

The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.95. The median income for a household in the county was $28,441, and the median income for a family was $35,623. Males had a median income of $30,906 versus $19,726 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,777. About 14.70% of families and 17.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.20% of those under age 18 and 17.90% of those age 65 or over.

Education

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The Cass County Club at East Texas State Normal College in 1921

The following school districts serve Cass County:[18]

Marietta Independent School District was formerly in operation. It consolidated into Pewitt ISD in 2008.[19]

The majority of Cass County is in the service area of Texarkana College. Areas in Avinger ISD, Hughes Springs ISD, and Pewitt CISD within Cass County are instead assigned to Northeast Texas Community College.[20]

Politics

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United States presidential election results for Cass County, Texas[21]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1912 402 20.62% 1,284 65.85% 264 13.54%
1916 707 30.27% 1,505 64.43% 124 5.31%
1920 1,446 42.57% 1,563 46.01% 388 11.42%
1924 997 31.05% 2,125 66.18% 89 2.77%
1928 1,323 43.79% 1,698 56.21% 0 0.00%
1932 224 6.67% 3,135 93.33% 0 0.00%
1936 169 6.43% 2,461 93.57% 0 0.00%
1940 454 12.68% 3,126 87.32% 0 0.00%
1944 541 14.46% 2,866 76.59% 335 8.95%
1948 457 11.72% 2,540 65.14% 902 23.13%
1952 2,502 44.17% 3,160 55.78% 3 0.05%
1956 2,970 54.91% 2,395 44.28% 44 0.81%
1960 2,322 43.89% 2,934 55.46% 34 0.64%
1964 2,681 42.61% 3,603 57.26% 8 0.13%
1968 1,930 26.26% 2,536 34.50% 2,884 39.24%
1972 5,303 72.76% 1,981 27.18% 4 0.05%
1976 3,712 41.83% 5,134 57.85% 29 0.33%
1980 4,993 46.79% 5,578 52.27% 101 0.95%
1984 6,677 56.78% 5,053 42.97% 30 0.26%
1988 5,305 47.11% 5,941 52.75% 16 0.14%
1992 3,999 34.30% 5,476 46.96% 2,185 18.74%
1996 4,066 37.51% 5,691 52.50% 1,082 9.98%
2000 6,295 57.13% 4,618 41.91% 106 0.96%
2004 7,383 61.27% 4,630 38.43% 36 0.30%
2008 8,279 69.89% 3,490 29.46% 77 0.65%
2012 8,763 74.34% 2,924 24.80% 101 0.86%
2016 9,726 78.79% 2,391 19.37% 227 1.84%
2020 11,033 79.22% 2,795 20.07% 99 0.71%
2024 11,693 82.68% 2,406 17.01% 44 0.31%
United States Senate election results for Cass County, Texas1[22]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 11,477 81.30% 2,457 17.40% 183 1.30%
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Don Henley named his 2015 album Cass County, as he had grown up here.[23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Cass County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ JR., HARPER, CECIL (June 12, 2010). "CASS COUNTY". www.tshaonline.org.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 71.
  5. ^ "Lynching in America: Confronting the Legacy of Racial Terror" (PDF). Equal Justice Initiative. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  6. ^ "Entries tagged Cass County". Lynching In Texas. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  7. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  8. ^ {{cite web Increase |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/casscountytexas/PST045224 |title=QuickFacts: Cass County, Texas |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=June 12, 2025}}
  9. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  10. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  11. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Cass County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  12. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Cass County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  13. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Cass County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  14. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  15. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  16. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  17. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  18. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Cass County, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved August 31, 2023. - 2010 map and 2010 list
  19. ^ "CONSOLIDATIONS, ANNEXATIONS AND NAME CHANGES FOR TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS Archived September 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine." Texas Education Agency. Updated August 1, 2016. Retrieved on February 23, 2017.
  20. ^ Texas Education Code, "Sec. 130.203. TEXARKANA COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA." and "Sec. 130.192. NORTHEAST TEXAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA."
  21. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org.
  22. ^ "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)". Commonwealth of Texas by county. November 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  23. ^ "Review: Don Henley, 'Cass County'". npr.org. September 17, 2015.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cass County, Texas.

33°04′N 94°21′W / 33.07°N 94.35°W / 33.07; -94.35

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