Panola County, Texas

Panola County, Texas
County
The Panola County Courthouse in Carthage
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Coordinates: 32°10′N 94°19′W / 32.16°N 94.31°W / 32.16; -94.31
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1846
SeatCarthage
Largest cityCarthage
Area
 • Total
821 sq mi (2,130 km2)
 • Land802 sq mi (2,080 km2)
 • Water20 sq mi (52 km2)  2.4%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
22,491
 • Density28.0/sq mi (10.8/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitewww.co.panola.tx.us

Panola County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 22,491,[1] with its county seat in Carthage.[2] Located in East Texas and originally developed for cotton plantations, the county's name is derived from a Choctaw word for cotton.

Until 2013, Panola County was one of about 30[3] entirely dry counties in Texas: the sale of alcohol was restricted or prohibited.

History

Jonathon Anderson, a migrant from the United States and founder of Panola County, donated nearly 100 acres of land in the 1800s to get the county started.[4] Panola County was formed in 1846 from sections of Harrison and Shelby counties. Developed for cotton plantations, it was named after a Choctaw/Chickasaw word for cotton. In the antebellum years, planters used enslaved African Americans as workers on their large plantations. After the Civil War, freedmen worked largely as tenant farmers and sharecroppers in this area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 821 square miles (2,130 km2), of which 802 square miles (2,080 km2) are land and 20 square miles (52 km2) (2.4%) are covered by water.[5]

Major highways

The TTC-69 component (recommended preferred) of the once-planned Trans-Texas Corridor went through Panola County.[6]

Adjacent counties and parishes

Communities

Cities

Town

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18503,871—
18608,475118.9%
187010,11919.4%
188012,21920.8%
189014,32817.3%
190021,40449.4%
191020,424−4.6%
192021,7556.5%
193024,06310.6%
194022,513−6.4%
195019,250−14.5%
196016,870−12.4%
197015,894−5.8%
198020,72430.4%
199022,0356.3%
200022,7563.3%
201023,7964.6%
202022,491−5.5%
2023 (est.)22,838[8]1.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1850–2010[10] 2010–2020[11]

Racial and ethnic composition

Panola 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) 17,629 17,521 16,098 77.47% 73.63% 71.58%
Black or African American alone (NH) 4,013 3,850 3,244 17.63% 16.18% 14.42%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 74 84 96 0.33% 0.35% 0.43%
Asian alone (NH) 53 72 99 0.23% 0.30% 0.44%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 1 3 7 0.00% 0.01% 0.03%
Other Race alone (NH) 9 24 26 0.04% 0.10% 0.12%
Mixed Race or Multiracial (NH) 179 272 731 0.79% 1.14% 3.25%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 798 1,970 2,190 3.51% 8.28% 9.74%
Total 22,756 23,796 22,491 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 22,491. The median age was 41.9 years, with 23.6% of residents under the age of 18 and 20.8% aged 65 years or older. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.3 males age 18 and over.[14][15]

The racial makeup of the county was 74.0% White, 14.5% Black or African American, 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.9% from some other race, and 6.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 9.7% of the population.[15]

28.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 71.9% lived in rural areas.[16]

There were 8,921 households in the county, of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.7% were married-couple households, 18.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[14]

There were 10,733 housing units, of which 16.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 79.1% were owner-occupied and 20.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 12.4%.[14]

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 22,756 people, 8,821 households, and 6,395 families resided in the county. The population density was 28 people per square mile (11 people/km2). The 10,524 housing units averaged 13 units per square mile (5.0/km2).[17] The racial makeup of the county was 78.78% White, 17.67% Black or African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 1.87% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. About 3.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 8,821 households, 32.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% were married couples living together, 11.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.50% were not families; 25.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was distributed as 25.20% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 25.10% from 25 to 44, 24.60% from 45 to 64, and 15.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,909, and for a family was $37,595. Males had a median income of $31,333 versus $19,017 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,439. About 11.60% of families and 14.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.50% of those under age 18 and 16.10% of those age 65 or over.

Education

These school districts serve Panola County:[18]

Panola College, a junior college, has operated in Carthage since 1947.

All of Panola County is in the service area of Panola College.[19]

Notable residents

Points of Interest

Politics

United States presidential election results for Panola County, Texas[20]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1912 82 5.37% 1,203 78.78% 242 15.85%
1916 125 8.77% 1,228 86.12% 73 5.12%
1920 268 16.15% 1,086 65.46% 305 18.38%
1924 119 5.33% 2,088 93.51% 26 1.16%
1928 420 24.21% 1,312 75.62% 3 0.17%
1932 50 1.85% 2,630 97.08% 29 1.07%
1936 95 3.74% 2,425 95.36% 23 0.90%
1940 179 5.87% 2,871 94.07% 2 0.07%
1944 221 8.83% 2,106 84.17% 175 6.99%
1948 256 9.08% 1,751 62.14% 811 28.78%
1952 2,080 41.75% 2,897 58.15% 5 0.10%
1956 2,538 52.48% 2,225 46.01% 73 1.51%
1960 2,264 50.11% 2,187 48.41% 67 1.48%
1964 2,818 51.83% 2,608 47.97% 11 0.20%
1968 1,586 26.67% 1,711 28.77% 2,650 44.56%
1972 4,324 73.74% 1,511 25.77% 29 0.49%
1976 3,218 46.12% 3,731 53.48% 28 0.40%
1980 4,022 51.92% 3,637 46.95% 88 1.14%
1984 5,676 63.88% 3,179 35.78% 30 0.34%
1988 4,642 52.87% 4,123 46.96% 15 0.17%
1992 3,473 37.22% 3,950 42.33% 1,909 20.46%
1996 4,008 44.59% 4,168 46.37% 812 9.03%
2000 5,975 65.85% 3,011 33.18% 88 0.97%
2004 7,021 70.16% 2,958 29.56% 28 0.28%
2008 7,582 74.22% 2,586 25.31% 48 0.47%
2012 7,950 77.71% 2,211 21.61% 69 0.67%
2016 8,445 81.08% 1,835 17.62% 136 1.31%
2020 9,326 81.39% 2,057 17.95% 75 0.65%
2024 9,500 82.91% 1,905 16.63% 53 0.46%
United States Senate election results for Panola County, Texas1[21]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 9,281 81.69% 1,935 17.03% 145 1.28%

See also

References

  1. ^ "Panola County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "TABC Home Page". www.tabc.state.tx.us. Archived from the original on May 16, 2014. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  4. ^ Handbook of Texas Online – PANOLA COUNTY
  5. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
  6. ^ TxDoT, TTC Section E, Detailed Maps 1 & 2, 2007-12-21 Archived February 7, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Association, Texas State Historical. "Grand Bluff, TX". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  8. ^ "2023 Population Estimates (PEP)". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 22, 2026.
  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 May 6, 2015.
  11. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Panola County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  12. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Panola 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) – Panola County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  14. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
  15. ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
  16. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
  17. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  18. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Panola County, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 27, 2024. - Text list
  19. ^ Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.194. PANOLA COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.. See also "Sec. 130.184. KILGORE JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA" which states that the Panola County part of Tatum ISD is not in the Kilgore Junior College district.
  20. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  21. ^ "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)". Commonwealth of Texas by county. November 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
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