Navarro County, Texas

Navarro County (/nəˈværoʊ/ nə-VARR-oh)^[1] is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 52,624.^[2] Its county seat is Corsicana.^[3] The county is named for José Antonio Navarro, a Tejano leader in the Texas Revolution who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence.

Navarro County
County
The Navarro County Courthouse in Corsicana
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°03′N 96°28′W
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	April 25, 1846
Named after	José Antonio Navarro
Seat	Corsicana
Largest city	Corsicana
Area
• Total	1,086 sq mi (2,810 km2)
• Land	1,010 sq mi (2,600 km2)
• Water	76 sq mi (200 km2)  7.0%
Population  (2020)
• Total	52,624
• Density	48/sq mi (19/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	6th
Website	www.co.navarro.tx.us

Veterans Memorial at Navarro County Courthouse in Corsicana

Navarro County comprises the Corsicana micropolitan statistical area, which is also part of the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX combined statistical area.

History

Navarro County was formed from Robertson County in 1846.^[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,086 square miles (2,810 km²), of which 76 square miles (200 km²) (7.0%) are covered by water.^[5]

Major highways

• Interstate 45
• U.S. Highway 287
• State Highway 14
• State Highway 22
• State Highway 31
• State Highway 75
• State Highway 309

Adjacent counties

• Henderson County (northeast)
• Freestone County (southeast)
• Limestone County (south)
• Hill County (southwest)
• Ellis County (north)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	2,190		—
1860	5,996		173.8%
1870	8,879		48.1%
1880	21,702		144.4%
1890	26,373		21.5%
1900	43,374		64.5%
1910	47,070		8.5%
1920	50,624		7.6%
1930	60,507		19.5%
1940	51,308		−15.2%
1950	39,916		−22.2%
1960	34,423		−13.8%
1970	31,150		−9.5%
1980	35,323		13.4%
1990	39,926		13.0%
2000	45,124		13.0%
2010	47,735		5.8%
2020	52,624		10.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1850–2010[7] 2010[8] 2020[9]

Navarro 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[10]	Pop 2010[8]	Pop 2020[9]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	29,596	28,587	26,996	65.59%	59.89%	51.30%
Black or African American alone (NH)	7,521	6,490	6,286	16.67%	13.60%	11.95%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	143	155	163	0.32%	0.32%	0.31%
Asian alone (NH)	191	239	393	0.42%	0.50%	0.75%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	143	380	734	0.32%	0.80%	1.39%
Other race alone (NH)	17	40	137	0.04%	0.08%	0.26%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	400	499	1,866	0.89%	1.05%	3.55%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	7,113	11,345	16,049	15.76%	23.77%	30.50%
Total	45,124	47,735	52,624	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the census^[11] of 2000, 45,124 people, 16,491 households, and 11,906 families were residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile (17 people/km²). The 18,449 housing units averaged 18 units per square mile (6.9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 70.84% White, 16.79% African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.33% Pacific Islander, 9.45% from other races, and 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 15.75% of the population.

Of the 16,491 households, 34.00% had children under 18 living with them, 55.70% were married couples living together, 12.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.80% were not families. About 24.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.65, and the average family size was 3.14.

In the county, the population was distributed as 27.20% under 18, 9.90% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 14.40% who were 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,268, and for a family was $38,130. Males had a median income of $30,112 versus $20,972 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,266. About 13.90% of families and 18.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.10% of those under age 18 and 14.90% of those age 65 or over.

Media

Navarro County is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth coverage area, including stations KDFW-TV, KXAS-TV, WFAA-TV, KTVT-TV, KERA-TV, KTXA-TV, KDFI-TV, KDAF-TV, and KFWD-TV. The county is also near Waco, so Waco/Temple/Killeen stations also provide coverage for Navarro County. These include: KCEN-TV, KWTX-TV, KXXV-TV, KDYW, and KWKT-TV. East Texas NBC affiliate KETK-TV from the Jacksonville/Tyler area provides coverage for Navarro County, as well.

The Corsicana Daily Sun is the area's newspaper.

Communities

Navarro Mills Lake and Dam

Cities

• Angus
• Barry
• Corsicana (county seat)
• Eureka
• Frost
• Goodlow
• Kerens
• Rice
• Richland

Towns

• Blooming Grove
• Dawson
• Emhouse
• Mildred
• Mustang
• Navarro
• Oak Valley
• Powell
• Retreat
• Streetman (mostly in Freestone County)

Unincorporated communities

• Chatfield
• Emmett
• Montfort
• Purdon
• Pursley
• Roane
• Rural Shade

Ghost town

• Pisgah

Politics

United States presidential election results for Navarro County, Texas^[12]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	14,983	75.42%	4,708	23.70%	176	0.89%
2020	13,800	72.06%	5,101	26.64%	250	1.31%
2016	11,994	72.99%	4,002	24.35%	437	2.66%
2012	10,847	70.60%	4,350	28.31%	167	1.09%
2008	10,810	66.23%	5,400	33.09%	111	0.68%
2004	10,715	66.83%	5,259	32.80%	60	0.37%
2000	8,358	60.17%	5,366	38.63%	166	1.20%
1996	5,236	41.88%	6,078	48.62%	1,188	9.50%
1992	4,897	33.27%	6,006	40.80%	3,818	25.94%
1988	6,445	48.71%	6,749	51.01%	38	0.29%
1984	7,816	57.86%	5,672	41.99%	21	0.16%
1980	5,400	42.89%	6,988	55.50%	203	1.61%
1976	4,012	36.25%	6,995	63.20%	61	0.55%
1972	6,039	64.91%	3,246	34.89%	18	0.19%
1968	2,845	27.39%	5,296	50.98%	2,247	21.63%
1964	2,139	23.89%	6,811	76.08%	3	0.03%
1960	3,361	37.76%	5,540	62.24%	0	0.00%
1956	3,193	40.26%	4,723	59.55%	15	0.19%
1952	3,592	29.10%	8,745	70.84%	8	0.06%
1948	1,188	18.29%	4,679	72.05%	627	9.66%
1944	449	6.07%	6,298	85.10%	654	8.84%
1940	721	8.57%	7,683	91.30%	11	0.13%
1936	293	4.79%	5,815	95.02%	12	0.20%
1932	512	7.40%	6,392	92.44%	11	0.16%
1928	3,341	47.80%	3,648	52.20%	0	0.00%
1924	996	13.31%	6,409	85.66%	77	1.03%
1920	821	15.87%	3,328	64.35%	1,023	19.78%
1916	294	7.49%	3,527	89.81%	106	2.70%
1912	165	5.41%	2,589	84.94%	294	9.65%

United States Senate election results for Navarro County, Texas1^[13]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	14,327	72.37%	5,120	25.86%	351	1.77%

Government

Navarro County, like all Texas counties, is governed by a Commissioners Court, which consists of the county judge, who is elected county-wide and presides over the full court, and four commissioners, who are elected in each of the county's four precincts

County commissioners

	County Judge	H.M. Davenport, Jr.	Republican
	County Commissioner, Precinct 1	Jason Grant	Republican
	County Commissioner, Precinct 2	Eddie Perry	Republican
	County Commissioner, Precinct 3	Eddie Moore	Republican
	County Commissioner, Precinct 4	James Olsen	Republican

County officials

Office		Name[citation needed]	Party
	County Clerk	Sherry Dowd	Republican
	Criminal District Attorney	Will Thompson	Republican
	District Clerk	Joshua B. Tackett	Republican
	Sheriff	Elmer Tanner	Republican
	Tax Assessor-Collector	Mike Dowd	Republican

Constables

Office		Name[citation needed]	Party
	Constable, Precinct 1	Mike Davis	Republican
	Constable, Precinct 2	Raychaun Ballard	Republican
	Constable, Precinct 3	Bobby Rachel	Republican
	Constable, Precinct 4	Kipp Thomas	Republican

Justices of the Peace

Office		Name[citation needed]	Party
	Justice, Precinct 1	Greta Jordan	Republican
	Justice, Precinct 2	Darrell Waller	Republican
	Justice, Precinct 3	Jackie Freeland	Republican
	Justice, Precinct 4	Connie Hickman	Republican

Community College Board of Trustees

Office		Name[citation needed]	Party
	Trustee, Precinct 1	Phil Judson	Republican
	Trustee, Precinct 2	Faith Holt	Democrat
	Trustee, Precinct 3	Loran Seely	Republican
	Trustee, Precinct 4	Richard Aldama	Republican
	Trustee, At-Large	Billy Todd McGraw	Republican
	Trustee, At-Large	A.L. Atkeisson	Republican
	Trustee, At-Large	K.C. Wyatt	Republican

Education

School districts include:^[14]

• Blooming Grove Independent School District
• Bynum Independent School District
• Corsicana Independent School District
• Dawson Independent School District
• Ennis Independent School District
• Fairfield Independent School District
• Frost Independent School District
• Hubbard Independent School District
• Kerens Independent School District
• Mildred Independent School District
• Rice Independent School District
• Wortham Independent School District

The entire county is in the service area of Navarro College, according to the Texas Education Code.^[15]

See also

• Texas portal

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Navarro County, Texas
• Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Navarro County