Goldthwaite, Texas

"Goldthwaite" redirects here. For the surname, see Goldthwaite (surname).

Goldthwaite is a town in and the county seat of Mills County, Texas, United States.^[4] Its population was 1,738 at the 2020 census,^[5] down from 1,878 at the 2010 census.

Goldthwaite, Texas
City
Downtown Goldthwaite
Nickname:  Windmill City
Location of Goldthwaite, Texas
Coordinates: 31°27′05″N 98°34′25″W
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Mills
Area [1]
• Total	2.07 sq mi (5.35 km2)
• Land	2.02 sq mi (5.23 km2)
• Water	0.05 sq mi (0.12 km2)
Elevation [2]	1,558 ft (475 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,738
• Density	840/sq mi (320/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	76844
Area code	325
FIPS code	48-30056[3]
GNIS feature ID	2410614[2]
Website	Official website

History

Goldthwaite existed as a small village prior to the arrival of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway in 1885. The population increased after the railway began selling lots.^[6] The town is named after George (Joe) Goldthwaite (1836–1892), an employee at the railway.^[6] Goldthwaite was once known as "the City of Windmills" because of the large number of water wells in the city; by around 1900, almost every household had one.^[6]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.4 km²), all land.

Geography

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, Goldthwaite has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps.^[7]

Climate data for Goldthwaite, Texas, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1960–present
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	88 (31)	98 (37)	98 (37)	99 (37)	104 (40)	108 (42)	109 (43)	110 (43)	108 (42)	99 (37)	91 (33)	86 (30)	110 (43)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	77.5 (25.3)	80.3 (26.8)	85.4 (29.7)	90.3 (32.4)	94.3 (34.6)	96.5 (35.8)	99.8 (37.7)	99.9 (37.7)	96.2 (35.7)	90.7 (32.6)	82.8 (28.2)	77.0 (25.0)	101.7 (38.7)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	58.0 (14.4)	61.7 (16.5)	68.9 (20.5)	76.2 (24.6)	82.5 (28.1)	89.1 (31.7)	92.9 (33.8)	93.3 (34.1)	87.4 (30.8)	78.0 (25.6)	67.1 (19.5)	59.3 (15.2)	76.2 (24.6)
Daily mean °F (°C)	45.5 (7.5)	49.5 (9.7)	56.7 (13.7)	64.4 (18.0)	71.9 (22.2)	78.7 (25.9)	81.8 (27.7)	82.1 (27.8)	76.3 (24.6)	66.3 (19.1)	55.4 (13.0)	47.4 (8.6)	64.7 (18.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	33.0 (0.6)	37.4 (3.0)	44.5 (6.9)	52.6 (11.4)	61.3 (16.3)	68.3 (20.2)	70.7 (21.5)	70.9 (21.6)	65.1 (18.4)	54.7 (12.6)	43.8 (6.6)	35.4 (1.9)	53.1 (11.8)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	19.1 (−7.2)	22.1 (−5.5)	27.4 (−2.6)	35.7 (2.1)	46.7 (8.2)	60.3 (15.7)	66.2 (19.0)	65.0 (18.3)	52.0 (11.1)	37.1 (2.8)	26.5 (−3.1)	20.9 (−6.2)	15.8 (−9.0)
Record low °F (°C)	4 (−16)	0 (−18)	8 (−13)	28 (−2)	32 (0)	50 (10)	57 (14)	53 (12)	40 (4)	24 (−4)	12 (−11)	−7 (−22)	−7 (−22)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	1.70 (43)	2.23 (57)	2.42 (61)	2.23 (57)	4.21 (107)	4.16 (106)	1.82 (46)	2.01 (51)	2.51 (64)	3.49 (89)	2.06 (52)	1.60 (41)	30.44 (774)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	5.9	6.0	7.0	5.5	7.5	6.2	4.2	5.1	5.0	5.9	5.5	5.7	69.5
Source 1: NOAA[8]
Source 2: National Weather Service[9]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1900	1,282		—
1910	1,129		−11.9%
1920	1,214		7.5%
1930	1,324		9.1%
1940	1,414		6.8%
1950	1,566		10.7%
1960	1,383		−11.7%
1970	1,693		22.4%
1980	1,783		5.3%
1990	1,658		−7.0%
2000	1,802		8.7%
2010	1,878		4.2%
2020	1,738		−7.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]

2020 census

Goldthwaite racial composition^[11]
(NH = Non-Hispanic)^[a]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (NH)	1,215	69.91%
Black or African American (NH)	4	0.23%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	7	0.4%
Asian (NH)	2	0.12%
Some other race (NH)	1	0.06%
Multiracial (NH)	57	3.28%
Hispanic or Latino	452	26.01%
Total	1,738

As of the 2020 United States census, 1,738 people, 742 households, and 463 families were residing in the city.

2000 census

At the 2000 census,^[3] 1,802 people, 740 households and 466 families lived in the city. The population density was 1,047.4 inhabitants per square mile (404.4/km²). The 883 housing units had an average density of 513.2 per square mile (198.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.01% White, 0.39% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 10.82% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 18.42% of the population.

Of the 740 households, 29.1% had children under 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were not families. About 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.4% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.87.

The city's age distribution was 24.6% under 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 21.4% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 28.5% who were 65 or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.5 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 76.1 males.

The median income for a household was $26,731, and for a family was $34,940. Males had a median income of $25,577 versus $19,602 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,591. About 12.5% of families and 18.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.8% of those under 18 and 22.2% of those 65 or over.

Education

Goldthwaite, ca. 1907

Goldthwaite is served by the Goldthwaite Independent School District. Schools located in Goldthwaite included Goldthwaite Elementary School, Goldthwaite Middle School, and Goldthwaite High School. New Horizons Ranch School is located off Farm-to-Market Road 574.^[14]

Infrastructure

Transportation

Highways

• U.S. Route 84
• U.S. Route 183 (concurrent with U.S. Route 84 on the north side of the city)
• Texas State Highway 16 (concurrent with U.S. Routes 84 and 183 on the north side of the city)
• Texas Loop 15
• Farm to Market 574
• Farm to Market 2005

Rail

Goldthwaite is located on a BNSF Railway line connecting Temple to Sweetwater.^[15] As of 2024, the rail line is used for freight haulage only. The nearest Amtrak passenger train stop is the McGregor station in McGregor, served by the Texas Eagle.^[16]

Air

The City of Goldthwaite owns and operates the Goldthwaite Municipal Airport, a general-aviation airport with a 3,200 ft × 60 ft (975 m × 18 m) asphalt runway.^[17] The airport originally opened in 2011. In 2015, 10 T-hangars, a hangar apron, an access road, and a garage storage area for a courtesy car were constructed, and a fly-in golf program was offered in partnership with the adjacent golf course.^[18]

Notable people

• Jody Conradt, women's basketball coach at the University of Texas at Austin
• Barton Yarborough, actor