Coryell County ( ) is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 83,093. The county seat is Gatesville. The county is named for James Coryell, a frontiersman and Texas Ranger who was killed by Caddo Indians. Coryell County is part of the Killeen–Temple metropolitan statistical area.
History Habitation of Coryell County dates as far back as 4500 BC. The Tonkawa, Lipan Apache, Kiowa, and Comanche were among the tribes who migrated through the area at various periods. When the General Colonization Law went into effect in 1824, followed by the 1825 State Colonization Law of Coahuila y Tejas, Robert Leftwich obtained a grant to settle 800 families in Texas. The grant went through several legal challenges, and later became Robertson's Colony, named for Sterling C. Robertson. The grant encompassed all or parts of 30 present-day Texas counties. Settlers began moving into the area after Fort Gates was established at Gatesville. The Texas state legislature created the county in 1854, naming it after Texas Ranger James Coryell. Originally, Coryell was to be named Pierce County, but the name was changed after James Coryell's death at the hands of Caddo Indians.
Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which (0.4%) are covered by water.
Major highways Interstate 14/U.S. Highway 190 U.S. Highway 84 U.S. Highway 281 State Highway 9 State Highway 36 State Highway 236
Adjacent counties Bosque County (north) McLennan County (northeast) Bell County (southeast) Lampasas County (southwest) Hamilton County (northwest)
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 83,093, and the median age was 31.6 years. 24.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 10.8% of residents were 65 or older, and for every 100 females there were 99.7 males while there were 98.7 males for every 100 females age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 60.8% White, 14.9% Black or African American, 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.3% Asian, 1.3% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 7.8% from some other race, and 12.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 19.8% of the population.
80.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 19.5% lived in rural areas.
There were 25,757 households in the county, of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 52.3% were married-couple households, 16.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 28,717 housing units, of which 10.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 53.8% were owner-occupied and 46.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.8%.
Racial and ethnic composition +Coryell County, Texas – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980 Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)39,60942,68145,38146,77646,21369.77%66.47%60.53%62.05%55.62%Black or African American alone (NH)10,60913,29315,97611,45011,76018.69%20.70%21.31%15.19%14.15%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)3423975174394140.60%0.62%0.69%0.58%0.50%Asian alone (NH)1,2611,5071,2531,3321,8162.22%2.35%1.67%1.77%2.19%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census3346321,041xx0.45%0.84%1.25%Other race alone (NH)283921701913890.50%0.14%0.23%0.25%0.47%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census1,9232,5954,978xx2.56%3.44%5.99%Hispanic or Latino (any race)4,6636,2439,42411,97316,4828.21%9.72%12.57%15.88%19.84%Total56,76764,21374,97875,38883,093 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, 74,978 people, 19,950 households, and 15,780 families were residing in the county. The population density was . The 21,776 housing units averaged . The racial makeup of the county was 65.28% White, 21.80% African American, 0.88% Native American, 1.75% Asian, 0.49% Pacific Islander, 6.26% from other races, and 3.54% from two or more races. About 12.57% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.
Of the 19,950 households, 47.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.80% were married couples living together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.90% were not families. About 16.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91, and the average family size was 3.27.
In the county, the age distribution was 26.20% under 18, 17.90% from 18 to 24, 36.30% from 25 to 44, 13.80% from 45 to 64, and 5.70% who were 65 or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,999, and for a family was $38,307. Males had a median income of $24,236 versus $21,186 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,410. About 7.80% of families and 9.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.30% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over. Government and infrastructure Of the eight Texas Department of Criminal Justice general correctional facilities for women, which include five prisons and three state jails,"Unit Directory ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 10, 2010. five of the units,Gately, Paul "Former Downtown Waco Executive Director Moved to Gatesville ." KWTX-TV. November 22, 2008. Retrieved on May 20, 2010. including four prisons and one state jail, are in the City of Gatesville."Gatesville city, Texas ." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on May 10, 2010.
The Christina Crain Unit prison (formerly Gatesville Unit),"Crain Unit ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 10, 2010. the Hilltop Unit prison,"Hilltop Unit ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 10, 2010. the Dr. Lane Murray Unit prison,"Murray Unit ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 10, 2010. and the Linda Woodman Unit state jail are co-located among one another."Woodman Unit ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 10, 2010. In addition the Mountain View Unit, a prison with the State of Texas female death row, is in Gatesville."Mountain View Unit ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 10, 2010. One male prison, the Alfred D. Hughes Unit, is in Gatesville."Hughes Unit ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 10, 2010.
Mountain View opened in July 1975, Crain opened in August 1980, Hilltop opened in November 1981, and Hughes opened in January 1990. Murray opened in November 1995, and Woodman opened in June 1997. In 1995, of the counties in Texas, Coryell had the third-highest number of state prisons and jails, after Walker and Brazoria.Horswell, Cindy. "For hard-hit economy of Liberty County, crime officially pays." Houston Chronicle. Thursday June 29, 1995. A30. Retrieved on July 23, 2010.
Politics
Communities Cities Copperas Cove (small parts in Lampasas and Bell Counties) Gatesville (county seat) McGregor (mostly in McLennan County) Oglesby
Towns Evant (partly in Hamilton County) South Mountain
Census-designated places Flat Fort Hood (partly in Bell County) Mound
Former census-designated places Montague Village, annexed to Fort Hood CDP (now Fort Cavazos CDP) prior to the 1990 U.S. census.
Unincorporated communities
Ames Arnett Ater Bee House Coryell City Hurst Springs Ireland Jonesboro (partly in Hamilton County) King Leon Junction Levita Osage Pancake Pearl Pidcoke Purmela South Purmela The Grove Topsey Turnersville Whitson
Education School districts include: - Text list
Clifton Independent School District Copperas Cove Independent School District Crawford Independent School District Evant Independent School District Gatesville Independent School District Jonesboro Independent School District Killeen Independent School District Lampasas Independent School District Moody Independent School District Oglesby Independent School District Valley Mills Independent School District
All of the county is in the service area of Central Texas College.Texas Education Code, Section 130.171, "Central Texas College District Service Area".
Gatesville has the Gatesville Public Library.
See also
List of museums in Central Texas National Register of Historic Places listings in Coryell County, Texas Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Coryell County
References
External links
Texas State Directory, County officials Read James Coryell's entry in the hosted by the Portal to Texas History.