WikiMini

Johnson County, Texas

Not to be confused with Johnson City, Texas.

Johnson County
County
The Johnson County Courthouse
The Johnson County Courthouse
Map of Texas highlighting Johnson County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°23′N 97°22′W / 32.38°N 97.36°W / 32.38; -97.36
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1854
SeatCleburne
Largest cityBurleson
Area
 • Total
734 sq mi (1,900 km2)
 • Land725 sq mi (1,880 km2)
 • Water9.8 sq mi (25 km2)  1.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
179,927
 • Estimate 
(2024)
210,547 Increase
 • Density250/sq mi (95/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts6th, 25th
Websitewww.johnsoncountytx.org

Johnson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 179,927.[1] Its county seat is Cleburne.[2] Johnson County is named for Colonel Middleton Tate Johnson Sr., a Texas Ranger, politician and soldier in the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War (fighting for the Confederate States Army).[3] Johnson County is included in the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan statistical area.

History

[edit]

The first settler of Johnson County was Henry Briden, who built a log cabin on the Nolan River in 1849.[4] His log cabin still exists, and can be seen along State Highway 174 in Rio Vista, Texas. The first county seat was Wardville, now located under the waters of Lake Pat Cleburne. In 1856, Buchanan became the county seat. Johnson County was divided in 1866, with the western half becoming Hood County. Camp Henderson became the new county seat and was renamed Cleburne in honor of Confederate General Patrick Cleburne.

In 2025, the sheriff in Johnson County utilized a national database generated by automatic license-plate readers to track down a Texas woman who possibly sought to have an out-of-state abortion.[5]

Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 734 square miles (1,900 km2), of which 725 square miles (1,880 km2) are land and 9.8 square miles (25 km2) (1.3%) are covered by water.[6]

Major highways

[edit]

Adjacent counties

[edit]

Communities

[edit]

Cities (multiple counties)

[edit]

Cities

[edit]

Towns

[edit]

Census-designated place

[edit]

Unincorporated communities

[edit]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18604,305—
18704,92314.4%
188017,911263.8%
189022,31324.6%
190033,81951.6%
191034,4601.9%
192037,2868.2%
193033,317−10.6%
194030,384−8.8%
195031,3903.3%
196034,72010.6%
197045,76931.8%
198067,64947.8%
199097,16543.6%
2000126,81130.5%
2010150,93419.0%
2020179,92719.2%
2024 (est.)210,547[7]17.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1850–2010[9] 2020[10]
Johnson 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[11] Pop 2010[12] Pop 2020[10] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 105,460 115,545 119,226 83.16% 76.55% 66.26%
Black or African American alone (NH) 3,058 3,797 6,446 2.41% 2.52% 3.58%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 694 741 840 0.55% 0.49% 0.47%
Asian alone (NH) 654 951 1,726 0.52% 0.63% 0.96%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 219 475 929 0.17% 0.31% 0.52%
Other race alone (NH) 79 164 612 0.06% 0.11% 0.34%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 1,272 1,942 7,535 1.00% 1.29% 4.19%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 15,375 27,319 42,613 12.12% 18.10% 23.68%
Total 126,811 150,934 179,927 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

[edit]
Racial Makeup of Johnson County, Texas (2023)[13]
  1. White alone (68.7%)
  2. Black alone (5.88%)
  3. Native American alone (0.76%)
  4. Asian alone (1.29%)
  5. Pacific Islander alone (0.14%)
  6. Some other race (5.14%)
  7. Two or more races (18.1%)
Racial Makeup of Johnson County, Texas treating Hispanics as a Racial Category (2023)[13]
NH=Non-Hispanic
  1. White NH (63.6%)
  2. Black NH (5.88%)
  3. Native American NH (0.19%)
  4. Asian NH (1.29%)
  5. Pacific Islander NH (0.14%)
  6. Other race NH (0.37%)
  7. Two or more races NH (2.64%)
  8. Hispanic Any Race (25.9%)
Racial Makeup of Hispanics in Johnson County, Texas (2023)[13]
  1. White alone (19.7%)
  2. Black alone (0.00%)
  3. Native American alone (2.20%)
  4. Asian alone (0.00%)
  5. Pacific Islander alone (0.00%)
  6. Other race alone (18.4%)
  7. Two or more races (59.7%)
Total Population Percentage
Hispanic or Latino 52,531 25.9%
NH White 130,578 64.4%
NH Black 11,684 5.8%
NH Asian 2,570 1.3%
NH Native American 922 0.5%
NH Pacific Islander 846 0.4%
NH Multiracial 3,775 1.9%

The United States Census Bureau estimated that in 2023, Johnson County’s population was 202,906. It was also estimated that the county was 25.9% Hispanic or Latino, 64.4% NH White, 5.8% NH Black, 1.3% NH Asian, 0.5% NH Native, 0.4% NH Pacific Islander, and 1.9% NH Multiracial.[14]

2000 census

[edit]

In 2000 there were 126,811 people, 43,636 households, and 34,428 families resided in the county.[15] The population density was 174 people per square mile (67 people/km2). The 46,269 housing units averaged 63 units per square mile (24/km2). In 2020, its population was 179,927, reflecting the increase of the Metroplex's population and suburbanization.

At the 2000 census, the racial makeup of the county was 90.01% White, 2.50% African American, 0.64% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 4.52% from other races, and 1.63% from two or more races. About 12.12% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2010, its racial makeup was 76.55% non-Hispanic white, 2.52% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.63% Asian American, 0.31% Pacific Islander, 0.11% some other race, 1.29% multiracial, and 18.10% Hispanic or Latino of any race.[12] By 2020, its racial and ethnic makeup was 66.26% non-Hispanic white, 3.58% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.52% Pacific Islander, 0.34% some other race, 4.19% multiracial, and 23.68% Hispanic or Latino of any race.[10]

As of 2000, the median income for a household in the county was $44,621, and for a family was $49,963. Males had a median income of $36,718 versus $25,149 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,400. About 6.90% of families and 8.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.60% of those under age 18 and 10.90% of those age 65 or over.

Education

[edit]

School districts include:[16]

Hill College a college in Hillsboro, a town in neighboring Hill County also provides tertiary education, with a campus in Cleburne since 1971.[citation needed] Johnson County is defined by the Texas Education Code as being in the Hill College service area.[17]

Southwestern Adventist University, a private liberal arts university in Keene, is currently the only four-year institution of higher learning in Johnson County. Southwestern is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church and has existed since 1893.

Media

[edit]

Johnson County is part of the Dallas/Fort Worth television media market in north-central Texas. Local news media outlets are: KDFW-TV, KXAS-TV, WFAA-TV, KTVT-TV, KERA-TV, KTXA-TV, KDFI-TV, KDAF-TV, KFWD-TV, and KDTX-TV. KCLE is the local radio station, which offers local news in addition to its country-music format. The local newspapers are the Cleburne Times-Review, Burleson Star, and Joshua Star.

Government and politics

[edit]

Government

Johnson County, like all counties in Texas, is governed by a commissioners' court. This court consists of the county judge (the chairperson of the court), who is elected county-wide, and four commissioners who are elected by the voters in each of four precincts.

The Commissioners' Court is the policy-making body for the county; in addition, the county judge is the senior executive and administrative position in the county. The Commissioners' Court sets the county tax rate, adopts the budget, appoints boards and commissions, approves grants and personnel actions, and oversees the administration of county government. Each commissioner supervises a Road and Bridge District. The Commissioners' Court approves the budget and sets the tax rate for the hospital district, which is charged with the responsibility for providing acute medical care for citizens who otherwise would not receive adequate medical services.

Johnson County is represented in the United States Congress as part of two congressional districts: Texas's 6th congressional district, represented by Republican Jake Ellzey of Midlothian, and Texas's 25th congressional district, represented by Republican Roger Williams of Weatherford. Its two senators are Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, both Republicans. At the state level, Johnson County is represented in the Texas State Legislature as part of Texas's 58th House of Representatives district, represented by Republican Helen Kerwin of Cleburne, and Texas Senate, District 10, represented by Republican Phil King of Weatherford.

County Commissioners

Office[18][19] Name Party
  County Judge Christopher Boedeker Republican
  Commissioner, Precinct 1 Rick Bailey Republican
  Commissioner, Precinct 2 Kenny Howell Republican
  Commissioner, Precinct 3 Mike White Republican
  Commissioner, Precinct 4 Larry Wooley Republican

Justices of the Peace

Office[20] Name Party
  Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1 Ronny McBroom Republican
  Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2 Jeff Monk Republican
  Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3 Andrew Nolan Republican
  Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4 Robert Shaw Republican

Constables

Office[21] Name Party
  Constable, Precinct 1 Matt Wylie Republican
  Constable, Precinct 2 Adam Crawford Republican
  Constable, Precinct 3 Steve Williams Republican
  Constable, Precinct 4 Troy Fuller Republican

County Officials

Office[22][23][24][25][26][27][28] Name Party
  County Attorney Bill Moore Republican
  District Attorney Timothy Good Republican
  District Clerk Dean Sullivan Republican
  County Clerk April Long Republican
  Sheriff Adam King Republican
  Tax Assessor-Collector Scott Porter Republican
  Treasurer Kathy Blackwell Republican

Courts

[edit]

County Criminal Court

Office[29] Name Party
  Court at Law 1 John Neill Republican
  Court at Law 2 Steven McClure Republican

District Courts

Office Name Party
  18th District Court Sydney Hewlett Republican
  249th District Court Tiffany Strother Republican
  413th District Court William Bosworth Republican
United States presidential election results for Johnson County, Texas[30]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 60,752 75.07% 19,247 23.78% 931 1.15%
2020 54,628 75.85% 16,464 22.86% 928 1.29%
2016 44,382 77.04% 10,988 19.07% 2,236 3.88%
2012 37,661 77.11% 10,496 21.49% 681 1.39%
2008 36,685 73.30% 12,912 25.80% 453 0.91%
2004 34,818 73.42% 12,325 25.99% 279 0.59%
2000 26,202 67.66% 11,778 30.41% 746 1.93%
1996 16,246 50.03% 12,817 39.47% 3,410 10.50%
1992 13,473 36.22% 12,030 32.34% 11,699 31.45%
1988 17,509 58.03% 12,507 41.45% 155 0.51%
1984 18,254 66.44% 9,148 33.30% 72 0.26%
1980 11,411 50.82% 10,542 46.95% 501 2.23%
1976 7,194 39.69% 10,864 59.93% 69 0.38%
1972 10,042 71.04% 3,968 28.07% 126 0.89%
1968 4,372 35.23% 5,330 42.95% 2,709 21.83%
1964 3,251 33.72% 6,381 66.18% 10 0.10%
1960 4,510 53.49% 3,844 45.59% 77 0.91%
1956 3,750 51.09% 3,560 48.50% 30 0.41%
1952 3,985 46.97% 4,496 52.99% 4 0.05%
1948 707 13.59% 4,042 77.70% 453 8.71%
1944 546 9.26% 4,757 80.68% 593 10.06%
1940 649 10.50% 5,532 89.47% 2 0.03%
1936 337 7.25% 4,281 92.12% 29 0.62%
1932 530 9.81% 4,858 89.88% 17 0.31%
1928 3,181 61.58% 1,981 38.35% 4 0.08%
1924 851 14.77% 4,600 79.85% 310 5.38%
1920 661 15.65% 3,041 71.99% 522 12.36%
1916 275 7.86% 3,040 86.93% 182 5.20%
1912 109 3.56% 2,473 80.84% 477 15.59%

Like much of the South, Johnson County was once a Democratic Party stronghold, consistently giving Democrats 70-80% of the vote aside from national Republican landslides. During its early history, Johnson County was crucial in the establishment of the Greenback Party, with many of the movement's major figures hailing from the area (although the county itself never offered significant support to the party).[31] Since 1976, Johnson County has joined much of the South in becoming a stronghold of the Republican Party. The county has given over 70% of its votes to the party in each presidential election since 2004, even as the Dallas-Forth Worth metro area, of which it is a part, has shifted to the left.

United States Senate election results for Johnson County, Texas1[32]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 57,382 71.44% 20,935 26.06% 2,006 2.50%

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Johnson County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Johnson, Middleton Tate".
  4. ^ Elam, Richard. "Johnson County". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  5. ^ O'connor, John (June 12, 2025). "Illinois officials investigate license-plate data shared with police seeking woman who had abortion". AP News. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  6. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on April 19, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  7. ^ "QuickFacts: Johnson County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 15, 2025.
  8. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  9. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  10. ^ a b c "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Johnson County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  11. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Johnson County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  12. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Johnson County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  13. ^ a b c "B03002 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – Johnson County, Texas – 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. July 1, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  14. ^ "County Population by Characteristics: 2020-2023". Census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  15. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  16. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Johnson County, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022. - Text list
  17. ^ Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.181. HILL COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
  18. ^ "County Judge". Johnson County, TX. Retrieved August 19, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ "Commissioners | Johnson County, TX". www.johnsoncountytx.org. Archived from the original on October 9, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  20. ^ "Justice of the Peace | Johnson County, TX". www.johnsoncountytx.org. Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  21. ^ "Request Rejected". www.johnsoncountytx.org. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  22. ^ "County Attorney | Johnson County, TX". www.johnsoncountytx.org. Archived from the original on May 7, 2025. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  23. ^ "County Clerk | Johnson County, TX". www.johnsoncountytx.org. Archived from the original on October 9, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  24. ^ "District Attorney | Johnson County, TX". www.johnsoncountytx.org. Archived from the original on May 19, 2025. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  25. ^ "County Clerk | Johnson County, TX". www.johnsoncountytx.org. Archived from the original on October 9, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  26. ^ "Home -". jocotxsheriff.com. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  27. ^ "Johnson County". www.johnsoncountytaxoffice.org. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  28. ^ "County Treasurer | Johnson County, TX". www.johnsoncountytx.org. Archived from the original on October 7, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  29. ^ "County Courts | Johnson County, TX". www.johnsoncountytx.org. Archived from the original on October 7, 2024. Retrieved August 17, 2025.
  30. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
  31. ^ "History of Johnson County | Johnson County, TX". www.johnsoncountytx.org. Archived from the original on May 17, 2025. Retrieved August 17, 2025.
  32. ^ "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)". Commonwealth of Texas by county. November 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
[edit]

Media related to Johnson County, Texas at Wikimedia Commons

32°23′N 97°22′W / 32.38°N 97.36°W / 32.38; -97.36