County population in 2016: 11,779 (72% urban, 28% rural); it was 10,909 in 2000County owner-occupied with a mortgage or a loan houses and condos in 2010: 1,138 County owner-occupied free and clear houses and condos in 2010: 1,919 County owner-occupied houses and condos in 2000: 3,098 Renter-occupied apartments: 938 (it was 866 in 2000)
% of renters here:
22%
State:
36%
Land area: 835 sq. mi.
Water area: 0.3 sq. mi.
Population density: 14 people per square mile (low).
Mar. 2016 cost of living index in Ward County: 78.9 (low, U.S. average is 100)
Industries providing employment: Educational, health and social services (19.4%), Agriculture,forestry,fishing and hunting, and mining (13.5%), Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services (10.4%).
Estimated median household income in 2016: $58,703 ($29,386 in 1999)
This county:
$58,703
Texas:
$56,565
Median contract rent in 2016 for apartments: $568 (lower quartile is $445, upper quartile is $794)
This county:
$568
State:
$809
Estimated median house or condo value in 2016: $92,803 (it was $31,800 in 2000)
Ward:
$92,803
Texas:
$161,500
Lower value quartile - upper value quartile: $38,530 - $172,324 Median monthly housing costs for homes and condos with a mortgage: $1,044 Median monthly housing costs for units without a mortgage: $375
Institutionalized population: 125
Crime in 2005 (reported by the sheriff's office or county police, not the county total):
Murders: 0
Rapes: 0
Robberies: 0
Assaults: 3
Burglaries: 1
Thefts: 5
Auto thefts: 1
Crime in 2004 (reported by the sheriff's office or county police, not the county total):
Murders: 0
Rapes: 1
Robberies: 1
Assaults: 2
Burglaries: 1
Thefts: 1
Auto thefts: 0
Single-family new house construction building permits:
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with mortgages in 2016: $1,146 (1.0%) Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with no mortgage in 2016: $403 (0.5%)
Percentage of residents living in poverty in 2016: 15.6%
Ward County:
15.6%
Texas:
15.6%
(13.4% for White Non-Hispanic residents, 10.3% for Black residents, 18.6% for Hispanic or Latino residents, 4.5% for American Indian residents, 27.8% for other race residents, 3.5% for two or more races residents)
Median age of residents in 2016: 34.6 years old
(Males: 33.5 years old, Females: 35.8 years old)
(Median age for: White residents: 43.1 years old, Black residents: 29.0 years old, American Indian residents: 27.8 years old, Asian residents: 43.2 years old, Hispanic or Latino residents: 29.9 years old, Other race residents: 43.5 years old)
Fair market rent in 2006 for a 1-bedroom apartment in Ward County is $407 a month. Fair market rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $484 a month. Fair market rent for a 3-bedroom apartment is $603 a month.
Notable locations in this county outside city limits:
Notable locations in Ward County: Dawson Windmills (A), East Windmill (B), Ell Long Ranch (C), Glass and Everitt Ranch (D), Gulf Windmill (E), Hardland Windmill (F), Hidden Water Windmill (G), House Windmill (H), J Bar Ranch (I), Lea Ranch (J), Middle Windmill (K), New Windmill (L), North Adolph Windmill (M), Old House Windmill (N), Pee Wee Windmill (O), Pigman Windmill (P), R B Valley Windmill (Q), R B Windmill (R), Red Windmill (S), Sand Camp (T). Display/hide their locations on the map
Current college students: 253 People 25 years of age or older with a high school degree or higher: 77.0% People 25 years of age or older with a bachelor's degree or higher: 14.5%
Number of foreign born residents: 1,001 (38.0% naturalized citizens)
Ward County:
8.5%
Whole state:
17.0%
Year of entry for the foreign-born population
2010 or later: 221
2000 to 2009: 113
1990 to 1999: 169
1980 to 1989: 200
1970 to 1979: 207
Before 1970: 178
Note: State values scaled to Ward County population
Mean travel time to work (commute): 19.3 minutes
Percentage of county residents living and working in this county: 74.0%
Housing units in structures:
One, detached: 3,528
One, attached: 43
Two: 156
3 or 4: 110
5 to 9: 41
10 to 19: 95
50 or more: 12
Mobile homes: 864
Boats, RVs, vans, etc.: 2
Housing units in Ward County with a mortgage: 809 (17 second mortgage, 10 home equity loan, 0 both second mortgage and home equity loan) Houses without a mortgage: 2,071
Here:
99.8% with mortgage
State:
57.8% with mortgage
Religion statistics for Ward County
Religion
Adherents
Congregations
Evangelical Protestant
3,364
20
Catholic
2,525
3
Mainline Protestant
690
6
Other
162
2
None
3,917
-
Ward County Religion Details
Source: Clifford Grammich, Kirk Hadaway, Richard Houseal, Dale E.Jones, Alexei Krindatch, Richie Stanley and Richard H.Taylor. 2012. 2010 U.S.Religion Census: Religious Congregations & Membership Study. Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies. Jones, Dale E., et al. 2002. Congregations and Membership in the United States 2000. Nashville, TN: Glenmary Research Center.
Food Environment Statistics:
Number of grocery stores: 2
Ward County:
1.96 / 10,000 pop.
State:
1.47 / 10,000 pop.
Number of convenience stores (no gas): 2
This county:
1.96 / 10,000 pop.
Texas:
1.11 / 10,000 pop.
Number of convenience stores (with gas): 11
Ward County:
10.80 / 10,000 pop.
Texas:
3.95 / 10,000 pop.
Number of full-service restaurants: 7
This county:
6.87 / 10,000 pop.
State:
6.13 / 10,000 pop.
Adult diabetes rate:
Ward County:
9.8%
Texas:
8.9%
Adult obesity rate:
Ward County:
27.8%
State:
26.6%
Low-income preschool obesity rate:
Here:
14.0%
State:
15.7%
Agriculture in Ward County:
Average size of farms: 5414 acres Average value of agricultural products sold per farm: $19,545 The value of nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 0.00% Average total farm production expenses per farm: $22,080 Harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 0.09% Average market value of all machinery and equipment per farm: $20,006 The percentage of farms operated by a family or individual: 93.02% Average age of principal farm operators: 57 years Average number of cattle and calves per 100 acres of all land in farms: 0.64 Land in orchards: 21 acres
Tornado activity:
Ward County historical area-adjusted tornado activity is significantly below Texas state average. It is 6897467.5 times below overall U.S. average. Tornadoes in this county have caused 4 injuries recorded between 1950 and 2004. On 5/29/1954, a category 2 (max. wind speeds 113-157 mph) tornado injured 2 people
Earthquake activity:
Ward County-area historical earthquake activity is significantly above Texas state average. It is 18% smaller than the overall U.S. average.
On 4/14/1995 at 00:32:56, a magnitude 5.7 (5.6 MB, 5.7 MS, 5.7 MW, Depth: 11.1 mi, Class: Moderate, Intensity: VI - VII) earthquake occurred 88.2 miles away from Ward County center On 1/2/1992 at 11:45:35, a magnitude 5.0 (4.6 MB, 5.0 LG, Depth: 3.1 mi) earthquake occurred 56.7 miles away from the county center On 6/16/1978 at 11:46:54, a magnitude 5.3 (4.4 MB, 4.6 UK, 5.3 ML) earthquake occurred 168.1 miles away from the county center On 12/19/2005 at 20:27:40, a magnitude 4.3 (4.3 MB, 4.1 MW, Depth: 3.1 mi, Class: Light, Intensity: IV - V) earthquake occurred 113.8 miles away from the county center On 4/15/1995 at 14:33:29, a magnitude 4.0 (4.0 LG, Depth: 6.2 mi) earthquake occurred 88.1 miles away from Ward County center On 5/23/2004 at 09:22:05, a magnitude 4.0 (4.0 MB, 4.0 LG, Depth: 3.1 mi) earthquake occurred 114.5 miles away from the county center Magnitude types: regional Lg-wave magnitude (LG), body-wave magnitude (MB), local magnitude (ML), surface-wave magnitude (MS), moment magnitude (MW)
Most recent natural disasters:
Texas Wildfires, Incident Period: March 14, 2008 to September 01, 2008, Emergency Declared EM-3284: March 14, 2008, FEMA Id: 3284, Natural disaster type: Fire
Texas Hurricane Rita, Incident Period: September 23, 2005 to October 14, 2005, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-1606: September 24, 2005, FEMA Id: 1606, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
Texas Hurricane Rita, Incident Period: September 20, 2005 to October 14, 2005, Emergency Declared EM-3261: September 21, 2005, FEMA Id: 3261, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
Texas Hurricane Katrina, Incident Period: August 29, 2005 to October 01, 2005, Emergency Declared EM-3216: September 02, 2005, FEMA Id: 3216, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
Texas Extreme Fire Hazards, Incident Period: August 01, 1999 to December 10, 1999, Emergency Declared EM-3142: September 01, 1999, FEMA Id: 3142, Natural disaster type: Fire
The number of natural disasters in Ward County (5) is a lot smaller than the US average (13). Major Disasters (Presidential) Declared: 1 Emergencies Declared: 4
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations (8%)
Transportation occupations (8%)
Production occupations (8%)
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations (7%)
Office and administrative support occupations (21%)
Education, training, and library occupations (12%)
Food preparation and serving related occupations (11%)
Management occupations (9%)
Health technologists and technicians (7%)
Personal care and service occupations (7%)
Sales and related occupations (6%)
Most common places of birth for the foreign-born residents (%):
Mexico (87%)
United Kingdom, excluding England and Scotland (3%)
China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (2%)
Australia (2%)
Germany (1%)
France (1%)
Vietnam (0%)
Most common first ancestries reported in Ward County (%):
American (5%)
English (3%)
Irish (3%)
German (3%)
Scottish (1%)
European (0%)
Scotch-Irish (0%)
Means of transportation to work:
Drove a car alone: 3,938 (79.5%)
Carpooled: 547 (11.0%)
Taxicab, motorcycle, or other means: 96 (1.9%)
Bicycle: 27 (0.5%)
Walked: 110 (2.2%)
Worked at home: 231 (4.7%)
Owners and renters by unit type in %
Breakdown of mean house values by ages of householders ($)
People in group quarters in Ward County, Texas in 2000:
232 people in training schools for juvenile delinquents
72 people in local jails and other confinement facilities (including police lockups)
54 people in nursing homes
6 people in homes for the mentally retarded
5 people in agriculture workers' dormitories on farms
People in group quarters in Ward County, Texas in 2010:
54 people in local jails and other municipal confinement facilities
54 people in nursing facilities/skilled-nursing facilities
17 people in correctional facilities intended for juveniles
Average gross adjusted income of non-migrant taxpayers in this county in 2010 was $53,122.
7.94% of this county's 2011 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2010 ($33,788 average adjusted gross income)
Here:
7.94%
Texas average:
7.14%
10 or fewer of this county's residents moved from foreign countries.
5.78% relocated from other counties in Texas ($25,074 average AGI)
2.16% relocated from other states ($8,714 average AGI)
Ward County:
2.16%
Texas average:
2.49%
Percentage of residents relocating from other counties or countries
Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2010 and 2011:
7.65% of this county's 2010 resident taxpayers moved to other counties in 2011 ($42,371 average adjusted gross income)
Here:
7.65%
Texas average:
6.69%
10 or fewer of this county's residents moved to foreign countries.
6.42% relocated to other counties in Texas ($35,963 average AGI)
1.24% relocated to other states ($6,408 average AGI)
Ward County:
1.24%
Texas average:
2.01%
Percentage of residents relocating to other counties or countries
Top counties to which taxpayers relocated from this county between 2010 and 2011:
Births per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 14.4 Births per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 14.8
Births per 1000 population in Ward County
Deaths per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 8.9 Deaths per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 10.1 Deaths per 1000 population from 2007 to 2014: 10.2
Deaths per 1000 population in Ward County
Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 1990 to 1999: 6.8 Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 2000 to 2006: 4.8
Infant deaths per 1000 live births in Ward County
Population without health insurance coverage in 2013: 23.1% Persons under 19 years old without health insurance coverage in 2013: 14.5%
Percentage of population without health insurance coverage in Ward County
Percentage of population without health insurance coverage in Ward County
Persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare) in July 1, 2007: 1,810 (1,511 aged, 299 disabled) Children under 18 without health insurance coverage in 2007: 388 (14%)
Persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare)
Aged persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare)
Disabled persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare)
Most common underlying causes of death in Ward County, Texas in 1999 - 2014:
Bronchus or lung, unspecified - Malignant neoplasms (104)
Stroke, not specified as haemorrhage or infarction (33)
Congestive heart failure (23)
Alzheimer's disease, unspecified (11)
Population without health insurance coverage in 2000: 19% Children under 18 without health insurance coverage in 2000: 19%
Short term general hospitals per 100,000 population in 2004: 9.65 Short term general hospital admissions per 100,000 population in 2004: 4,847 Short term general hospital beds per 100,000 population in 2004: 241 Emergency room visits per 100,000 population in 2004: 44,931
General practice office based MDs per 100,000 population in 2005: 1,582 Medical specialist MDs per 100,000 population in 2005: 987 Dentists per 100,000 population in 1998: 20
Total births per 100,000 population, July 2005 - July 2006 : 17 Total deaths per 100,000 population, July 2005 - July 2006: 98
Household type by relationship:
Households: 11,779
In family households: 10,122 (1,328 male householders, 1,350 female householders)
1,989 spouses, 4,170 children (3,919 natural, 55 adopted, 193 stepchildren), 554 grandchildren, 121 brothers or sisters, 200 parents, 204 other relatives, 209 non-relatives
In nonfamily households: 1,526 (561 male householders (506 living alone)), 791 female householders (697 living alone)), 166 nonrelatives
In group quarters: 132
Size of family households: 1,197 2-persons, 511 3-persons, 474 4-persons, 341 5-persons, 76 6-persons, 75 7-or-more-persons.
Size of nonfamily households: 1,205 1-person, 146 2-persons, 1 3-persons.
2,060 married couples with children.
653 single-parent households (38 men, 615 women).
61.4% of residents of Ward speak English at home.
38.3% of residents speak Spanish at home (74% speak English very well, 14% speak English well, 9% speak English not well, 3% don't speak English at all).
0.2% of residents speak other Indo-European language at home (100% speak English very well).
0.2% of residents speak Asian or Pacific Island language at home (23% speak English very well, 77% speak English not well).
In fiscal year 2004:
Federal Government expenditure: $60,696,000 ($5,860 per capita) Department of Defense expenditure: $1,360,000 Federal direct payments to individuals for retirement and disability: $25,403,000 Federal other direct payments to individuals: $14,515,000 Federal direct payments not to individuals: $405,000 Federal grants: $17,942,000 Federal procurement contracts: $1,101,000 ($772,000 Department of Defense) Federal salaries and wages: $1,330,000 ($0,000 Department of Defense) Federal Government direct loans: $7,000 Federal guaranteed/insured loans: $2,396,000 Federal Government insurance: $140,000
Population change from April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005:
Births: 765
Here:
75 per 1000 residents
State:
85 per 1000 residents
Deaths: 524
Here:
51 per 1000 residents
State:
35 per 1000 residents
Net international migration: +23
Here:
+2 per 1000 residents
State:
+29 per 1000 residents
Net internal migration: -912
Here:
-89 per 1000 residents
State:
+10 per 1000 residents
Population growth in Ward County
Total withdrawal of fresh water for public supply: 7.94 millions of gallons per day (all from ground)
Note: State values scaled to Ward County population
no vehicle: 104
1 vehicle: 656
2 vehicles: 962
3 vehicles: 770
4 vehicles: 264
5+ vehicles: 103
no vehicle: 153
1 vehicle: 551
2 vehicles: 348
3 vehicles: 120
4 vehicles: 0
5+ vehicles: 1
87% of Ward County residents lived in the same house 1 years ago. Out of people who lived in different houses, 34% lived in this county. Out of people who lived in different counties, 80% lived in Texas.
Ward County:
86.6%
State average:
84.1%
Place of birth for U.S.-born residents:
This state: 8,407
Other state: 2,309
Northeast: 127
Midwest: 391
South: 585
West: 1,229
Year Householders Moved Into Unit
Most commonly used house heating fuel in Ward County
Click here to upload your Ward County photos (outside city limits)
34.6 years
34.5 years
(49.7%)
(50.3%)
, Menard County 
, San Augustine County 
