Chambers County, Texas

History

Mission Nuestra Señora de la Luz, a Spanish mission in Texas, was established in 1756 near what is now Wallisville.

Chambers County was founded in 1858. It is named for Thomas Jefferson Chambers, a major general in the Texas Revolution.

In 2019, Atlas Air Flight 3591, a cargo flight operating for Amazon Air, crashed in the Trinity Bay, in Chambers County and near Anahuac, while flying from Miami to Houston. All three people on board were killed.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 871 sqmi, of which 597 sqmi are land and 274 sqmi (31%) are covered by water.

The south and southwestern parts of the county lie in the Galveston Bay Area on the shores of Trinity Bay and East Bay. A small portion of the southeastern area lies on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

Adjacent counties

• Liberty County (north)
• Jefferson County (east)
• Galveston County (southwest)
• Harris County (west)

National protected areas

• Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge (formerly Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge)
• Moody National Wildlife Refuge

State and local protected areas

• Candy Cain Abshier Wildlife Management Area
• Turtle Bayou Nature Preserve

Communities

Cities

• Anahuac (county seat)
• Baytown (mostly in Harris County)
• Beach City
• Cove
• Mont Belvieu (small part in Liberty County)
• Old River-Winfree (small part in Liberty County)

Census-designated places

• Oak Island
• Stowell
• Winnie

Unincorporated communities

• Double Bayou
• Hankamer
• Monroe City
• Seabreeze
• Smith Point
• Turtle Bayou
• Wallisville

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1850–2010 2010 2020

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 46,571. The median age was 35.8 years. 28.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 12.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.1 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 70.0% White, 6.9% Black or African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% Asian,

45.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 54.1% lived in rural areas.

There were 15,623 households in the county, of which 43.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 62.2% were married-couple households, 14.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 18.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 17.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 16,933 housing units, of which 7.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 85.3% were owner-occupied and 14.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.4%.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 26,031 people, 9,139 households, and 7,219 families were residing in the county. The population density was 43 /mi2. The 10,336 housing units averaged 17 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 81.88% White, 9.77% African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 6.02% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. About 10.79% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the 9,139 households, 40.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.70% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.00% were not families. About 17.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82, and the average family size was 3.20.

In the county, the age distribution was 28.90% under 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 29.90% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 9.00% who were 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,964, and for a family was $52,986. Males had a median income of $43,351 versus $25,478 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,863. About 8.30% of families and 11.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.30% of those under age 18 and 12.60% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Chambers County is governed by a five-member commissioners' court, consisting of the county judge and four county commissioners. The county judge is elected to four-year terms in a countywide election. Commissioners are elected to four-year terms from single-member districts.

Chambers County Commissioners' Court

Elected Officials

Constables

United States Congress

Texas Legislature

Texas Senate

Texas House of Representatives

State Board of Education

Courts

Justices of the Peace

District Courts

1st Court of Appeals

14th Court of Appeals

Politics

As with much of the Southern United States, Democrats won locally up into the 21st century, with many local politicians switching party allegiances in the mid-2000s

Education

; Public School Districts Local Primary and Secondary School Jurisdictions. Each are governed by their own respective school board.

• Goose Creek CISD
• Barbers Hill ISD
• Anahuac ISD
• East Chambers ISD
• La Porte ISD (parts of uninhabited Galveston Bay)

; Higher Education Community Colleges

• Lee College (Anahuac, Barbers Hill, East Chambers, and Goose Creek ISDs: in other words, for all land areas of Chambers County)
• San Jacinto College (La Porte ISD, which here means parts of uninhabited Galveston Bay)

; Public libraries The Chambers County Library System operates three libraries in the county.

• Chambers County Library (main branch) in Anahuac
• Juanita Hargraves Memorial Branch in Winnie
• Sam and Carmena Goss Memorial Branch in Mont Belvieu

Transportation

Major highways

• [[Image:I-10 (TX).svg|20px]] Interstate 10
• [[Image:Texas 61.svg|20px]] State Highway 61
• [[Image:Texas 65.svg|20px]] State Highway 65
• [[Image:Texas 73.svg|20px]] State Highway 73
• [[Image:Toll Texas 99.svg|20px]] State Highway 99 (Grand Parkway)
• [[Image:Texas 124.svg|20px]] State Highway 124
• [[Image:Texas 146.svg|20px]] State Highway 146

Airports

The county operates two airports in unincorporated areas:

• Chambers County Airport is east of Anahuac.
  • It was developed in the 1940s, and the county collaborated with the federal government to have it built. In August 1947, the federal government was to pay $23,322.
• Chambers County-Winnie Stowell Airport serves Stowell and Winnie.

In addition, RWJ Airpark, a privately owned airport for public use, is located in Beach City.

In the 1970s there had been a proposal to establish another airport in the county, but the Baytown city council objected to the proposal, arguing it was too close to another airport under private ownership.

The Houston Airport System stated that Chambers County is within the primary service area of George Bush Intercontinental Airport, an international airport in Houston in Harris County.

References

References

1. "US Census 2020 Population Dataset Tables for all Texas counties".
2. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Chambers County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
3. "Chambers County, Texas".
4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
5. Alvarez, Elizabeth Cruce. (November 8, 2011). "Texas Almanac 2012–2013". Texas A&M University Press.
6. Gannett, Henry. (1905). "The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States". Govt. Print. Off..
7. (February 23, 2019). "Human remains found after Atlas Air cargo plane crashes in Chambers Co.". [[KTRK-TV]].
8. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
9. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". [[US Census Bureau]].
10. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010". Texas Almanac.
11. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Chambers County, Texas".
12. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Chambers County, Texas".
13. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Chambers County, Texas".
14. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
15. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
16. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
17. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
18. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
19. (November 5, 2024). "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)".
20. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Chambers County, TX". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
21. [https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code, Section 130.186, "Lee College District Service Area"]. Its service area includes Goose Creek, Barbers Hill, Anahuac, and East Chambers school districts.
22. [https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.197. SAN JACINTO COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.].
23. "Locations & Hours". Chambers County Library System.
24. Hankamer, Delia. (1947-10-30). "Chambers County News". [[The Liberty Vindicator]].
25. Hankamer, Delia. (1947-08-14). "Chambers County News". [[The Liberty Vindicator]].
26. (1973-11-21). "No Decision Made Yet on Chambers Airport". [[The Baytown Sun]].
27. link. (July 11, 2011 ." ''George Bush Intercontinental Airport Master Plan''. [[Houston Airport System]]. December 2006. 2-1 (23/130). Retrieved on December 14, 2010.)