| County: | Henderson County |
| Founded: | 1846 |
| State: | Texas |
| Seat Wl: | Athens |
| Largest City Wl: | Athens |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 948 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 874 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 75 |
| Area Percentage: | 7.9 |
| Census Yr: | 2020 |
| Pop: | 82150 |
| Density Sq Mi: | 87 |
| Ex Image: | Henderson courthouse tx 2010.jpg |
| Ex Image Size: | 250 |
| Ex Image Cap: | The Henderson County Courthouse in Athens |
| Web: | www.co.henderson.tx.us |
| Time Zone: | Central |
| District: | 5th |
Henderson County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 82,150.[1] The county seat is Athens.[2] The county is named in honor of James Pinckney Henderson, the first attorney general of the Republic of Texas, and secretary of state for the republic.[3] He later served as the first governor of Texas. Henderson County was established in 1846, the year after Texas gained statehood. Its first town was Buffalo, laid out in 1847.[4] Henderson County comprises the Athens micropolitan statistical area, which is also included in the Dallas-Fort Worth combined statistical area.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 948sqmi, of which 75sqmi (7.9%) are covered by water.[5]
| White alone (NH) | 63,494 | 61,854 | 80.85% | 75.29% | |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 4,813 | 4,705 | 6.13% | 5.73% | |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 349 | 414 | 0.44% | 0.50% | |
| Asian alone (NH) | 318 | 510 | 0.40% | 0.62% | |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 27 | 31 | 0.03% | 0.04% | |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 76 | 211 | 0.10% | 0.26% | |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 965 | 3,183 | 1.23% | 3.87% | |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 8,490 | 11,242 | 10.81% | 13.68% | |
| Total | 78,532 | 82,150 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the census[8] of 2000, 73,277 people, 28,804 households, and 20,969 families were residing in the county. Its population density was 84/mi2. The 35,935 housing units averaged 41adj=preNaNadj=pre. The racial makeup of the county was 88.50% White, 6.61% African American, 0.54% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 2.75% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. About 6.92% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. At the 2020 census, its population increased to 82,150 with a predominantly non-Hispanic white population; the Hispanic or Latino population of any race increased to 13.68% reflecting nationwide demographic trends.[9]
Henderson County is part of the Dallas/Fort Worth DMA. Local media outlets are: KDFW-TV, KXAS-TV, WFAA-TV, KTVT-TV, KERA-TV, KTXA-TV, KDFI-TV, KDAF-TV, and KFWD-TV. Other nearby stations that provide coverage for Henderson County come from the Tyler/Longview/Jacksonville market and they include: KLTV, KTRE-TV, KYTX-TV, KFXK-TV, KCEB-TV, and KETK-TV.
Newspaper coverage of the area can be found in the Athens Daily Review, based in Athens; The Monitor is published in Mabank, which is primarily in Kaufman County, but also covers news in parts of Henderson County, as well.
Paul Knight of the Houston Press said in a 2009 article that some people blamed the development of the artificial Cedar Creek Lake, which opened in 1965, and development of the area surrounding the lake for the initial influx of crime and recreational drugs into the county and the East Texas region. Carroll Dyson, a retired pilot and Henderson County resident interviewed by the Houston Press, said in 2009 that the lake attracted "white flight" from metropolitan areas.[10] Dyson added, "When all your rich people from Dallas and Houston move out here, the thieves are just drawn to them. Thieves are just wired that way. You used to not have to lock your door in Henderson County." Ray Nutt, the sheriff of Henderson County, said in the same article that when the lake first opened, it had no zoning and "a lot of elderly people bought a mobile home and moved in; it was nice. Then, they passed away and family members sold them off or just let them go down." Nutt added that the area around the lake has "a lot of good people," yet it also where "a lot of criminals tend to flow."[11]