Lamar County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas, in the Northeast Texas region. As of the 2020 census, its population was 50,088. Its county seat is Paris. The county was formed by the Congress of the Republic of Texas on December 17, 1840, and organized the next year. It is named for Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, the second president of the Republic of Texas.
Lamar County comprises the Paris, TX Micropolitan Statistical Area.
The majority-white population supported the Democratic Party well into the late 20th century, when it was nearly a one-party state, but in the early 21st century, most have shifted to the Republican Party. Lamar County is now represented in the Texas House of Representatives by Gary VanDeaver of New Boston.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which are land and (2.8%) are covered by water.
Major highways
20px U.S. Highway 82
25px U.S. Highway 271
20px State Highway 19
20px State Highway 24
20px Loop 286
Adjacent counties
Choctaw County, Oklahoma (north)
Red River County (east)
Delta County (south)
Fannin County (west)
Bryan County, Oklahoma (northwest)
Demographics
2020 census
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 can be of any race.
2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, 48,499 people, 19,077 households, and 13,468 families resided in the county. The population density was 53 people per square mile (20/km2). The 21,113 housing units averaged 23 per square mile (9/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 82.46% White, 13.47% African American, 1.08% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 1.19% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races. About 3.33% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 19,077 households, 32.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.00% were married couples living together, 13.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.40% were not families. About 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was distributed as 26.10% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 22.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,609, and for a family was $38,359. Males had a median income of $30,539 versus $21,095 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,000. About 12.80% of families and 16.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.50% of those under age 18 and 14.30% of those age 65 or over.
Education
These school districts serve Lamar County:
Chisum ISD (small portion in Delta County)
Fannindel ISD (mostly in Delta and Fannin Counties; small portion in Hunt County)
Honey Grove ISD (mostly in Fannin County)
North Lamar ISD
Paris ISD
Prairiland ISD (small portion in Red River County)
*
Until it closed in 2019, Roxton ISD. Roxton ISD consolidated into Chisum ISD after the 2018–19 school year.
In addition, Paris Junior College serves the county.
Communities
Cities
Blossom
Deport (partly in Red River County)
Paris (county seat and largest municipality)
Reno
Roxton
Sun Valley
Toco
Census-designated place
Powderly
Unincorporated communities
Ambia
Arthur City
Atlas
Brookston
Chicota
Cunningham
Glory
Hopewell
Midcity
Milton
Pattonville
Petty
Sumner
Politics
