EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS

'El Paso County' is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Texas. According to the 2005 U.S. Census population estimates, the county had a population of 721,598. Its county seat is El Paso⁶. ''El Paso'' is Spanish for "the Pass." It is named for the pass the Rio Grande creates through the mountains on either side of the river.

Contents

Geography

Major Highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

2004 Election

Communities

Cities

Towns

Villages

Unincorporated areas

Media

External link

Geography

The county lies at the westernmost tip of Texas, bounded by the Rio Grande River to the west and south, and is so far west of the rest of the state that it lies in another time zone while its residents rarely speak with the ''Texas Twang''.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,628 km² (1,015 mi²). 2,624 km² (1,013 mi²) of it is land and 4 km² (2 mi²) of it (0.15%) is water.

Major Highways

★ Interstate 10

★ U.S. Highway 54

★ U.S. Highway 62/U.S. Highway 180

★ State Highway 20 (Texas)

★ State Highway Loop 375 (Texas)

Adjacent counties

★ Otero County, New Mexico (north)

★ Hudspeth County (east)

★ Doña Ana County, New Mexico (northwest)
The Mexican state of Chihuahua lies to the south.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 679,622 people, 210,022 households, and 166,127 families residing in the county. The population density was 259/km² (671/mi²). There were 224,447 housing units at an average density of 86/km² (222/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 60.95% White, 16.06% Black or African American, 0.82% Native American, 0.98% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 17.91% from other races, and 3.19% from two or more races. 78.23% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 210,022 households out of which 44.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% were married couples living together, 18.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.90% were non-families. 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 3.18 and the average family size was 3.63.
In the county, the population was spread out with 32.00% under the age of 18, 10.60% from 18 to 24, 29.30% from 25 to 44, 18.40% from 45 to 64, and 9.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 93.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,051, and the median income for a family was $33,410. Males had a median income of $26,882 versus $20,722 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,421. About 20.50% of families and 23.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.50% of those under age 18 and 18.50% of those age 65 or over.

2004 Election

El Paso County was one of the very few counties in Texas to vote Democrat. Voters in the county chose Senator John Kerry over George W. Bush, 94,879 to 73,046.

Communities

Cities

★ El Paso

★ Horizon City

★ Socorro

Towns

★ Anthony

★ Clint

★ San Elizario

Villages

★ Vinton

Unincorporated areas

★ Agua Dulce ★ Butterfield ★ Canutillo ★ Fabens

★ Fort Bliss ★ Homestead Meadows North ★ Homestead Meadows South ★ Morning Glory

★ Newman ★ Prado Verde ★ San Elizario ★ Sparks

★ Tornillo ★ Westway

Media

Shut Down, Two Days Into Hearings

Texas Agency for Elderly Under Fire Over Neglect

Not Forgotten

Report Finds Problems In Texas Elder Care Program

External link

★ El Paso County in ''Handbook of Texas Online'' at the University of Texas

★ Historic El Paso County materials, hosted by the Portal to Texas History.