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Texas Stats & Facts
Hey, if you are going to live in Texas you need to know all the "good stuff".
Here is more than enough information to make you sound like a native!
  • Click on this link to test your knowledge of Texas: Texas Trivia
  • Highest Point:
    Guadalupe Peak at 8,749 feet above sea level in Culberson County in far West Texas.
  • Low Point:
    Gulf of Mexico at sea level.
  • Geographic center:
    About 15 miles northeast of Brady in northern McCulloch County.
  • Time Zone:
    Central/Mountain zones (The El Paso area is in the Mountain Time Zone)
    Climate & Weather:
  • High temperatures vary around the state but most top out in the mid 90's during the summer.
  • The winter lows are usually around the low 40's. Texas has all variations of climate and weather in its huge area.
  • The Rio Grande Valley is a hot, sub-humid clime while the northern Panhandle area is cold and semi-arid.
  • Rainfall may range from 55 inches a year in the east to 10 inches a year in the dry western portion of the state. For instance, El Paso may have 44 days of precipitation per year, while
  • Houston might have 110 days in the same year.
  • Drought is a common thing, especially in the high plains area of the state.
  • Tornados are frequent in parts of Texas, mostly in the Red River Valley.
    Size and Area:
  • Total area: 268,601 square miles - It is second in size next to Alaska
  • Land area: 261,914 square miles (167,624,960 acres)
  • Water area: 5,363 square miles (3,432,320 acres)
  • Forested area: 22,032 million acres
  • State Forests: 5 - 7,519 acres
  • National Forests: 7 - 637,386 acres
  • Towns & Cities: 3,100
  • 773 miles east to west
  • 801 miles north to south
  • Texas has almost 7.5% of the country's total land area! This is an area as large as Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and all of New England combined.
    Texas state population
  • 2006 - 23,507,783
  • 2005 - 22,859,968
  • 2004 - 22,471,549
  • In 2000 there were 79.6 persons per square mile in the state making Texas the second in population density in the country. It was also 87% urban and just 13% rural in 2006.
    Income:
  • State Median Family Income: 2004 - $56,606
  • State Per Capita: 2001 - $29,039
    Government:
  • Texas has 254 counties.
  • In 2006, the smallest was Loving County with just 60 residents. Harris County was the largest in 2005 with 3,693,050 people. In contrast, Rockwall County is the smallest in size with 149 square miles. The largest county, with 6,191 square miles is Brewster County. This is an area almost as large as Connecticut and Rhode Island put together.
    History:
  • The first to land on the Texas coast was Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca in 1528 and that was probably an accident! He wrote of his discovery which may have prompted others to come, including Francisco Vasquez de Coronado and Hernando de Soto by 1550. These explorations were never for permanent settlement, but only to help in the search for gold.
  • The first town, Ysleta, was formed from a Spanish mission and an indian pueblo in 1680. In 1685, the Frenchman, Robert Cavelier de La Salle founded Fort St. Louis at Lavaca Bay. The Spanish, not to be overrun, sent troops to destroy it. When they arrived, they found the fort deserted. They decided to go on and founded the first of the east Texas missions on the Neches River. They named it San Francisco de los Tejas. The word "tejas" came from a local indian tribal group and meant "friendly." By 1693, the area was abandoned due to lack of settlement for the hot, brushy area.
  • When the French came again in the early 1700's, more Spanish missions were established. Many of the early towns were built around them - Goliad, Nacogdoches and San Antonio. These remained the only real settlements of any substance in Texas during the beginning of the 1800's. In 1821, Mexico became free from Spain and wanted to develop the territory. Free land grants were offered to anyone who would come to colonize. Stephen F. Austin was among the first and led 300 American families to their new homes there. Soon the Americans outnumbered the Mexican people there by large amounts. Unrest resulted with conflict erupting on many occasions, starting as early as 1828. The Texas Revolution began in earnest in 1835. The Battle at the Alamo was one of the conflicts of this war. The Republic of Texas was finally won and remained as such until 1845.
  • Sam Houston was one of the most influential men of this time period. He played a large role in the war for independence. He was the president of the Republic and continued to serve as a US Senator and governor after statehood. With the Civil War, Texas seceded in 1861. Sam Houston refused to go along with pledging allegiance to the Confederacy and was removed from office. He died in 1863. Texas rejoined the Union in 1870.
    Geography:
  • Texas is about 850 miles north to south and the same east and west. Its coastline runs over 600 miles. It was the largest state until Alaska was admitted as a state. The lower section of the state is mainly desert with desert vegetation. The upper part of the state has firs and pines on the slopes. The highest areas are in the Guadalupe Mountains near the New Mexico border and in the Big Bend area of the Rio Grande in southwestern Texas. The Panhandle area is part of the Great Plains. The top portion of the Panhandle is extremely flat except for some canyons. The plains end at the Balcones Escarpment, which many believe to be the most significant topographical feature of the state. It is at this point that climate and vegetation change abruptly. Warm, gulf air releases its moisture when it reaches the escarpment, leaving the western portion of the state with little rainfall.
  • Rivers in Texas include: the Pecos, the Colorado, the Brazos and the Sabine, which forms much of the eastern boundary of Texas. These all run southeast from the plateau. The Red River runs eastward and forms part of the Oklahoma-Texas border. The Rio Grande runs along the southern border. All in all, the inland rivers and their tributaries have more than 6,000 square miles of water. Only Alaska has more inland water.
    Did you know?
  • El Paso, Texas is closer to the Atlantic Ocean than it is to Texarkana, Texas! The eastern-most edge of the Sabine River, the east boundary of Texas, is closer to the Pacific Ocean than it is to El Paso.
  • Texas is one of only 4 states that is allowed by law to fly its flag at the same height as the U.S. Flag. Virginia and Hawaii are two of the others.
  • Texas is called the Lone Star State because of the design of the state flag: a broad vertical blue stripe at left centered by a single white star, with horizontal bars of white (uppermost) and red on the right.
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