Wise County, Texas

Wise County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 68,632.^[1] Its county seat is Decatur.^[2] Wise County is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan statistical area. Its Wise Eyes crime-watch program, eventually adopted by mostly rural counties in several states, was started in 1993 by then-Sheriff Phil Ryan.^[3]

Wise County
County
The Wise County Courthouse in Decatur, a Romanesque Revival structure, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. As of October 2024, the courthouse is being restored.
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°13′N 97°39′W
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1856
Named after	Henry Alexander Wise
Seat	Decatur
Largest city	Decatur
Area
• Total	923 sq mi (2,390 km2)
• Land	904 sq mi (2,340 km2)
• Water	18 sq mi (50 km2)  2.0%
Population  (2020)
• Total	68,632
• Estimate  (2023)	78,097
• Density	74/sq mi (29/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts	13th, 26th
Website	www.co.wise.tx.us

History

On November 10, 1837, the Battle of the Knobs was fought in what is now Wise County between about 150 Native American warriors and 18 Republic of Texas soldiers under Lieutenant A. B. Benthuysen. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Texan soldiers held their ground, killing or wounding an estimated 50 Native Americans and losing 10 of their own men. More settlers began coming into the area not long afterward, with people relocating from both the Upper South and Deep South. Wise County was not founded until 1856. It was named after Virginia Congressman Henry A. Wise, who had supported annexation of Texas by the United States. He was elected governor of Virginia in 1856.^[4]

As few residents of Wise County were slaveholders, opinions were mixed at the time of the Civil War, and many people opposed secession. Unionists were persecuted in North Texas, and some were lynched. Forty-two men were murdered in the Great Hanging at Gainesville in October 1862, over the course of several days in neighboring Cooke County. This was one of the worst examples of vigilante justice in American history.

In recent years, Wise County allowed an increase in hydraulic fracturing. In 2011, the Parr family and others filed a lawsuit against several energy companies, including Republic Energy, Inc. and Ryder Scott Petroleum, claiming the extracting processes have created health complications for their family and neighbors.^[5] In April 2014, the Parrs won a $2.9 million award from a Dallas jury.^[6]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 923 sq mi (2,390 km²), of which 18 sq mi (47 km²) (2.0%) are covered by water.^[7]

Adjacent counties

• Montague County (north)
• Cooke County (northeast)
• Denton County (east)
• Tarrant County (southeast)
• Parker County (south)
• Jack County (west)

National protected area

• Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland (majority)

Communities

Cities

• Aurora
• Bridgeport
• Decatur (county seat)
• Fort Worth (mostly in Tarrant County with small parts in Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise Counties)
• Lake Bridgeport
• New Fairview
• Newark (small part in Tarrant County)
• Paradise
• Rhome
• Runaway Bay

Towns

• Alvord
• Boyd
• Chico
• Crafton

Census-designated places

• Briar (partly in Tarrant and Parker Counties)
• Pecan Acres (mostly in Tarrant County)

Unincorporated communities

• Allison
• Balsora
• Boonsville
• Cottondale
• Greenwood
• Slidell
• Sycamore

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	3,160		—
1870	1,450		−54.1%
1880	16,601		1,044.9%
1890	24,134		45.4%
1900	27,116		12.4%
1910	26,450		−2.5%
1920	23,363		−11.7%
1930	19,178		−17.9%
1940	19,074		−0.5%
1950	16,141		−15.4%
1960	17,012		5.4%
1970	19,687		15.7%
1980	26,575		35.0%
1990	34,679		30.5%
2000	48,793		40.7%
2010	59,127		21.2%
2020	68,631		16.1%
2023 (est.)	78,097		13.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1850–2010[9] 2010[10] 2020[11]

Wise County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
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 may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000[12]	Pop 2010[10]	Pop 2020[11]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	41,991	47,122	50,495	86.06%	79.70%	73.57%
Black or African American alone (NH)	584	573	657	1.20%	0.97%	0.96%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	309	341	474	0.63%	0.58%	0.69%
Asian alone (NH)	107	234	372	0.22%	0.40%	0.54%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	21	15	12	0.04%	0.03%	0.02%
Other race alone (NH)	20	35	172	0.04%	0.06%	0.25%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	513	695	2,756	1.05%	1.18%	4.02%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	5,248	10,112	13,694	10.76%	17.10%	19.95%
Total	48,793	59,127	68,632	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

In 2000 there were 48,793 people, 17,178 households, and 13,467 families were residing in the county.^[13] The population density was 54 people per square mile (21 people/km²). The 19,242 housing units averaged 21 units per square mile (8.1 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.01% White, 1.23% Black, 0.75% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 5.07% from other races, and 1.71% from two or more races. About 10.76% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. By 2020, its population increased to 68,632;^[11] the racial and ethnic makeup of the county in 2020 was predominantly non-Hispanic white, and Hispanic or Latino American of any race.

A Williams Institute analysis of 2010 census data found about 3.4 same-sex couples per 1,000 households in the county.^[14]

American Community Survey 2023 Data

The United States Census Bureau estimated that in 2023, Wise County’s population was 78,097. It was also estimated that the county was 21.5% Hispanic or Latino, 73.5% NH White, 1.8% NH Black, 0.6% NH Asian, 0.7% NH Native American, 0.1% NH Pacific Islander, 1.7% NH Multiracial.^[15]

Race	Total	Percentage
Hispanic or Latino	16,789	21.5%
NH White	57,409	73.5%
NH Black	1,428	1.8%
NH Asian	506	0.6%
NH Native American	564	0.7%
NH Pacific Islander	57	0.1%
NH Multiracial	1,344	1.7%

Politics

Wise County, like most rural counties in Texas, votes reliably for Republican candidates in statewide and national elections.

United States presidential election results for Wise County, Texas^[16]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	32,385	84.68%	5,605	14.66%	253	0.66%
2020	27,032	83.52%	4,973	15.37%	360	1.11%
2016	20,670	83.43%	3,412	13.77%	694	2.80%
2012	17,207	82.95%	3,221	15.53%	317	1.53%
2008	15,973	77.39%	4,471	21.66%	195	0.94%
2004	15,177	75.71%	4,783	23.86%	87	0.43%
2000	11,234	68.63%	4,830	29.51%	304	1.86%
1996	6,330	48.81%	5,056	38.99%	1,582	12.20%
1992	4,555	33.57%	4,478	33.00%	4,535	33.42%
1988	6,064	53.22%	5,288	46.41%	43	0.38%
1984	6,958	64.11%	3,856	35.53%	39	0.36%
1980	4,350	47.26%	4,674	50.78%	181	1.97%
1976	2,856	35.64%	5,133	64.06%	24	0.30%
1972	4,230	70.43%	1,741	28.99%	35	0.58%
1968	1,983	33.82%	2,774	47.31%	1,107	18.88%
1964	1,386	26.45%	3,852	73.50%	3	0.06%
1960	2,562	50.72%	2,470	48.90%	19	0.38%
1956	2,058	45.49%	2,443	54.00%	23	0.51%
1952	2,309	42.49%	3,121	57.43%	4	0.07%
1948	448	11.86%	3,064	81.10%	266	7.04%
1944	444	11.16%	3,114	78.26%	421	10.58%
1940	498	11.71%	3,751	88.24%	2	0.05%
1936	348	11.26%	2,737	88.58%	5	0.16%
1932	286	9.60%	2,681	89.97%	13	0.44%
1928	2,141	66.20%	1,093	33.80%	0	0.00%
1924	532	14.61%	2,958	81.24%	151	4.15%
1920	579	21.25%	2,031	74.53%	115	4.22%
1916	263	10.73%	2,023	82.57%	164	6.69%
1912	156	6.78%	1,842	80.05%	303	13.17%

Education

These school districts lie entirely within Wise County:

• Alvord Independent School District
• Boyd Independent School District
• Bridgeport Independent School District
• Chico Independent School District
• Decatur Independent School District
• Paradise Independent School District
• Slidell Independent School District

This private educational institution serves Wise County:

• Victory Christian Academy

This higher education institution serves Wise County:

• Weatherford College

Transportation

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 81
• U.S. Highway 287
• U.S. Highway 380
• State Highway 101
• State Highway 114
• State Highway 199

Airports

These public-use airports are located in the county:^[17]

• Bishop Airport (76T)
• Bridgeport Municipal Airport (XBP)
• Decatur Municipal Airport (LUD)
• Heritage Creek Airstrip (58T)
• Rhome Meadows Airport (T76)

See also

• Texas portal

• List of museums in North Texas
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Wise County, Texas
• Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Wise County