Bangs is located in western Brown County at . U.S. Routes 67 and U.S. Route 84 run concurrently through the city, leading east to Brownwood, the county seat, and west to Santa Anna. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, all of it land.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, 1,620 people, 633 households, and 419 families resided in the city. The population density was 1,171.9 people per square mile. There were 733 housing units at an average density of 530.3 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 86.91% White, 4.75% African American, 0.37% Native American, 6.42% from other races, and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 12.72% of the population. Of the 633 households, 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couplesliving together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were not families. About 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.10. In the city, the population was distributed as 26.9% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $23,690, and for a family was $30,208. Males had a median income of $27,212 versus $19,141 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,216. About 17.4% of families and 20.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.1% of those under age 18 and 27.8% of those age 65 or over.
History
Bangs was named after Samuel Bangs, who was given the land due to his services as a printer in the Texas Revolution, but he reportedly never saw the land. In 1886, tracks were laid from Brownwood to San Angelo with a depot in Bangs. The same year, a man opened a general store and applied to have a post office established there, with the application approved on May 24, 1886. In 1892, the first school was built with the population of 50 and eight established businesses. Bangs incorporated in 1915 with 600 residents and 21 businesses. The following year, a water system was installed followed by natural gas lines. Bangs Independent School District was formed in 1927, which eventually consolidated nine other school districts. In 1937, US Highway 67 was built through the town, and after World War II saw the development of new housing. In 1948, when the population of Bangs was 756, the arrival of senatorial candidate Lyndon Johnson by helicopter was greeted by a crowd estimated to number 700 by accompanying reporters.
Bangs is the birthplace of Major League Baseball batting champion Debs Garms. The station is featured in one of Coffey Anderson's music videos titled "15 Minutes" Anderson, a country and Christian music singer, songwriter was born in Bangs, Texas.
