Hardeman County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 4,139. The county seat and largest city is Quanah. The county was created in 1858 and later organized in 1884. It is named for two brothers, Bailey Hardeman and Thomas Jones Hardeman, early Texas politicians and legislators. Hardeman County was one of 46 prohibition or entirely dry counties in the state of Texas until November 2006, when voters approved referendums to permit the legal sale of alcoholic beverages for on- and off-premises consumption. Republican Drew Springer, Jr., a businessman from Muenster in Cooke County, has since January 2013 represented Hardeman County in the Texas House of Representatives.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water. The Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River joins with Buck Creek in the northwestern corner of the county to form the Red River, which flows east to form the northern border of the county, separating it from Oklahoma. Hardeman County is the northernmost county in Texas that is not part of the Texas Panhandle.
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,724 people, 1,943 households, and 1,319 families residing in the county. The population density was 7 people per square mile. There were 2,358 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 85.41% White, 4.83% Black or African American, 0.76% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 7.09% from other races, and 1.61% from two or more races. 14.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 1,943 households out of which 29.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.70% were married couplesliving together, 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.10% were non-families. 29.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.97. In the county, the population was spread out with 25.40% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 22.60% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 20.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 89.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.20 males. The median income for a household in the county was $28,312, and the median income for a family was $33,325. Males had a median income of $26,683 versus $18,566 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,824. About 14.60% of families and 17.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.00% of those under age 18 and 13.40% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
operates a gypsum plant in the small community of Acme, located west of Quanah on U.S. Highway 287.
