Regional Information: The Freestone County region had an estimated population of 17,867 in 2000. The region consists of 892 square miles with a population density of 20.03 residents per square mile.  The county ranked 125th in 2000 population compared to all 254 counties in Texas.  Also, the county  ranked 177th in size by square miles when compared to all counties in Texas.  Freestone County is a member of TWC's Heart of Texas Local Workforce Development region and assigned to the following district(s): Texas Representative District(s) of 8 and State Senatorial District(s) of 5.  The area is in the U.S. Congressional District(s) of: 6. 

The State of Texas has established a network of 24 Councils of Government (COGs) to assist local governments in planning for common needs and to coordinate regional economic development activity.  Freestone County falls within the Heart of Texas Council of Governments region.

Population

 According to the 2000 Census, Texas grew from 16,986,510 in 1990 to 20,851,820 in 2000 reflecting an increase of 22.8 percent growth. During this same time period, the Freestone County region had an increase from 15,818 persons to 17,867 persons which reflected a 13.0 percent change.

 The region's race/ethnic distribution in 2000 is estimated by the Census Bureau to be:  

 Hispanic count includes White, Black and other representation when reported.

Population Age 

The age distribution of an area can provide valuable insight into the region's economic composition and income potential. By national standards, Texas has a relatively young population.  The 2000 Census estimates for Texas show a population composition as follows:  

While the median age for Texas was 32.30 years in 2000, the Freestone County area had a median age of 37.80 according to the 2000 Census.

Population Gender

The gender distribution of an area can provide additional insight into the region's overall distribution in the population by male and female.  Of the area's population 9,380 were male which represents 52.5 percent and 8,487 were female which represents 47.5 percent.  This compares to the statewide percentage of 49.4 percent for male and 50.6 percent for female.

Special Age Groups and Gender

Youth and Older Workers: Other age cohorts may be of special interest for Workforce Development Board's summer youth programs and older worker programs.  The Freestone County region has 2,164 persons age 14-21 representing 12.2 percent of the population.  This compares with 13.4 percent statewide. For the potential older age cohort, 2,900 persons or 16.3 percent are 55 or over in the Freestone County region based on the 2000 Census.  This compares to 9.7 percent statewide.  

Ages 25-44: If the population cohort 45 and over is higher than the state average, this suggests a stable, mature population comprised of mainly "empty-nesters," retirees and the aged.  When the 25-44 age cohort is higher than the state average, this is a healthy economic situation since this group contains the greatest share of the labor force.  Decreases over time in this group, especially when similar changes are not occurring statewide, can be an indication that people are moving out of an area they consider to be a poor labor market.  In Freestone County the total number in the age groups of 25 to 44, was 5,343 or 30.0 percent.  This compares to a statewide percentage of 31.9 percent.

Ages 18 and Older: For the population generally considered in the ages to participate in the labor market, the total population who were 18 years and over totaled 14,965,061 in Texas which represented 71.8 percent of the total population.  In this study area, the total persons in this age group were 13,645 or 76.4 percent of the total population.  Within this age group in Texas the number of males in 2000 who were 18 years and over represented 7,338,177 persons or 35.2 percent of the total population while females age 18 years and over represented 7,626,884 or 36.6 percent.  In the Freestone County area, males 18 and over represented 7,171 or 40.1 percent in comparison and females totaled to 6,474 or 36.2 percent.

Veteran Status: According to the U.S. Bureau of Census, the area had 13,701 persons in the population age 18 years and older in the year 2000. Of that number, 1,886 or 13.8 percent responded as being a civilian veteran, compared to 11.8 percent statewide.  A "civilian veteran" is a person 18 years old or over who has served (even for a short time), but is not now serving, on active duty in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or the Coast Guard, or who served in the U.S. Merchant Marine during World War II.  People who served in the National Guard or military Reserves are classified as veterans only if they were ever called or ordered to active duty, not counting the 4-6 months for initial training or yearly summer camps.  

Disability Status: From the 2000 Census, data on Disability Status were derived when respondents reported long-lasting conditions: (a) blindness, deafness, or a severe vision or hearing impairment, (sensory disability) and (b) a condition that substantially limits one or more basic physical activities such as walking, climbing stairs, reaching, lifting, or carrying (physical disability).  Disability status was also derived if the individuals in the working age range of 21 to 64 years had a physical, mental, or emotional condition lasting 6 months or more that made it difficult to perform certain activities such as: (a) learning, remembering, or concentrating (mental disability); (b) dressing, bathing, or getting around inside the home (self-care disability); (c) going outside the home alone to shop or visit a doctor's office (going outside the home disability); and (d) working at a job or business (employment disability).  It was reported in the 2000 Census that the area had an estimated 3,927 persons residing there between the ages of 5 to 20 years of age with approximately 301 or 7.7 percent with a disability.  In Texas, the percent with disabilities in this same age bracket was 7.9 percent.  In the working age population group - ages 21 to 64 years, the area had approximately 8,761 persons, of which 1,949 were categorized to be in a disability status.  This represented 22.2 percent compared to 19.9 percent in the state overall.  For those persons in this age group that had a disability, approximately 939 or 48.2 percent were employed.  For those who had no disability, an estimated 5,041 or 74.0 percent were employed. This represented 22.2 percent compared to 19.9 percent in the state overall.  For the retirement age group of 65 years of age and older, 2,757 persons resided of which 1,266 were disabled.  The percent of this age group with a disabled status was 45.9 percent and this compared to 44.8 percent in Texas overall.

Ages 65 and Older: For the population who are considered to be at the age of retirement or older - 65 years and older, the total number of persons in Texas was 2,072,532 or 9.9 percent of the total population in 2000.  This region had a total of 2,932 or 16.4 percent in this older age group. In the same age group of 65 years and over, males in Texas represented 862,181 or 4.1 percent of the total population and females totaled to 1,210,351 or 5.8 percent, while in this study area, males totaled to 1,218 or 6.8 percent of all persons in this area and females represented 1,714 or 9.6 percent of all persons.

Population Projections

The Office of the State Demographer for State of Texas, Texas State Data Center Texas A&M University System, distributes the most widely used population projections for Texas.  This current series is the result of revised population data from the 2000 census. Each projection series includes three scenarios resulting in three alternative sets of population values for the State and each county are presented in these projections.  These scenarios assume the same set of mortality and fertility assumptions in each scenario but differ in their assumptions relative to net migration.  The net migration assumptions made for three scenarios are derived from 1990-2000 patterns which have been altered relative to expected future population trends.  This is done by systematically and uniformly altering the adjusted 1990-2000 net migration rates by age, sex and race/ethnicity.  The scenarios so produced are referred to as the zero migration (0.0) scenario, the one-half 1990-2000 (0.5) scenario, and the 1990-2000 (1.0) scenario.

The recommended scenario for most county based projection reporting used is believed to be the 0.5 scenario as most appropriate scenario for most counties in Texas.  This scenario has been prepared as an approximate average of the zero (0.0) and 1990-2000 (1.0) scenarios.  It assumes rates of net migration one-half of those of the 1990s.  The reason for including this scenario is that many counties in the State are unlikely to continue to experience the overall levels of relatively extensive growth of the 1990s.  A scenario which projects rates of population growth that are approximately an average of the zero and the 1990-2000 scenarios is one that suggests slower but steadier growth than occurred during 1990-2000.

Using this projection scenario, the following table represents population projections for Freestone County: