Population growth and demographic change in North Texas, 1900-2010

Demographic Trends in North Texas:

In 1845, Texas joined the United States, making it the 28th state in the union. It is the largest contiguous state in the United States, having a diverse geographic and demographic landscape. In the early 1900's, the discovery of oil led to a huge economic boom for the state. However, the Great Depression had devastating effects upon the state as a whole (TSHA Online). North Texas is historically and primarily populated by people of White Protestant heritage, namely German, and those of the British Isles. The state of Texas as a whole is part of the strongly conservation Evangelical Christian Bible Belt, and Texans, compared to other state populations, have the highest religious affiliation in the nation (the Association of Religious Data Archives). Major industries in Texas are petroleum and natural gas, farming, steel, banking, insurance, and tourism (Enchanted Learning - Texas).

North Texas:

North Texas is a distinct geographic area, with strong cultural roots in White Protestant heritage. North Texas is considered to include the area south of Oklahoma, east of Abilene, and north of Waco (Terry G. Jordan). Between 1902 and 1910, oil "fever" spread as it was discovered in Brownwood, Petrolia, and Wichita Falls. Several oil fields were established, and the economic and population growth was enormous. This "boom town" phenomenon became ubiquitous across the state, bringing prospectors, corporations, families tagging along, the creation of towns, railroads, schools, and general business (Ramos). The change of the society of Texas from dominantly rural to largely urban happened in great part during the early 20th century, as a result of the discovery of large oil fields, and the ensuing 'oil boom'. Today, the largest and most commonly recognized cities in North Texas are Dallas, Ft. Worth, and Arlington (Terry G. Jordan).

Population Trends:

The population of the state of Texas in 1900 was 3.04 million, growing to 3.9 million in 1910. The table below summarizes the population growth from 1920 through 2000, in millions/people:

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

4.66

5.82

6.41

7.71

9.57

11.1

14.2

16.9

20.8

Source: (Resident Population of the United States, 1900-2000.) the projected population estimate for 2010 for the state of Texas is 25.37 million, with the bulk of the population residing in designated Metropolitan Statistical Areas, which includes the heavily populated oil regions of North Texas (Projected Population by Area, 2010). Historically, the county by county growth has mirrored the growth the industrial petroleum complex, with supporting industries (banking, insurance, steel…) following suit. One can interpolate the overall population demographics for the off-decennial years.

Fertility and Mortality

Fertility and Mortality rates for Texas as a whole (mainly concentrated in the growing, oil-rich areas of the north/northeast) are summarized in the following table (in thousands/people):

1934

1954

1972

2010

Fertility (births)

116603

238324

214613

unknown

Mortality (deaths)

59731

64679

99275

unknown

Source: (U.S. Vital Statistics - Births (1931-1968) - Interactive Index)(Resident Births and Deaths, 1942-2004). (Texas Population Projections Program).

Conclusion

The State of Texas and North Texas in particular, has undergone immense demographic changes, centered on economic growth and expansion beginning early in the twentieth century. A final and telling word, is the projected population change for the North/Central Texas region from the year 2000 to the year 2040: the expected population change is 90%. One would expect a significant concern in planning alone, for this dense population change in the coming years in the North Texas region (Total Population in 2000 and Projected Total Population in 2040).