Alvarado ( ) is the oldest city in
Johnson County,
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
. The population was 3,785 as of the
2010 census,
up from 3,288 at the 2000 census.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 4,739 people, 1,388 households, and 1,184 families residing in the city.
2000 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 3,288 people, 1,151 households, and 834 families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 842.5 people per square mile (325.5/km
2). There were 1,266 housing units at an average density of 324.4 per square mile (125.3/km
2). The racial makeup of the city was 81.30%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 7.15%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.61%
Native American, 0.43%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 9.25% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.28% from two or more races.
Mexicans
Mexicans ( es, mexicanos) are the citizens of the United Mexican States.
The most spoken language by Mexicans is Spanish language, Spanish, but some may also speak languages from 68 different Languages of Mexico, Indigenous linguistic groups ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 18.46% of the population.
There were 1,151 households, out of which 37.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.5% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.6% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,166, and the median income for a family was $36,471. Males had a median income of $30,690 versus $22,181 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $14,476. About 11.7% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 15.5% of those under age 18 and 17.4% of those age 65 or over.
Geography
Alvarado is located in eastern Johnson County at (32.406342, –97.212792),
at the intersection of
US Highway 67
U.S. Route 67 is a major north–south U.S. highway which extends for 1,560 miles (2,511 km) in the Central United States. The southern terminus of the route is at the United States-Mexico border in Presidio, Texas, where it continues ...
and
Interstate 35W. The city is south of the center of
Fort Worth
Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...
and southwest of
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
.
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, Alvarado has a total area of , of which are land and , or 15.35%, are water.
The water area comprises
Alvarado Park Lake, a reservoir on Turkey Creek southwest of the city. Alvarado is drained by the North Fork of Chambers Creek, a southeast-flowing stream that is part of the
Trinity River watershed.
Alvarado's nearest neighboring communities are
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never fa ...
to the east,
Keene to the west,
Burleson to the north, and
Grandview to the south.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Alvarado has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
Climate Summary for Alvarado, Texas
/ref>
Economy
Alvarado is a rural
In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry typically are describ ...
community with an economy that has been primarily agricultural with only a modest retail and industrial base. In recent years the trend has been away from agriculture and toward more urban development. In 2007 Sabre Tubular Structures built a new facility located on on the eastern side of town. Sabre has over 200 employees at this facility. The city received a 2008 grant of $750,000 from the Texas Department of Agriculture
The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is a state agency within the state of Texas, which is responsible for matters pertaining to agriculture, rural community affairs, and related matters. It is currently headed by Agriculture Commissioner S ...
for infrastructure improvements related to Sabre.
In 2008 and 2009 there was an upturn in retail development with the opening of three national chain hotels and two fast food dining establishments. A movie theater/tavern was opened for a short time before closing its door due to poor sales and a general lack of interest.
Barnett Shale
In the latter part of the 2000s, development of natural gas
Natural gas (also called fossil gas or simply gas) is a naturally occurring mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons consisting primarily of methane in addition to various smaller amounts of other higher alkanes. Low levels of trace gases like carbo ...
wells in the Barnett Shale
The Barnett Shale is a geological formation located in the Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin. It consists of sedimentary rocks dating from the Mississippian period (354–323 million years ago) in Texas. The formation underlies the city of Fort Worth ...
has been a source of prosperity for the city and many property owners have benefited from drilling activity, pipeline construction and royalty payments
A royalty payment is a payment made by one party to another that owns a particular asset, for the right to ongoing use of that asset. Royalties are typically agreed upon as a percentage of gross or net revenues derived from the use of an asset o ...
. As natural gas prices fell in 2009, drilling activity and royalty payments declined rapidly.
Recreation
* Alvarado Park Lake is located on the west side of the city, three miles (5 km) west of I-35W.
* Alvarado Parkway Park
Government
The city uses a council-manager government, with a mayor and six city council members representing three wards, one being the mayor pro-tem.
The city's 2009–10 general fund budget is $3.9 million.
Education
The city is served by the Alvarado Independent School District
The Alvarado Independent School District is a public school district based in Alvarado, Texas, United States. In addition to Alvarado, the district also serves the unincorporated community of Lillian. The district operates one high school, Alva ...
. There are no colleges or universities in Alvarado, although residents pay a Hill College
Hill College is a public community college in Hillsboro, Texas. It opened its doors in 1923, one year before North Central Texas College, which is the oldest continuously-operating community college in Texas because Hill College was closed d ...
maintenance tax and residents receive in-district student rates.
Notable people
* Terry Southern
Terry Southern (May 1, 1924 – October 29, 1995) was an American novelist, essayist, screenwriter, and university lecturer, noted for his distinctive satirical style. Part of the Paris postwar literary movement in the 1950s and a companion to ...
, author, born in Alvarado
* Johnny Trigg, famous barbecuer – Rib King
Andrew Sevener
The Voice finalist season 16 (Team Blake)
See also
* List of cities in Texas
Texas is a U.S. state, state located in the Southern United States. At the 2020 United States Census, 21,096,153 (72.38%) of the 29,145,505 residents of Texas lived in an incorporated municipality.
Incorporated municipalities
As of May 2022, ...
References
External links
*
*
{{authority control
Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex
Cities in Texas
Cities in Johnson County, Texas
Populated places established in 1885