Little River-Academy is a city in Bell 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 ...

, United States. The population was 1,992 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Killeen–

Temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...

–

Fort Hood Fort Hood is a United States Army post located near Killeen, Texas. Named after Confederate General John Bell Hood, it is located halfway between Austin and Waco, about from each, within the U.S. state of Texas. The post is the headquarters ...

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...

Geography

Little River-Academy is located southeast of the center of Bell County at (30.9851, –97.3551). The city consists of two once-distinct settlements: Little River, situated east of the

confluence In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...

of the

Leon River The Leon River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas. It has three primary forks - the North, Middle, and South Leon Rivers, which meet near Eastland and then run for around until it meets with the Lampasas River and the Salado Creek to form ...

and

Lampasas River The Lampasas River ( ) is a river in the U.S. state of Texas. The river originates near the city of Hamilton, Texas, Hamilton and travels southeast for 75 miles through central Texas to a man-made reservoir called Stillhouse Hollow Lake. The river ...

to form the

Little River Little River may refer to several places: Australia Streams New South Wales *Little River (Dubbo), source in the Dubbo region, a tributary of the Macquarie River * Little River (Oberon), source in the Oberon Shire, a tributary of Coxs River (Haw ...

, a tributary of the

Brazos River The Brazos River ( , ), called the ''Río de los Brazos de Dios'' (translated as "The River of the Arms of God") by early Spanish explorers, is the 11th-longest river in the United States at from its headwater source at the head of Blackwater Dr ...

; and Academy, centered east of Little River, at the intersection of Main Street and

Texas State Highway 95 State Highway 95 (SH 95) is a state highway which connects the cities of Yoakum and Temple in the U.S. state of Texas. Route description SH 95 runs northward from Alt. US 77 at the northern edge of Yoakum. It travels through Shiner ...

. The intersection in Academy is south of the city of

. According to the

United States 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 ...

, Little River-Academy has a total area of , of which , or 0.20%, is water.

Demographics

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 1,992 people, 730 households, and 503 families residing in the city. 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 1,645 people, 584 households, and 439 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 618 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.75%

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 ...

, 0.36%

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 ...

, 0.36% Indigenous American, 0.55%

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 ...

, 6.81% 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 3.16% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

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 12.22% of the population. There were 584 households, out of which 43.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.9% 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, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.7% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.29. In the city, the population was spread out, with 32.2% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $39,063, and the median income for a family was $45,625. Males had a median income of $32,500 versus $21,081 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 $15,236. About 6.2% of families and 9.9% 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 12.5% of those under age 18 and 17.5% of those age 65 or over.

History

There was a fort here, built in 1836, named Fort Griffin. Because of fights with Native Americans, early Texans settled near the fort. The railroad came to town in 1880, and the post office in 1886. By 1914, there were 250 inhabitants. The towns of Little River and Academy merged in 1989 to form Little River-Academy.

Education

Little River-Academy is served by the

Academy Independent School District Academy Independent School District is a school district based in Little River-Academy, Texas (USA). In addition to Little River-Academy, the district also serves the community of Heidenheimer. Finances As of the 2010-2011 school year, the ap ...

. AISD has four schools: Academy Early Childhood Center, Academy Elementary School, Academy Middle School, and

Academy High School Academy High School is a 3A public high school located in Little River, Texas, United States. It is part of the Academy Independent School District located in southern Bell County. In 2009, the school was rated " Recognized" by the Texas Educat ...

. Academy is also home to Bell County Alternative School, which serves Holland, Salado, Bartlett, Troy, and Rogers.

References

{{authority control Cities in Bell County, Texas Cities in Texas Populated places established in 1836 Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood metropolitan area 1836 establishments in the Republic of Texas