Venus, Texas

Venus is a city in Johnson and Ellis Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. Its population was 4,361 in 2020. History The town was originally named "Gossip" until its development in the late 1880s. J.C. Smythe purchased 80 acres (32 ha) of abandoned cornfields in the northeastern corner of Johnson County and began to plan a townsite. He named his new town "Venus" after the daughter of a local doctor. By 1888, the new town had a post office and a population around 10 residents. Being at the junction of two major railroads, Venus prospered and for a time was one of the fastest-growing communities in Johnson County. By the 1920s, Venus had its own schools (including a small college), several businesses, a weekly newspaper (the Venus Express), and a population that exceeded 800. The Great Depression had massive negative impact, however, and in the 1930s, the town began to decline. Growth of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex just to the north hastened its decline, with many of its residents relocating to the growing urban area in search of work. By 1940, its population had fallen to 200, and the only remaining operating business was the drug store. Venus began to recover somewhat in the late 1940s, and the population soon increased back to over 300. Growth was slow but steady throughout the remainder of the 20th century; by 1990, 977 people lived there, and the town had spread into neighboring Ellis County. The 2000 census listed the population as 910, but the population more than tripled to 2,960 in 2010, due largely to the southward expansion of the DFW Metroplex. Geography Venus is located in northeastern Johnson County. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.0 square miles (7.7 km2), all land. U.S. Route 67 passes through the town north of its center; the highway leads northeast 7.5 miles (12.1 km) to the center of Midlothian and west 7 miles (11 km) to Alvarado. Downtown Dallas and Fort Worth are each 31 miles (50 km) away, Dallas to the northeast and Fort Worth to the northwest. Climate The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, Venus has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps. Demographics 2020 census As of the 2020 census, Venus had a population of 4,361, with 1,041 households, including 740 family households. The median age was 32.8 years. About 24.1% of residents were under age 18, and 6.0% were age 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 151.1 males; for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 169.4 males age 18 and over. About 0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas. Of the 1,041 households, 52.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 58.0% were married-couple households, 10.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 13.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 1,085 housing units, of which 4.1% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2%, and the rental vacancy rate was 7.6%. Education Venus is served by Venus Independent School District (www.venusisd.net), with kindergarten and first grade attending Venus Primary School, grades 2-5 attending Venus Elementary, grades 6–8 attending Venus Middle School, and grades 9–12 attending Venus High School. The small portion of Venus that lies in Ellis County is served by the Midlothian Independent School District or Maypearl Independent School District. Notable person Judith Barrett, actress in the 1930s References External links City of Venus official website