# Fannin County, Texas

Fannin County is a county in the far northeast of the U.S. state of Texas, on the border with Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 35,662, making it the 87th most populous county in Texas. The entirety of Fannin County is a part of the Bonham Micropolitan Statistical Area and the Dallas-Fort Worth Combined Statistical Area. The county seat is Bonham.

## History

The county was named for James Fannin, who commanded the group of Texans killed in the Goliad Massacre during the Texas Revolution. James Bonham (the county seat's namesake) sought Fannin's assistance for the Battle of the Alamo, but Fannin was unable to provide it.
The county was created in 1837 and organized the next year. Fannin County is a part of the Texoma region.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 899 square miles (2,330 km$^2$), of which 891 square miles (2,310 km$^2$) are land and 8.0 square miles (21 km$^2$) (0.9%) are covered by water. It is drained by Bois D'Arc Creek and Sulphur River.

### Major highways

* U.S. Highway 69
* U.S. Highway 82
* State Highway 11
* State Highway 34
* State Highway 50
* State Highway 56
* State Highway 78
* State Highway 121

### Adjacent counties

* Bryan County, Oklahoma (north)
* Lamar County (east)
* Delta County (southeast)
* Hunt County (south)
* Collin County (southwest)
* Grayson County (west)

### National protected area

* Caddo National Grassland

## Demographics

Fannin County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race. :
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
| White alone (NH) | 26,298 | 27,433 | 27,042 | 84.18% | 80.89% | 75.83% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 2,482 | 2,273 | 2,199 | 7.94% | 6.70% | 6.17% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 234 | 294 | 309 | 0.75% | 0.87% | 0.87% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 81 | 122 | 145 | 0.26% | 0.36% | 0.41% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 7 | 6 | 20 | 0.02% | 0.02% | 0.06% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 14 | 23 | 112 | 0.04% | 0.07% | 0.31% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 373 | 538 | 1,617 | 1.19% | 1.59% | 4.53% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,753 | 3,226 | 4,218 | 5.61% | 9.51% | 11.83% |
| Total | 31,242 | 33,915 | 35,662 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the census of 2000, 31,242 people, 11,105 households, and 7,984 were families residing in the county. The population density was 35 people per square mile (14 people/km$^2$). The 12,887 housing units averaged 14 units per square mile (5.4/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 86.56% White, 7.96% African American, 0.92% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 2.81% from other races, and 1.49% from two or more races. About 5.61% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of 2015, the largest self-reported ancestry groups were 48.50% English, 16.10% Welsh, 11.00% German, and 7.25% Irish.
Of the 11,105 households, 31.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% were married couples living together, 10.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were not families. About 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51, and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was distributed as 23.20% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 28.60% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 16.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 113.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,501, and for a family was $42,193. Males had a median income of $31,140 versus $23,101 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,066. About 9.90% of families and 13.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.70% of those under age 18 and 16.50% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### Cities

* Bailey
* Bonham (county seat)
* Ector
* Honey Grove
* Leonard
* Pecan Gap (mostly in Delta County)
* Ravenna
* Savoy
* Trenton (small part in Grayson County)

### Towns

* Dodd City
* Ladonia
* Whitewright (mostly in Grayson County)
* Windom

### Unincorporated communities

* Bug Tussle
* Duplex
* Elwood
* Gober
* Hilger
* Ivanhoe
* Mulberry
* Randolph
* Telephone
* Warren

## Education

These school districts serve Fannin County:
* Blue Ridge ISD (mostly in Collin County, small portion in Fannin County)
* Bonham ISD
* Dodd City ISD
* Ector ISD
* Fannindel ISD
* Honey Grove ISD
* Leonard ISD
* North Lamar ISD (mostly in Lamar County, small portion in Fannin County)
* Sam Rayburn ISD
* Savoy ISD
* Trenton ISD (mostly in Fannin County, small portion in Grayson County)
* Whitewright ISD (mostly in Grayson County, small portion in Fannin County)
* Wolfe City ISD (mostly in Hunt County, small portion in Fannin County)
Additionally, nearby Grayson College, Paris Junior College, and East Texas A&M University provide post-secondary education in the area.
As per the Texas Education Code, Grayson College's service area includes parts of the county in the following ISDs: Bonham, Dodd City, Ector, Leonard, Sam Rayburn, Savoy, Trenton, Whitewright, and Wolfe City. The Fannindel ISD portion and the Honey Grove ISD portion are in the service area of Paris Junior College. The TEC does not specify a community college for the Blue Ridge ISD and North Lamar ISD areas.

## Politics

Once a Democratic stronghold for decades (in large part as it was the home of longtime United States Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn), Fannin County has shifted heavily toward the Republican Party since the 1990s. As a sign of this trend, Republican candidates for president have won an ever-increasing share of the vote in each of the seven presidential elections, starting in 1996.
United States presidential election results for Fannin County, Texas :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 13,648 | 83.24% | 2,607 | 15.90% | 140 | 0.85% |
| 2020 | 12,171 | 81.10% | 2,655 | 17.69% | 181 | 1.21% |
| 2016 | 9,548 | 79.28% | 2,132 | 17.70% | 364 | 3.02% |
| 2012 | 8,161 | 75.54% | 2,486 | 23.01% | 157 | 1.45% |
| 2008 | 8,092 | 69.20% | 3,464 | 29.62% | 138 | 1.18% |
| 2004 | 7,893 | 65.99% | 4,001 | 33.45% | 66 | 0.55% |
| 2000 | 6,074 | 58.74% | 4,102 | 39.67% | 164 | 1.59% |
| 1996 | 3,495 | 39.73% | 4,276 | 48.61% | 1,025 | 11.65% |
| 1992 | 2,510 | 26.11% | 4,164 | 43.31% | 2,941 | 30.59% |
| 1988 | 4,024 | 43.67% | 5,163 | 56.03% | 27 | 0.29% |
| 1984 | 4,692 | 51.53% | 4,399 | 48.31% | 15 | 0.16% |
| 1980 | 3,196 | 37.12% | 5,284 | 61.36% | 131 | 1.52% |
| 1976 | 2,102 | 26.32% | 5,845 | 73.20% | 38 | 0.48% |
| 1972 | 3,826 | 61.90% | 2,295 | 37.13% | 60 | 0.97% |
| 1968 | 1,585 | 22.08% | 3,931 | 54.77% | 1,661 | 23.14% |
| 1964 | 1,219 | 16.93% | 5,976 | 83.00% | 5 | 0.07% |
| 1960 | 1,844 | 30.04% | 4,282 | 69.76% | 12 | 0.20% |
| 1956 | 1,910 | 29.75% | 4,504 | 70.16% | 6 | 0.09% |
| 1952 | 2,099 | 28.12% | 5,363 | 71.84% | 3 | 0.04% |
| 1948 | 553 | 7.83% | 6,132 | 86.79% | 380 | 5.38% |
| 1944 | 677 | 9.45% | 5,984 | 83.54% | 502 | 7.01% |
| 1940 | 792 | 9.57% | 7,478 | 90.36% | 6 | 0.07% |
| 1936 | 368 | 6.55% | 5,242 | 93.32% | 7 | 0.12% |
| 1932 | 460 | 7.91% | 5,338 | 91.80% | 17 | 0.29% |
| 1928 | 2,122 | 45.62% | 2,525 | 54.29% | 4 | 0.09% |
| 1924 | 653 | 10.11% | 5,596 | 86.60% | 213 | 3.30% |
| 1920 | 1,103 | 21.29% | 3,461 | 66.79% | 618 | 11.93% |
| 1916 | 471 | 11.19% | 3,493 | 82.99% | 245 | 5.82% |
| 1912 | 227 | 7.25% | 2,661 | 85.04% | 241 | 7.70% |