# Milam County, Texas

Milam County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 24,754. The county seat is Cameron. The county was created in 1834 as a municipality in Mexico and organized as a county in 1837. Milam County is named for Benjamin Rush Milam, an early settler and a soldier in the Texas Revolution.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,022 square miles (2,650 km$^2$), of which 1,017 sq mi (2,630 km$^2$) are land and 4.8 sq mi (12 km$^2$) (0.5%) are covered by water.

### Major highways

* U.S. Highway 77
* U.S. Highway 79
* U.S. Highway 190
* State Highway 36

### Adjacent counties

* Falls County (north)
* Robertson County (northeast)
* Burleson County (southeast)
* Lee County (south)
* Williamson County (southwest)
* Bell County (northwest)

## Demographics

Milam 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) | 16,763 | 16,216 | 15,367 | 69.16% | 65.50% | 62.08% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 2,627 | 2,380 | 2,097 | 10.84% | 9.61% | 8.47% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 85 | 76 | 67 | 0.35% | 0.31% | 0.27% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 49 | 95 | 111 | 0.20% | 0.38% | 0.45% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0.01% | 0.00% | 0.04% |
| Other Race alone (NH) | 22 | 10 | 84 | 0.09% | 0.04% | 0.34% |
| Mixed Race or Multiracial (NH) | 174 | 200 | 753 | 0.72% | 0.81% | 3.04% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4,516 | 5,780 | 6,264 | 18.63% | 23.35% | 25.31% |
| Total | 24,238 | 24,757 | 24,754 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the census of 2000, 24,238 people, 9,199 households, and 6,595 families were residing in the county. The population density was 24/sq mi (9.3/km$^2$). The 10,866 housing units averaged 11/sq mi (4.2/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 78.89% White, 11.05% African American, 0.50% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 7.71% from other races, and 1.63% from two or more races. About 18.63% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race. By ancestry, 16.7% were of American, 16.1% German, 7.2% English, and 6.8% Irish according to Census 2000.
Of the 9,199 households, 32.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.50% were married couples living together, 11.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.30% were not families. About 25.90% were single-person households, and 14.10% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.59, and the average family size was 3.11.
In the county, the age distribution was 27.50% under 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 24.70% from 25 to 44, 22.90% from 45 to 64, and 17.20% who were 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $33,186, and for a family was $40,431. Males had a median income of $30,149 versus $20,594 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,920. About 12.20% of families and 15.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.80% of those under age 18 and 15.30% of those age 65 or over.

## Education

Six independent school districts are present in Milam County:
* Buckholts Independent School District
* Cameron Independent School District
* Gause Independent School District
* Milano Independent School District
* Rockdale Independent School District
* Thorndale Independent School District
Five additional districts extend into parts of Milam County, but are based in neighboring counties: Bartlett, Caldwell, Holland, Lexington, and Rosebud-Lott.
St. Paul Lutheran School St. Paul Lutheran Church and School, Thorndale in Thorndale, a private institution, serves students from prekindergarten through grade 8.
Temple Junior College District is the designated community college for county residents in Bartlett, Buckholts, Cameron, Rockdale, Rosebud-Lott, and Thorndale ISDs. Legislation also states that the district covers Holland ISD "located in Bell County". Blinn College is the designated community college for county residents in Gause, Lexington, and Milano ISDs. Legislation does not state whether a community college or which community college covers residents of Caldwell ISD.

## Communities
### Cities

* Cameron (county seat)
* Milano
* Rockdale
* Thorndale (small part in Williamson County)

### Town

* Buckholts

### Census-designated places

* Ben Arnold
* Burlington
* Gause
* Praesel

### Unincorporated communities

* Baileyville
* Belmena
* Branchville
* Clarkson
* Corinth
* Cross Roads
* Davilla
* Detmold
* Elevation
* Elm Ridge
* Forest Grove
* Hanover
* Hoyte
* Jones Prairie
* Liberty
* Liberty Hill
* Marak
* Marlow
* Maysfield
* Minerva
* Pettibone
* San Gabriel
* Sharp
* Silver City
* Val Verde
* Yarrellton

### Ghost towns

* Briary
* Bowers
* Bryant Station
* Bushdale
* Conoley
* Duncan
* Nashville
* New Clarkson
* Nile
* North Elm
* Pleasant Hill
* Salem
* Salty
* Sandow
* Sipe Springs
* South Elm
* Tracy

## Politics

United States presidential election results for Milam County, Texas :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 8,691 | 78.31% | 2,331 | 21.00% | 76 | 0.68% |
| 2020 | 7,984 | 75.48% | 2,496 | 23.60% | 98 | 0.93% |
| 2016 | 6,364 | 73.45% | 2,051 | 23.67% | 249 | 2.87% |
| 2012 | 5,481 | 66.60% | 2,636 | 32.03% | 113 | 1.37% |
| 2008 | 5,217 | 62.43% | 3,044 | 36.42% | 96 | 1.15% |
| 2004 | 5,291 | 60.24% | 3,445 | 39.22% | 47 | 0.54% |
| 2000 | 4,706 | 56.91% | 3,429 | 41.47% | 134 | 1.62% |
| 1996 | 3,019 | 39.90% | 3,869 | 51.13% | 679 | 8.97% |
| 1992 | 2,414 | 32.32% | 3,542 | 47.43% | 1,512 | 20.25% |
| 1988 | 3,512 | 41.83% | 4,865 | 57.94% | 19 | 0.23% |
| 1984 | 4,384 | 53.86% | 3,734 | 45.87% | 22 | 0.27% |
| 1980 | 3,251 | 42.62% | 4,230 | 55.46% | 146 | 1.91% |
| 1976 | 2,404 | 32.86% | 4,871 | 66.59% | 40 | 0.55% |
| 1972 | 3,554 | 62.14% | 2,159 | 37.75% | 6 | 0.10% |
| 1968 | 1,614 | 25.18% | 3,269 | 51.01% | 1,526 | 23.81% |
| 1964 | 1,334 | 23.37% | 4,368 | 76.51% | 7 | 0.12% |
| 1960 | 1,898 | 34.16% | 3,640 | 65.51% | 18 | 0.32% |
| 1956 | 2,486 | 45.48% | 2,969 | 54.32% | 11 | 0.20% |
| 1952 | 2,539 | 43.94% | 3,227 | 55.85% | 12 | 0.21% |
| 1948 | 646 | 15.05% | 3,261 | 75.98% | 385 | 8.97% |
| 1944 | 623 | 12.53% | 3,537 | 71.11% | 814 | 16.37% |
| 1940 | 1,110 | 21.31% | 4,083 | 78.38% | 16 | 0.31% |
| 1936 | 288 | 6.57% | 4,077 | 93.02% | 18 | 0.41% |
| 1932 | 264 | 5.32% | 4,676 | 94.22% | 23 | 0.46% |
| 1928 | 1,270 | 30.86% | 2,842 | 69.05% | 4 | 0.10% |
| 1924 | 930 | 14.68% | 5,087 | 80.31% | 317 | 5.00% |
| 1920 | 371 | 7.68% | 2,598 | 53.81% | 1,859 | 38.50% |
| 1916 | 576 | 19.15% | 2,198 | 73.07% | 234 | 7.78% |
| 1912 | 244 | 8.75% | 1,939 | 69.57% | 604 | 21.67% |