Parker County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 148,222. The county seat is Weatherford. The county was created in 1855 and organized the following year. It is named for Isaac Parker, a state legislator who introduced the bill that established the county in 1855. Parker later fought in the Texas Brigade. Parker County is included in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan statistical area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 910 sqmi, of which 903 sqmi are land and 6.6 sqmi (0.7%) are covered by water. The county is intersected by the Brazos River.

Highest point

Slipdown Mountain and Slipdown Bluff, at a height of 1368 ft, are the highest points in Parker County. They are located just east of the Advance community, southwest of Poolville.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Communities

Cities (multiple counties)

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Demographics

In 2000, the county had a population of 88,495; by 2020, its population increased to 148,222. Among the 2020 census population, the racial and ethnic makeup was 79.44% non-Hispanic white, 13.37% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 4.44% multiracial, 1.10% Black or African American, 0.67% Asian alone, 0.59% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.32% some other race, and 0.07% Pacific Islander. American Community Survey 2023 Data The United States Census Bureau estimated that in 2023, Parker County’s population was 173,494. It was also estimated that the county was 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, 79.6% NH White, 1.8% NH Black, 0.9% NH Asian, 0.7% NH Native American, 0.1% NH Pacific Islander, 1.8% NH Multiracial.

Politics

Parker County, like most suburban counties in the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area, has been a Republican stronghold for decades. Republicans have held all public offices since 1999 and the county has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1976. Furthermore, Parker County is a state bellwether for Texas in U.S. presidential elections, having voted for the statewide winner in every presidential election since the county's formation in 1856. It shares this status along with Aransas County, Brown County, Lampasas County, Shackelford County, and Young County.

Notable people