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Demographics of Tom Green County
Affluence Level in Tom Green County
A below-average socioeconomic profile. Incomes, home values, and educational attainment trail the U.S., with higher poverty and unemployment.
People of Tom Green County
Tom Green County, home to 119,398 residents as of the 2020 census, is anchored by the city of San Angelo and characterized by a population that is 51.9% White and 40.1% Hispanic, with a notably low foreign-born share of just 3.2%. The county’s identity is rooted in its ranching and oil heritage, with a population density of roughly 38 people per square mile that reflects its West Texas expanse. Residents often describe the area as a place where conservative values, a strong sense of community, and a slower pace of life prevail, distinguishing it from the fast-growing metros of Dallas-Fort Worth or Austin.
Settlement & growth (pre-1960)
Before American settlement, the region now known as Tom Green County was part of the traditional territory of the Lipan Apache and Comanche nations, who used the Concho River valley for hunting and seasonal camps. Spanish explorers and missionaries passed through as early as the 17th century, but no permanent European settlements were established until after the U.S. annexation of Texas in 1845. The area remained a sparsely populated frontier through the 1850s, with only a handful of Anglo-American ranchers and traders venturing into the open range.
The first major wave of permanent settlers arrived in the 1870s and 1880s, drawn by the promise of cheap land and the expansion of the cattle industry. The county was formally organized in 1874, and the town of Ben Ficklin served as the original county seat until a devastating flood in 1882 destroyed much of the settlement. The county seat was then moved to San Angelo, which had been founded in 1867 as a military outpost (Fort Concho) and quickly grew into a regional trading hub for cattle ranchers. These early settlers were overwhelmingly Anglo-American, many of them from the Deep South and the Upper South, bringing with them a culture of ranching, Protestant Christianity, and Democratic Party allegiance that would define the region for generations.
By the early 1900s, the arrival of the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway spurred further growth, connecting San Angelo to national markets and attracting a small but steady stream of merchants, bankers, and professionals. The discovery of oil in the Permian Basin during the 1920s and 1930s brought a second wave of domestic migrants, including workers from Oklahoma and the Dust Bowl states, who settled in San Angelo and the smaller communities of Christoval and Wall. The oil boom created a more diverse economic base, though the county remained overwhelmingly White and native-born through the 1950s. The Hispanic population, while present, was largely confined to laborer roles in ranching, construction, and the nascent oil fields, with many families tracing their roots to earlier Tejano settlements along the Rio Grande.
Modern era (post-1965)
The 1965 Hart-Cellar Act had a limited direct impact on Tom Green County, as the region did not experience the large-scale immigration waves seen in coastal or border cities. The foreign-born population today stands at just 3.2%, far below the national average of roughly 14%. However, the county has undergone a significant demographic shift through domestic migration and natural increase, particularly among its Hispanic population. Between 2000 and 2020, the Hispanic share of the county’s population rose from roughly 30% to over 40%, driven by higher birth rates and continued migration from South Texas and Mexico. These families have concentrated in San Angelo’s south and east sides, as well as in the unincorporated community of Grape Creek, where Hispanic residents now form a majority.
The White population, while still the largest single group at 51.9%, has declined in relative share as the county has become more diverse. This trend mirrors broader patterns across West Texas, where Anglo populations have aged and younger families have moved to larger metros. The Black population remains small at 3.4%, with most African American residents living in San Angelo and tracing their roots to the post-Reconstruction era or the mid-20th-century oil booms. East and Southeast Asian communities, including Vietnamese and Filipino residents, make up about 1.0% of the population, with a small but visible presence in San Angelo near the university and medical center. The Indian subcontinent population is negligible at 0.3%, concentrated among professionals working at Angelo State University or Shannon Medical Center.
Domestic migration since the 1990s has been modest compared to Texas’s booming suburbs, but Tom Green County has attracted retirees and remote workers from California and the Pacific Northwest seeking lower housing costs and a conservative political environment. The county voted heavily Republican in the 2024 election, with Donald Trump winning by a margin of roughly 40 points, reflecting the enduring cultural conservatism of the region. Suburbanization has been limited, with most growth occurring in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of San Angelo, particularly along the Loop 306 corridor and in the Lake Nasworthy area, where new subdivisions cater to families and retirees.
The future
Tom Green County is projected to continue its gradual diversification, with the Hispanic share likely exceeding 45% by 2040, driven by natural increase and continued domestic migration from South Texas. The White population will continue to decline in relative share, though it will remain the largest single group for the foreseeable future. The foreign-born share is expected to remain low, as the county lacks the job base in manufacturing or tech that attracts international immigrants. Instead, growth will come from within Texas, particularly from the Interstate 35 corridor, as families seek affordable housing and a slower pace of life.
New residential development is concentrating in the PaulAnn area and along the U.S. Highway 87 corridor south of San Angelo, where master-planned communities are attracting young families and retirees. The county’s cultural identity is evolving from a purely Anglo ranching culture to a more blended Hispanic-Anglo identity, evident in the growing popularity of local festivals like the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo, which now features bilingual programming. The political landscape is likely to remain conservative, though the growing Hispanic electorate may shift the county from deep red to lean Republican over the next two decades.
For someone moving in now, Tom Green County offers a stable, affordable, and culturally conservative environment with a strong sense of place. The population is becoming more diverse, but the change is gradual and organic, rooted in family migration rather than rapid immigration. Newcomers will find a community that values its ranching and oil heritage while slowly adapting to a more multicultural future, with San Angelo serving as the economic and social hub for the entire region.
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-09-06T03:47:02.000Z
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