Lake Jackson is a city in Brazoria County, Texas, United States, within the Greater Houston metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 28,177.[4]
In 1942 a portion of Lake Jackson was first developed as a company town for workers of the Dow Chemical Company; it developed 5,000 acres on the former Abner Jackson Plantation. An oxbow lake was also named after the planter, whose house was located at the lake. Minor ruins of the Lake Jackson Plantation can now be seen in a park at the site.
History
The city was built in the early 1940s as a planned community, designed by Alden B. Dow of Midland, Michigan for workers in support of a new plant of the Dow Chemical Company, which his father owned. The City of Lake Jackson was incorporated March 14, 1944, and voted for home rule ten years later in 1954.
Geography
The city of Lake Jackson is located in south-central Brazoria County, and is bordered to the east by the cities of Clute and Richwood, and to the southwest by the Brazos River. Texas State Highway 288, the Nolan Ryan Expressway, runs through the city, leading 10 mi north to Angleton, the county seat, 52 mi north to downtown Houston, and 9 mi southeast to Freeport on the Gulf of Mexico.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Lake Jackson has a total area of 54.2 sqkm, of which 50.4 sqkm is land and 3.9 sqkm, or 7.11%, is water.[4]
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 28,177 people residing in Lake Jackson; the median age was 37.0 years, 24.1% of residents were under the age of 18, and 15.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.6 males age 18 and over.[6]
Of the 10,830 households, 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 51.6% were married-couple households, 18.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present; about 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[6]
There were 12,233 housing units, of which 11.5% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 20.2%.[6]
98.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 1.4% lived in rural areas.
Economy
Gas station and convenience store chain Buc-ee's has its headquarters in Lake Jackson where the first location opened.[9]
The Dow Chemical Company and the Brazosport Independent School District are major employers of residents. Dow planned to develop this community in 1941 as a 5,000-acre residential area for workers at its Freeport plant. Lake Jackson is now home to other chemical and manufacturing facilities, along with many other types of businesses. In Lake Jackson's early days, Dow helped to create a booming economy. In 2014 it announced an expansion project that is estimated to bring nearly 2,000 employees to the area.[10]
The unemployment rate in Lake Jackson, TX, is 8.40%, with job growth of 2.40%. Future job growth over the next ten years is predicted to be 36.40%. The income per capita is $30,625, which includes all adults and children. The median household income is $68,391. The sales tax rate in Lake Jackson, TX, is 8.25%.[11]
Sales tax income represents a population of over 70,000 indicating the draw of the retail shopping from the area.
Arts and culture
The Lake Jackson Library is a part of the Brazoria County Library System.
Government
Lake Jackson is within Texas's 14th congressional district and is represented by Randy Weber.
Education
Public schools
The public schools in the city are operated by Brazosport Independent School District. Some parts of the city limits fall in the Angleton Independent School District and the Columbia-Brazoria Independent School District.[13]
K–5 elementary schools within Lake Jackson include:
Residents are zoned to:
- O.M. Roberts Elementary
- A.P. Beutel Elementary (2007 National Blue Ribbon School)[14]
- Bess Brannen Elementary
- T.W. Ogg Elementary
Infrastructure
In September 2020, brain-eating amoeba were detected in the Lake Jackson drinking water supply, resulting in the death of a 6-year-old boy.[21] Eleven samples were taken around the city, and of those, three returned a preliminary positive results: the hose bib at the victim's home, a hydrant at a dead end street, and a storage tank at the city splash pad.[22] This resulted in Brazosport Water Authority issuing a do-not-use order on tap water in late September 2020.[22]
Airports
Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport serves Lake Jackson.
Mass transit
Southern Brazoria County Transit provides bus service options for Lake Jackson, Clute, Freeport and Angleton
Notable people
- Robert Ellis, Country, bluegrass and folk singer born, and spent most of his childhood, in Lake Jackson
- King Hill, All-American quarterback at Rice University, first-round pick in the 1958 NFL draft, and long-time pro quarterback grew up in Lake Jackson
- Brad Lincoln, a former professional baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays
- Troy Neel, former professional baseball player for the Oakland A's
- Rand Paul, U.S. senator from Kentucky since 2012; spent most of his childhood in Lake Jackson
- Ron Paul, U.S. representative from Texas's 14th congressional district as well as a Republican presidential candidate in 2008 and 2012. He also ran as the Libertarian Party candidate in 1988
- Selena Quintanilla Pérez (1971–1995), Tejano pop singer, known as the Queen of Tejano Music
- Ryan Tepera, a relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays
See also
- List of municipalities in Texas
External links
References
- 2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files United States Census Bureau, retrieved August 7, 2020^
- U.S. Census website United States Census Bureau, retrieved 2008-01-31^
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