Hardin County

Hardin County Offices

Hardin County Town List

The State legislature established Hardin County in 1858. It became part of the East Texas Timberland region. Also, Kountze remains the seat of Hardin County. 

The State Legislature named Hardin County for the family of a gentleman from Liberty County called William Hardin. The county covers an estimated area of 2326Km2.   

Hardin’s population stands at 112,316 as per the latest US censors of 2021. Additionally, the censors put the population growth rate for the past year at 0.61%. 

Hardin County enjoys unique physical features that provide it with a countryside outlook. These features cover widespread thickets and timberland, loam and sandy soils, several streams, and the river Neches. 

History of Hardin County 

In 1830, a tiny community called Providence grew a few miles north of the present Kountze. But no one tried to colonize the area until the period of 1834 to 1835. 

Additionally, during this era, the Government of Mexico provided more than fifty land grants to people to settle within the current Hardin County. As a result, more towns sprung up to serve the increasing rural population.  

Also, the towns served travelers passing through this region on the way to their final destinations. 

In 1835, Stephen Jackson established a settlement at Sour Lake. Then, after the revolution of 1836, the region split between the governance of Jefferson and Liberty Counties. 

In 1858, the area’s population had increased, so the State Legislature decided to establish a new County calling it Hardin County. 

Hardin County Offices 

The County Government of Hardin comprises several departments that work together to provide services to the county’s residents. 

 Consequently, professionals occupy the County offices ranging from the County Judge, Clerk, Treasurer, Tax Collector, and Sheriff, among others. 

Wayne Mc Donald presides over as the Hardin County Judge. Residents can reach him using phone number: 731-658-3264. 

Matthew Minick occupies the seat of the County Attorney; people can reach him using his phone number:409-246-4389. 

Glenda Alston presides over as the County Clerk. Residents can reach her via her phone number:409-246-5185. Her office remains open from Monday to Friday, 8.00 am -5.00 pm (open through lunch). 

Deborah Mc Williams occupies the office of the County Treasurer. Residents can reach her using her phone number:409-246-5121. 

Shirley Cook presides over as the Hardin Tax Collector/Assessor. Residents can reach Shirley using her phone number:409-246-5180. 

Mark Davies presides over as the County Sheriff. People can reach him using his phone number:409-246-5100. 

Hardin’s Cost of Living 

The cost of living in the County of Hardin remains relatively cheaper than in other parts of the US. The average annual price of housing, groceries, utilities, and transportation is lower than the annual US national averages. 

However, the average annual health expenditure per individual stands higher than the US national average. Therefore, it’s more expensive to get treatment when you are sick in Hardin than in most US regions. 

Commuting in the County of Hardin 

US citizens have experienced an annual increase in commute time since 2010. Notably, the average commute time in Hardin remains 18.1 minutes. It’s a shorter commute time compared to the average US commute time recorded at 26.4 minutes. 

Take a looks at how people get to their workplaces in Hardin; 

• 68.5% of the residents drive their cars 
• 17.9% carpool with others 
• 0.9% of the residents use their bicycles 
• 10.2% of the residents walk 
• 0.4% engage in mass transit 
• 1.8% work from home 

Safety and Security in Hardin County, Texas 

The County of Hardin’s annual average violent crime rate stands at 22.3, while the US yearly average remains 22.7. 

Also, the Hardin County property crime rate remains at 45.4 compared to the US average of 35.4. In a typical year, 88.96 per 1000 inhabitants stands the risk of experiencing violent crimes in Hardin County. 

Residents of Hardin County consider the northeastern region of the county the safest at a violent crime ratio of 1 to 58 compared to the northwest area with a crime rate of 1 to 2. 

Hardin County Climate 

Hardin County gets an annual average of 13 inches of rainfall compared to the US National yearly average of 38 inches. It signifies lesser rain in Hardin County compared to most US regions. 

The county compensates for lack of rainfall with a more significant rate of snowfall, 44 inches, compared to the US average of 28 inches. Additionally, the county experiences precipitation for 72 days in a standard year. 

The Sunny days in Hardin are almost equal to that of the US average. It’s because Hardin enjoys 206 sunny days in a year, and the US average stands at 205. 

Hardin’s County Economy 

Hardin County’s economy depends on economic activities revolving around; 

• Agriculture 
• Forestry 
• Fishing 
• Hunting 
• Mining 
• Quarrying 
• Manufacturing 
• Oil & Gas extraction 
• Construction 

The majority of the County residents work in at least one of these industries. 

Additionally, the annual unemployment rate in the county stands at 9.0%, which is greater than the US National average of 6.0%. 

Over the past year, the job market in Hardin decreased by -1,3%. Also, the projected future job market growth rate stands at 0.8% in the next ten years. Consequently, this remains a low growth rate compared to the projected US National average of 33.5% for the same period. 

Financial Transparency in Hardin County, Texas 

Financial transparency remains a vital responsibility of the County government. As such, the county prompts accountability by providing financial information to the citizens of Hardin County. 

The financial information provided consist of ; 

• Local Government Revenue 
• County Expenditure 
• Debt Status 

To remain financially accountable to the residents, the County government promptly processes all relevant financial information as part of its role. Therefore, County departments can monitor their budgetary allocations for financial prudence. 

More importantly, the County government publishes audited financial reports for all concerned parties to see and verify. 

The citizens can verify whether the county followed the law in handling the County finances through the published audited financial reports.