Lufkin

Lufkin is the largest city in Angelina County, Texas and the county seat. The city is situated in Deep East Texas and about 60 miles west of the Texas-Louisiana border. Its estimated population is 35,021 as of July 1, 2019. Lufkin was originally founded in 1882 as a stop on the Houston, East and West Texas Railway. It was officially incorporated on October 15, 1890. Three businessmen founded Angelina Lumber Company, which led to much of the economic prosperity Lufkins later had. The town continued to grow because of its proximity to the railroad and its lumber industry. In the mid-1960s, a cultural expansion began, and improvements were made to education and the way of life, including museums and the opening of a new library. It is named for Abraham P. Luchkin, who was the father-in-law of Paul Bremond, president of the railroad, which developed the town. The history of Luf Kin can be divided into three main eras, the railroad era, the timber boom, and the golden era of expansion. The main economic boom lasted between 1890 and 1920, and three main families are recognized for the much of economic prosperity in Lufkins - the Hendersons, the Kurthons, and Joseph Hieners Sr., a German immigrant who operated a sawmill in Luchins. The current mayor is J. M. Smith, who has been in office since November 15, 1990.

History

Lufkin was founded in 1882 as a stop on the Houston, East and West Texas Railway. The town was named for Abraham P. Lufkin, a cotton merchant and Galveston city councilman. The railroad era lasted between 1882 and 1890. The timber boom lasted between 1890 and 1920. The golden era of expansion occurred between 1938 and 1945. In the late 1930s, two of the principal industries, the Southland Paper Mill and Abitibi Foundries Inc, opened. These companies provided much of the growth in the town of Lufkins. The city's cultural change began between 1965 and 1983, when Lufth Memorial Improvements began a cultural expansion of the Kurth and Kurth Memorial Park. It was named after the father-in-law of Paul Bremond, president of the railroad, which developed the town. It is located in Angelina County, Texas, near the junction of the Texas and Texas Turnpike and the U.S. Highway 80 corridor. It has a population of about 3,000 people, with most of its residents living in or near the town center. The majority of the town is located near the Texas-Oklahoma border, and the majority of its population lives in or around the towns of Nacogdoches and Nacoskey. It also has a small percentage of the nation's population living in Texas, where it is located on the United States Highway 80. It's located near Texas-Mexico State Line, which runs through the state of Texas.

Geography

The elevation of Lufkin is 139 to 404 ft above mean sea level. The headquarters of all four United States National Forests and two U.S. National Grasslands in Texas are located in the city. Lufkins has a humid subtropical climate. Cold months are usually mild and frost is uncommon in Lufkins' climate. The city is 115 miles (185 km) northeast of Houston and has a total area of 33.38 sq mi (86.5 km²) The city has a population of 3,816 (3,716 in 2010) and is located at the crossroads of East Texas at the intersections of Highways US 59, future Interstate 69, and US 69. The elevation of the city is between 139 and 404ft above sea level and the city has an average of 1,715 feet (400 m) above sea-level. In 2010, the city's population was 3,722 (2,717 in 2010). The city's area is 33.4 sq mi, or 86.5km², and it has a climate of humid sub-tropical climate (Köppen "Cfa" climate) with evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. The climate is generally seen on the eastern side of continents between 20 and 35°N or S latitude. During summer, these regions over low-latitude ocean waters are generally under the influence of hot, maritime overflow from the western side of subtrupical anticyclonic cells.

Demographics

As of the 2020 U.S. census, there were 34,143 people, 12,755 households, and 8,277 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city is estimated to be 66.6% White, 25.2% African American, 0.7% American Indian or Alaska native, 2. 2% Asian, and 2.2 two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 24.1% of the population. White alone (not Hispanic or Latino) is Estimated to be 41.8%; 11.3% of population is believed to be foreign born. An estimated 24.4% of homes are thought to speak a language other than English. With an estimated 12,910 households, the city averaged 2.68 persons per household. The median household income is $43,803, and the per capita income is $23,134; 20.9% of persons are believed to have below the poverty line. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.21. The city's median age was 34 years; the city's population was 35,067 at the 2010 census. The population density was 1,050.7 people per square mile. The age distribution was 8.3%. under 5 years, 7.5% from 5 to 9, 7,1% from 10 to 14, 7.,2% from 15 to 19, 7, 4% from 20 to 24, 6.6%. from 30 to 34, 5.8% from 35 to 39, 5,9% from 40 to 44, 6,2%. from 45 to 49, 6.,3% from 50 to 54, 5, 5% to 59, 4.5%. from 60 to 64, 3.7%. from 65 to 69, 3,7% from 70 to 74, 2,7%. and 2,4% 85 and over.

Economy

Lufkin is home to the Atkinson Candy Company, the creator of the Chick-O-Stick, and Brookshire Brothers, a chain of grocery stores in Texas and Louisiana. Lufkin received Texas's first biomass power plant in late 2009. Temple-Inland is a Fortune 500 company that produces paper, wood, and other related products, and has employment in Lufkins. The top employers in the city are: Stephen F. Austin State University, state university (located in Nacogdoches; some employees reside in Laukin), and Lufkins Independent School District. The city has a public zoo with more than 500 animals, a public park with a lake and playgrounds, a nature trail, and a theater. It also has a golf course, the third-rated golf course in Texas by the Dallas Morning News, and the Texas State Forest Festival and Southern Hushpuppy Championships. It has a population of 5,000, with an estimated population of 2,000 in the next five years, according to the city's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. It is the home of Angelina College, a community college with an enrollment of about 5,500 people. The town is also the site of the Texas Forestry Museum, which features exhibits about forestry of the LufKin and East Texas area. It was founded by the Texas Forest Service in the early 1900s, and is located on the former site of a former logging site.

Government

Lufkin has a council-manager form of government. The city is divided into six city council districts, and the mayor is elected by a citywide vote. Lufkin falls under Texas's 1st congressional district, which is currently represented by Republican Louie Gohmert. In the Texas House of Representatives, Lufkins falls under district 57 and is represented by Republicans Trent Ashby and Robert Nichols. In 2018, the city's crime rate was 4,666 crimes per 100,000 persons, which was an overall decrease by 2% from 2017; 134 violent crimes and 1,403 property crimes were reported. All elected positions are elected on a nonpartisan ballot, as required by Texas law. The mayor's responsibility is to make all legislative and policy decisions, while the responsibility of the city manager is to decide all administrative decisions. In comparison to the U.S. average leans more conservative politically, but the city leans more liberal than Angelina County and the state Texas' averages. In 2016, Republican candidate Donald Trump dominated in the southern and western parts of Luf Kin while Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton won by large margins in the central, northern, and northeast parts of the town. The state's senators who represent Texas are Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, who are both Republicans. According to the 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, Laufkin's various funds had $38.8 million in revenue, $43.7 million in expenditures, $85.7million in total assets, $5.3 million in total liabilities, and $14.9 million in cash and investments.

Education

80.7% of people in Lufkin above the age of 25 are high-school graduates or higher. Angelina College, a community college, is located in the city. Stephen F. Austin State University is located not far away in Nacogdoches, Texas. The city is served by two small private schools, St. Cyprian's Episcopal School and St. Patrick Catholic School. Almost all of the public schools are operated by the Lufkins Independent School District. A very small portion of the city on Highway 69 is within Central ISD. The town has a small charter school, Pineywoods Community Academy, that serves grades Pre-K12 and is an early college high school. About 21.5 per cent of people 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The average age of the town's residents is 43.5 years old. The population is about 2,000 people, or 8% of the total population. Lufkans live in an area that has a median household income of about $30,000, or about $50,000 for the city as a whole. It has a high school graduation rate of about 80%. The city has a population of about 1,500 people. It is located on Texas State Highway 69, which runs through the town. The highway is one of the busiest highways in the state. It was built in the 1950s and 1960s by the Texas State Railroad Commission.

Infrastructure

The Angelina and Neches River Railroad (A&NR) runs through Lufkin. Two hospitals: CHI St. Luke's Health Memorial (formerly Memorial Health System of East Texas at Lufkins) and Woodland Heights Medical Center. General aviation service is provided by Angelina County Airport. The Coach USA bus lines serve the area, carried under the Kerrville Bus Company. There is an extension to Interstate 69 planned to run from the CanadaUS border at Port Huron, Michigan, to the Texas/Mexico border. There are no major roads in the area. The town is served by U.S. Highway 69, US Highway 59, State Highway 94, and State Highway 103. It has an approximate length of 20 miles (32 km) and connects with the Union Pacific Railroad lines. It is located in the Brazos Valley, which is part of the Texas Panhandle regional unitary area. It was once known as the "Brazos Valley" region, and is now known as "The Brazos County" region. The city is home to the Angelina-Neches River Railway, which runs through the town. It runs through a section of the town called the "Lufkin River" It is a short distance from the town to the town's main road, the "Angelina River" The town has a population of about 2,000, with the majority of its residents living in and around the town of Angelina. It also has a small airport.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas = 83. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 80. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 98. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Lufkin = 5.8 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 34,143 individuals with a median age of 35.3 age the population grows by 4.05% in Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,023.80 residents per square mile of area (395.29/km²). There are average 2.55 people per household in the 12,886 households with an average household income of $37,857 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 8.80% of the available work force and has growths 1.76% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 34.72%. The number of physicians in Lufkin per 100,000 population = 177.6.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Lufkin = 53.6 inches and the annual snowfall = 0.2 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 80. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 206. 93 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 36.4 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 23, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas which are owned by the occupant = 54.85%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 34 years with median home cost = $60,980 and home appreciation of -15.13%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $11.70 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,044 per student. There are 14.6 students for each teacher in the school, 655 students for each Librarian and 424 students for each Counselor. 6.08% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 14.08% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 6.74% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).