Tarrant County continues to grow in population, up to 2.11 million in 2020 from 1.81 million in 2010—a 16.7% increase over the decade. The tally makes Tarrant the third most populous county in Texas, trailing Harris County with a population of 4.73 million and Dallas County with 2.61 million.
Fort Worth, the Tarrant County seat, grew from 741,206 people in the 2010 census to 918,915 in the 2020 census. Tarrant County also has a density of 2,439.2 people per square mile.
The growth extended to the county’s diversity, also. For instance, as a barometer, the Census Bureau uses its Diversity Index to measure the probability that two people, chosen at random, will be from different racial and ethnic groups. In 2010, Tarrant County registered 63.7% on the index, and in 2020, the county scored a 69.6% on the index.
Individuals identifying as white are still the county’s largest demographic at 42.9% of the population, or 904,884) people. However, hat is lower than in 2010, when that same group accounted for 51.8% of the population and totaled 937,135.
Individuals identifying as Hispanic and/or Latino were the second largest racial or ethnic group, accounting for 29.4% of the population—up from 26.7% in 2010. This group grew by 28.6% over the decade, from 482,977 in 2010 to 620,907 in 2020.
Residents identifying as Black were the third largest group and accounted for 17% of Tarrant’s population with 358,645 people; up from 262,522 in 2010. Individuals identifying as Asian increased 53.1% over the same period, from 84,561 in 2010 to 129,437 in 2020.
Tarrant also saw growth in individuals identifying as two or more races, with a 445.7% spike over the past decade as the data reflected 296,195 individuals in 2020, up from 54,277 in 2010.
Finally, with regard to age, Tarrant County’s population of those age 18-and-older grew 20.9% from 2010 to 2020, while the percentage of those under the age of 18 grew 5.8%.
Further data is expected to be released by the Census Bureau on Sept. 16.
