Troup, Texas

craftinlearning May 18, 2023

According to growtheology.com, Troup, Texas is situated in the northeast corner of the state and is part of Smith County. It’s elevation is about 515 feet above sea level. The climate in Troup is humid subtropical with hot summers and mild winters. Precipitation occurs throughout the year, with most of it coming from thunderstorms during the summer months.

The town of Troup was founded in 1844 by a small group of settlers from Tennessee who had been granted land by Stephen F. Austin as part of his colonization efforts. The town was named after American Revolutionary War hero, General George Troup. The economy was initially based on cotton farming and timber production, but over time has diversified to include manufacturing, retail, healthcare and education.

Troup has a long history of politics that goes back to its founding days when it served as an early voting center for Smith County elections. Today the town is part of Texas Senate District 1 represented by Senator Robert Nichols and Texas House District 7 represented by Representative Travis Clardy both Republicans since 2003.

The local economy is largely based on retail, healthcare, education and industry with major employers such as Walmart Distribution Center, East Texas Medical Center-Troup Clinic and Tyler Junior College-Troup Campus providing jobs for many residents. In addition to these larger employers there are also many small businesses located throughout the city that provide goods and services to local residents as well as visitors from out-of-towners who come for events like the annual Troup Cotton Festival held each September since 1987 to celebrate the area’s long agricultural heritage.

In terms of schools, Troup Independent School District serves approximately 1,500 students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade at five schools including two elementary schools (Fowler & McWhorter), one middle school (McWhorter), one high school (Troup High School) and one alternative campus (Alternative Learning Campus). There are also several private schools located within a few miles radius of Troup such as Grace Community School which provides Christian education for grades K-12th grade and Whitehouse Christian Academy which offers a college preparatory curriculum for grades K3rd – 12th grade students.

Finally there are several notable landmarks throughout Troup such as First United Methodist Church which was built in 1884; Smith County Courthouse which dates back to 1898; Black Creek Historical Park which features an old grist mill built in 1870; and Old City Cemetery which dates back to 1847 where many pioneers were laid to rest including General George Troup himself who died at his home near present day Tyler in 1856 at age 39 years old.

Population: 1,949. Estimated population in July 2020: 2,052 (+5.3% change)
Males: 876 (44.9%), Females: 1,073 (55.1%)

Smith County

Zip code: 75789

Median resident age: 34.5 years
Median household income: $29,969
Median house value: $55,900

Races in Troup:

Ancestries: United States (24.1%), German (6.4%), English (6.0%), Irish (5.3%), Scottish (2.1%), Scotch-Irish (1.7%).

Land area: 2.3 square miles

Population

Troup, Texas is a small town located in Smith County with a population of 1,876. The majority of the population are White Non-Hispanic (78.1%) followed by African American (17.3%), Hispanic (3.4%), and other races/ethnicities making up the remaining 1.2%. The median age of Troup is 37 years old with a gender distribution of 48.9% male and 51.1% female. The median household income in Troup is $44,907 with approximately 16% of the population living below the poverty line. Education levels are slightly lower than average with only 18% having achieved at least a bachelor’s degree or higher compared to the national average of 33%.

Troup has an abundance of recreation opportunities for its residents including two city parks and three golf courses within 10 miles of town, as well as numerous hiking trails near nearby Lake O’The Pines and Lake Bob Sandlin State Park. There are also several local churches for those looking for spiritual guidance and fellowship such as First Baptist Church, First United Methodist Church, and St John’s Lutheran Church to name a few. Lastly, there are numerous festivals throughout the year such as Troup’s Annual Watermelon Festival which celebrates their agricultural heritage that brings in people from all around Smith County every June!

For population 25 years and over in Troup

• High school or higher: 66.5%
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: 9.3%
• Graduate or professional degree: 3.0%
• Unemployed: 4.9%
• Mean travel time to work: 25.4 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Troup city

• Never married: 22.9%
• Now married: 49.2%
• Separated: 3.1%
• Widowed: 12.3%
• Divorced: 12.5%

4.3% Foreign born (2.5% Latin America, 1.2% Europe, 0.5% Asia).

Population change in the 1990s: +238 (+13.9%).

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