Stafford, Texas
Encyclopedia
Stafford is a city in the U.S. state
of Texas
within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown
metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County
with a small portion in Harris County
. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, Stafford's population was 15,681.
The city has the only municipal school district
(Stafford Municipal School District
) in all of Texas. Stafford is served by the Houston Community College System
and has a campus within the city.
Stafford does not have a municipal property tax as of 1995 and the sales tax is 0.5% less than all of the surrounding cities. Even though it is known as a bedroom community of the greater Houston area, it is estimated that four times as many people work in Stafford on a week day, which is evidence of the large amount of commercial activity that helps the city financially.
Many corporations both large and small including United Parcel Service
, Texas Instruments
, and Tyco
all maintain significant operations in Stafford.
As of 2008 the Mayor of Stafford is Leonard Scarcella, who was first elected in 1969 and has been a lifelong resident of the city.
, the forces of Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana stopped at Stafford's plantation and ordered it to be burned. Stafford rebuilt his plantation and resided there until his 1840 death. A settlement called Stafford Point established itself around the plantation; it became a townsite in August 1853 when the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railway began stopping at Stafford Point. Stafford Point had a post office from 1854 to 1869. Staffordville had a post office from January 5, 1869 to February 26, 1869. The settlement, now known as Stafford, operated a post office from 1869 to 1918; the post office reopened in 1929.
In 1884, Stafford had 50 residents, two general stores, and a grocer. By 1896 the settlement had a population of 300. By 1914 the population fell to 100. In 1931 320 people lived in Stafford. This increased to 400 residents in 1946. Stafford incorporated as a city in 1956.
Stafford is located at 29°37′27"N 95°33′48"W (29.624186, -95.563359).
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 7.0 square miles (18.1 km²).None of the area is covered with water.
of 2000, there were 15,681 people, 5,865 households, and 4,035 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,247.1 people per square mile (867.4/km²). There were 6,390 housing units at an average density of 915.7 per square mile (353.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 46.95% White, 18.85% African American, 0.43% Native American, 19.80% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 10.53% from other races
, and 3.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.30% of the population. The current population is estimated to be 19,800 people.
There were 5,865 households out of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples
living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.2% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.9% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 38.5% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 4.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $50,323, and the median income for a family was $58,736. Males had a median income of $41,270 versus $31,761 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $22,803. About 5.4% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.
The Stafford City Hall and Stafford Police Department buildings are located on South Main, adjacent to one another. The Stafford Volunteer Fire Department operates two fire stations.
. Residents pay property taxes to their respective counties.
Harris County Precinct One, headed by El Franco Lee as of 2008, serves the section of Stafford in Harris County.
Much of Stafford is located in District 26 of the Texas House of Representatives
. As of 2008, Charlie Howard
represents the district. Some of Stafford is located in District 27 of the Texas House of Representatives
. As of 2008, Dora Olivo
represents the district. Most of Stafford is within District 13
of the Texas Senate
; as of 2008 Rodney Ellis
represents that district. Some of Stafford is within District 17
of the Texas Senate
; as of 2008 Kyle Janek
represents that district.
Stafford is in Texas's 22nd congressional district
. As of 2008, Pete Olson
represents the district. The United States Postal Service
operates the Stafford Post Office at 4110 Bluebonnet Drive.
Originally Stafford was an agricultural community. As of 2009 Stafford has operations from commercial, manufacturing, retail, service, and wholesale industries which pay sales and franchise taxes to the city. Stafford has three business parks, one shopping center, and twenty hotels and motels. Texas Instruments
, which has around 1,500 employees in its Stafford office, is the largest employer in the city.
In 1991 BMC Software
had employees in several complexes. It had leased 90000 square feet (8,361.3 m²) of space at the Texas American Bank Southwest building in Stafford; around November 1991 it had leased an additional 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²), bringing the amount of leased space to 90000 square feet (8,361.3 m²). In 2005 the internet service provider Internet America
had offices in Stafford.
The city is served by Houston Community College System
. The HCCS Southwest College includes the Stafford Campus at 9910 Cash Road.
In 1977, Stafford broke away from the Fort Bend Independent School District
, which caused several rounds of federal litigation and by 1981 its was finally declared that the Stafford Municipal School District
was constitutional. Almost all of Stafford was in FBISD, with a minuscule portion in the Houston Independent School District
. All of Stafford is now zoned to the Stafford Municipal School District, which is the only school district in all of Texas that is controlled by the city. Residents pay property taxes to the school district.
When most of Stafford was a part of Fort Bend ISD, Staffordshire Elementary was located in Stafford. Staffordshire housed Black students in grades 1-4. Staffordshire closed in September 1965 when Fort Bend ISD desegregated. The district later sold the Staffordshire property.
, is in Stafford.
has the Mamie George Branch located within the city limits of Sugar Land on Dulles Avenue right next to Dulles Middle School. The Mamie George Library, a 4900 square foot library designed by Wylie W. Vale and Associates, opened in November 1974. The library was named after Mamie George, a philanthropist from Fort Bend County. The George Foundation donated funds for the building, and the Fort Bend Independent School District
donated the land that the library was built on. The library was renovated in 1991. In 1996 the small-business-center materials were moved from the Missouri City Branch to the Mamie George Branch.
35.6 acres (144,068.2 m²) of greenspace in Stafford are designated as municipal parks. Stafford City Park, the largest park, covers 16 acres (64,749.8 m²) of land. The park includes baseball and softball fields, basketball courts, a pavilion, playground equipment, picnic benches, and soccer (football)/open fields. Gordon Fountain Lake Park, covering 9 acres (36,421.7 m²), is the second largest park in Stafford. It has a 1/2 mile lighted jogging trail, a lake, a pavilion, pincic benches, and playground equipment. The 4.5 acres (18,210.9 m²) Vaccaro Manor Park has a lighted .25 mile jogging trail, a pavilion, playground equipment, sidewalks, and soccer/open fields. The 3.14 acres (12,707.1 m²) Rubin Park has playground equipment and picnic benches. First Street Park has 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) of land and includes baseball/softball fields, a jogging trail, lighting, and picnic benches. Stafford operates a Civic Center and a City Pool in the Municipal Center. City residents pay $10 each year for pool access. Second and fourth grade classes of the Stafford Municipal School District
use the city pool. In addition, the city has a Civic Center at the municipal complex.
Fort Bend County operates the 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) Stafford Community Center in Fifth Street, an unincorporated area
near Stafford.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown
Greater Houston
Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown is a 10-county metropolitan area defined by the Office of Management and Budget. It is located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas...
metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County
Fort Bend County, Texas
Fort Bend County is a county located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. In 2000 its population was 354,452, while the 2010 U.S...
with a small portion in Harris County
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, Stafford's population was 15,681.
The city has the only municipal school district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
(Stafford Municipal School District
Stafford Municipal School District
Stafford Municipal School District is a school district based in Stafford, Texas, United States. The district covers all of the city of Stafford and is controlled by the city, the only school district in Texas that is not an independent school district operated by an independent school board.There...
) in all of Texas. Stafford is served by the Houston Community College System
Houston Community College System
Houston Community College System is a community college system that operates community colleges in Houston, Missouri City, and Stafford in Texas....
and has a campus within the city.
Stafford does not have a municipal property tax as of 1995 and the sales tax is 0.5% less than all of the surrounding cities. Even though it is known as a bedroom community of the greater Houston area, it is estimated that four times as many people work in Stafford on a week day, which is evidence of the large amount of commercial activity that helps the city financially.
Many corporations both large and small including United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
, Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
, and Tyco
Tyco
Tyco may refer to:* Tyco International, a diversified industrial conglomerate* Tyco Electronics, a former segment of Tyco International* Tyco Toys, a division of Mattel...
all maintain significant operations in Stafford.
As of 2008 the Mayor of Stafford is Leonard Scarcella, who was first elected in 1969 and has been a lifelong resident of the city.
History
William Stafford established a plantation with a cane mill and a horse-powered cotton gin in 1830. On April 15, 1836, during the Texas RevolutionTexas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
, the forces of Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana stopped at Stafford's plantation and ordered it to be burned. Stafford rebuilt his plantation and resided there until his 1840 death. A settlement called Stafford Point established itself around the plantation; it became a townsite in August 1853 when the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railway began stopping at Stafford Point. Stafford Point had a post office from 1854 to 1869. Staffordville had a post office from January 5, 1869 to February 26, 1869. The settlement, now known as Stafford, operated a post office from 1869 to 1918; the post office reopened in 1929.
In 1884, Stafford had 50 residents, two general stores, and a grocer. By 1896 the settlement had a population of 300. By 1914 the population fell to 100. In 1931 320 people lived in Stafford. This increased to 400 residents in 1946. Stafford incorporated as a city in 1956.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 7.0 square miles (18.1 km²).None of the area is covered with water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 15,681 people, 5,865 households, and 4,035 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,247.1 people per square mile (867.4/km²). There were 6,390 housing units at an average density of 915.7 per square mile (353.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 46.95% White, 18.85% African American, 0.43% Native American, 19.80% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 10.53% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.30% of the population. The current population is estimated to be 19,800 people.
There were 5,865 households out of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.2% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.9% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 38.5% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 4.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $50,323, and the median income for a family was $58,736. Males had a median income of $41,270 versus $31,761 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $22,803. About 5.4% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.
Government and infrastructure
Local government
The City of Stafford stopped levying non-school property taxes in 1995. It is the only Houston-area city that does not levy non-school property taxes. It is the city with the highest population in Texas that does not levy property non-school taxes. As a result, Stafford residents have lower mortgage payments and can reinvest extra funds into their businesses. Sales and franchise taxes from businesses fund the city.The Stafford City Hall and Stafford Police Department buildings are located on South Main, adjacent to one another. The Stafford Volunteer Fire Department operates two fire stations.
County, state, and federal representation
Stafford is partially located in Fort Bend County and partially in Harris CountyHarris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
. Residents pay property taxes to their respective counties.
Harris County Precinct One, headed by El Franco Lee as of 2008, serves the section of Stafford in Harris County.
Much of Stafford is located in District 26 of the Texas House of Representatives
Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
. As of 2008, Charlie Howard
Charles F. Howard
Charles F. Howard, known more commonly as Charlie Howard, is an American politician and has been a member of the Texas House of Representatives since 1995...
represents the district. Some of Stafford is located in District 27 of the Texas House of Representatives
Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
. As of 2008, Dora Olivo
Dora Olivo
Dora F. Olivo was a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives, representing the 27th District since 1997. She was defeated in the 2010 Democratic Party primary on March 2 by Ron Reynolds, a local attorney.-External links:...
represents the district. Most of Stafford is within District 13
Texas Senate, District 13
District 13 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves portions of Fort Bend and Harris counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 13 is Rodney Ellis.-2006:-2002:-1998:-1994:...
of the Texas Senate
Texas Senate
The Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing 31 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 672,000 per constituency. There are no term limits, and each term is four years long. The Senate meets at the...
; as of 2008 Rodney Ellis
Rodney Ellis
Rodney Glenn Ellis is an African-American politician from the state of Texas. He has served on the Texas State Senate since 1990, representing Texas Senate District 13.Senator Rodney Ellis was elected to the Texas Senate in 1990...
represents that district. Some of Stafford is within District 17
Texas Senate, District 17
District 17 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves portions of Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Texas. Senator Kyle Janek announced his resignation on May 29, 2008. Governor Rick Perry called for a special...
of the Texas Senate
Texas Senate
The Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing 31 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 672,000 per constituency. There are no term limits, and each term is four years long. The Senate meets at the...
; as of 2008 Kyle Janek
Kyle Janek
Kyle Janek, M.D. ,is a former Republican member of the Texas Senate, having represented District 17 from 2003 until June 2, 2008. The district includes portions of Harris, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, and Jefferson counties...
represents that district.
Stafford is in Texas's 22nd congressional district
Texas's 22nd congressional district
Texas District 22 of the United States House of Representatives is the Congressional district that covers a south-central portion of the metropolitan area. It includes the cities of Rosenberg and La Marque as well as portions of Missouri City and Pearland, in Fort Bend, Harris, Galveston, and...
. As of 2008, Pete Olson
Pete Olson
Peter Graham "Pete" Olson is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes much of southeastern Houston, as well as most of the city's southern suburbs such as Pearland, Sugar Land, and Pasadena.-Early life, education, and military...
represents the district. The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Stafford Post Office at 4110 Bluebonnet Drive.
Economy
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
, which has around 1,500 employees in its Stafford office, is the largest employer in the city.
In 1991 BMC Software
BMC Software
BMC Software, Inc. is a multinational corporation specializing in Business Service Management software, with record annual revenue in fiscal 2009 of $1.87 billion...
had employees in several complexes. It had leased 90000 square feet (8,361.3 m²) of space at the Texas American Bank Southwest building in Stafford; around November 1991 it had leased an additional 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²), bringing the amount of leased space to 90000 square feet (8,361.3 m²). In 2005 the internet service provider Internet America
Internet America
Internet America is an American Internet service provider headquartered in northwest unincorporated Harris County, Texas, near Houston.-History:...
had offices in Stafford.
Colleges and universities
Houston Community College System
Houston Community College System is a community college system that operates community colleges in Houston, Missouri City, and Stafford in Texas....
. The HCCS Southwest College includes the Stafford Campus at 9910 Cash Road.
Public schools
Fort Bend Independent School District
The Fort Bend Independent School District, also known as Fort Bend ISD or FBISD, is a school district system in the U.S. state of Texas based in the city of Sugar Land....
, which caused several rounds of federal litigation and by 1981 its was finally declared that the Stafford Municipal School District
Stafford Municipal School District
Stafford Municipal School District is a school district based in Stafford, Texas, United States. The district covers all of the city of Stafford and is controlled by the city, the only school district in Texas that is not an independent school district operated by an independent school board.There...
was constitutional. Almost all of Stafford was in FBISD, with a minuscule portion in the Houston Independent School District
Houston Independent School District
The Houston Independent School District is the largest public school system in Texas and the seventh-largest in the United States. Houston ISD serves as a community school district for most of the city of Houston and several nearby and insular municipalities...
. All of Stafford is now zoned to the Stafford Municipal School District, which is the only school district in all of Texas that is controlled by the city. Residents pay property taxes to the school district.
When most of Stafford was a part of Fort Bend ISD, Staffordshire Elementary was located in Stafford. Staffordshire housed Black students in grades 1-4. Staffordshire closed in September 1965 when Fort Bend ISD desegregated. The district later sold the Staffordshire property.
Private schools
Everest Academy (PreK-5), - PreK-5 a school of the Darul Arqam SchoolsDarul Arqam Schools
Darul Arqam Schools is a network of Islamic schools in Greater Houston, Texas, United States.The Darul Arqam School system is headquartered in unincorporated northern Harris County....
, is in Stafford.
Public libraries
Fort Bend County LibrariesFort Bend County Libraries
Fort Bend County Libraries is a public library system in Fort Bend County, Texas .The library system, headquartered in the George Memorial Library in Richmond, operates two libraries and nine branches throughout Fort Bend County.-Libraries:...
has the Mamie George Branch located within the city limits of Sugar Land on Dulles Avenue right next to Dulles Middle School. The Mamie George Library, a 4900 square foot library designed by Wylie W. Vale and Associates, opened in November 1974. The library was named after Mamie George, a philanthropist from Fort Bend County. The George Foundation donated funds for the building, and the Fort Bend Independent School District
Fort Bend Independent School District
The Fort Bend Independent School District, also known as Fort Bend ISD or FBISD, is a school district system in the U.S. state of Texas based in the city of Sugar Land....
donated the land that the library was built on. The library was renovated in 1991. In 1996 the small-business-center materials were moved from the Missouri City Branch to the Mamie George Branch.
Parks and recreation
Stafford Municipal School District
Stafford Municipal School District is a school district based in Stafford, Texas, United States. The district covers all of the city of Stafford and is controlled by the city, the only school district in Texas that is not an independent school district operated by an independent school board.There...
use the city pool. In addition, the city has a Civic Center at the municipal complex.
Fort Bend County operates the 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) Stafford Community Center in Fifth Street, an unincorporated area
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
near Stafford.
External links
- Stafford official website
- Stafford Municipal School District
- Muck, Patti. "Stafford, railroad on divergent tracks/1st Texas town to see a train balks at Southern Pacific's "dual' plan." Houston ChronicleHouston ChronicleThe Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
. Sunday July 31, 1994. C1.