Other nonagricultural income came from rail and highway commerce. The city of Rockwall, with 2, residents in , had a seed-cleaning plant and feed mill and was a commercial center for the thickly settled farming region. Royse City, in the northeastern part of the county, was a shipping point for cotton and other agricultural products.
Some gradual shifts had occurred in agriculture. During the s cotton production was reduced, and diversified farming practices were introduced. Cotton farming continued to be the major industry in the county, but production began slipping. By the crop was down to 7, bales a year, half of the crop. Meanwhile, the s and s showed a renewed interest in livestock production because the proximity of a growing population in Dallas gave the farmers a ready market for their meat.
As agriculture began to lose its dominance in the county, the number of farms dropped from 1, in to only in The use of mechanical devices increased on the farms, and most rural residents had electricity available by The years between and the late s saw impressive changes in Rockwall County, as it became more a part of the greater Dallas metropolitan area and less a small rural county.
This trend had begun years earlier, during the depression and World War II, but was greatly influenced by several major developments. The first of these was the completion of Interstate Highway 30 in the late s. This highway, which enters the county midway on its western border with Dallas County and passes by Rockwall and Royse City to exit in the northeastern corner, provides easy access to Dallas and facilitates shipping into and out of the county.
It protected the river valley from flooding, increased the available water supply for the area, and provided Rockwall County with income from the recreation and tourist industry.
Probably the most dramatic change was brought about with the construction of Lake Ray B. Hubbard in and Although a significant portion of the land in Rockwall County was flooded, and the county lost some tax revenue from that, new housing developments around the lake and other recreation added more income than was lost. The trend away from agriculture continued; only farms were reported in Crop production was low, and wheat, hay, sorghum, and oats had replaced cotton.
Stock raising however, remained high; 16, cattle were reported in Manufacturing increased. In only five establishments were in operation, and in twenty-six firms had a total of employees. The industries with the most employment were agribusiness and manufacturing of women's clothing and aluminum products.
In the county had 17, registered vehicles, miles of paved roads, intercity bus service, motor freight, rail, and the Rockwall Municipal Airport. Total employment tripled from to , when 3, people worked in various jobs throughout the county. Almost two-thirds were employed in construction, service, retail trade, finance, insurance, and real estate, services that are in high demand by the affluent residents of the metropolitan suburb. The population grew accordingly.
In 7, people lived in the county. Rockwall County ranked thirty-third among all United States counties in growth rate for the years between and In the population reached 25, Many of the new residents commuted to Dallas, and many were financially well off. The influx of white-collar workers has also helped to improve the area's education level. Of the residents over age twenty-five in only By almost 87 percent had high school diplomas, and almost 33 percent had college degrees.
The same period also saw a shift in political affiliation. For most of its history the county had always had strong Democratic leanings. Even in and , when 53 and 55 percent of the rest of Texas voted for Dwight D. Eisenhower , the Republican candidate, 66 and 58 percent of Rockwall County voted for the Democratic candidate, Adlai Stevenson.
From , when Republican Richard Nixon carried the county, through , however, the county consistently voted Republican in presidential elections. Other changes occurred in the characteristics of the population. By there were only Blacks living in the county, about 5 percent of the total population. Annual precipitation also varies considerably, ranging from less than 20 to more than 50 inches. Summer hot spells are broken into 3- to 5-day periods by thunderstorm activity. Summer daytime temperatures frequently exceed degrees with occasional nights above 80 degrees.
Winters are mild but north winds bring sudden temperature drops. Occasional periods of extreme cold are short-lived. There are periods of rainy weather and thunderstorm activity with occasional heavy downpours especially in spring.
Snowfall is rare. First freeze is late November, last is mid-March. Recent job growth is Positive. Rockwall County jobs have increased by 3. More Economy. More Voting Stats. Since , it has had a population growth of Learn More The National Average is Home appreciation the last 10 years has been 5.
The average school expenditure in the U. There are about 15 students per teacher in Rockwall County. More Education. Start Your Review of Rockwall. Members receive 10 FREE city profile downloads a month, unlimited access to our detailed cost of living calculator and analysis, unlimited access to our DataEngine, and more. Enhanced Cost of Living Calculator Now includes childcare, taxes, health, housing for home owners vs renters, insurance costs and more when you upgrade to premium.
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