thumb|The [[Texas and Pacific Railway depot serves as a visitor center and transportation museum in Baird.]]
thumb|[[Presbyterian Church in Baird]]
Baird is a city in and the county seat of Callahan County, Texas, United States. Its population was 1,479 at the 2020 census. The city is named after Matthew Baird, the owner and director of the Texas and Pacific Railway. The railway depot is now operated as the visitor center and a transportation museum.
Baird is part of the Abilene metropolitan area.
Geography
Baird is located in north-central Callahan County. Interstate 20 passes through the northern part of the city, leading west to Abilene and east to Cisco. U.S. Route 283 crosses the eastern side of town, leading north to Albany and south to Coleman.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which , or 2.55%, is covered by water.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, Baird has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps.
History
Baird, Texas was named after Matthew Baird, a director of the Texas and Pacific Railway. He was also sole proprietor of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, the largest locomotive firm in the United States, headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The city was officially founded in 1880. In 1993, the Texas Legislature designated Baird as the "Antique Capital of West Texas". It has 12 antique shops.
The former Callahan County Jail, at 100 W. 5th Street, was originally located in nearby Belle Plain, then the county seat. When the county seat moved to Baird, the jail was disassembled brick by brick, and reassembled at its current location. Belle Plain lost population and became a ghost town.
The town has five churches, four gas stations/convenience stores, and a feed store.
Library
The Callahan County Library was started in 1937 by the Baird Wednesday Club. The Pioneer Museum was added in 1940. Both are located on the basement floor of the Callahan County Courthouse. The museum features farm and ranch implements, household items, clothing, barbed wire, and documents.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Baird had a population of 1,479, 620 households, and 461 families residing in the city. The median age was 43.6 years. 20.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 23.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 84.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 81.1 males age 18 and over.
0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 620 households in Baird, of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 40.6% were married-couple households, 18.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 34.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
! Race !! Percent
|-
| White || 87.4%
|-
| Black or African American || 0.1%
|-
| American Indian and Alaska Native || 0.3%
|-
| Asian || 0.7%
|-
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0%
|-
| Some other race || 2.6%
|-
| Two or more races || 8.8%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 12.9%
|}
2000 census
As of the census