Pittsburg is a city in, and the county seat of, Camp County, Texas, United States. Best known as the former home of the giant poultry producer Pilgrim's and of racing legend Carroll Shelby, as well as the popular local sausage, Pittsburg Hotlinks. In 1902, it was the site of an early flight attempt by the Ezekiel Air Ship Mfg Co. With a 2020 census-tabulated population of 4,335, it is the most populous city in Camp County.
The city is named after the family of William Harrison Pitts. In 1996, the town changed its name to "Cowboys" for a few weeks in support of the Dallas Cowboys, who faced the Pittsburgh Steelers that year in Super Bowl XXX.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, Pittsburg has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps.
As of the 2020 census, Pittsburg had a population of 4,335. The median age was 35.8 years. 27.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 88.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 84.7 males age 18 and over.
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 1,606 households in Pittsburg, of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 39.7% were married-couple households, 18.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 35.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 1,774 housing units, of which 9.5% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.6%.
The 2020 American Community Survey 5-year estimates placed the median household income at $48,340.
As of the 2000 census, 4,347 people, 1,593 households, and 1,056 families lived in the city. The population density was . The 1,779 housing units had an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 54.50% White, 27.97% African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 15.76% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. About 23.86% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $24,789, and for a family was $28,398. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $20,042 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,882. 27.7% of the population and 23.8% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 38.8% of those under the age of 18 and 14.1% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
The city of Pittsburg is served by the Pittsburg Independent School District and home to the Pittsburg High School Pirates.