Bay City, Texas Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Bay City, Texas
City
Entrance sign to Bay City
Bay City, Texas Location in Texas Show map of Texas Bay City, Texas Location in the United States Show map of the United States Bay City, Texas Location in North America Show map of North America
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Matagorda
Government
• Type	Mayor-council government
Area
• Total	9.29 sq mi (24.07 km²)
• Land	9.27 sq mi (24.00 km²)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.06 km²)
Elevation	49 ft (15 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	18,061
• Density	1,891.99/sq mi (730.52/km²)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes	77404, 77414
Area code(s)	979
FIPS code	48-05984
GNIS feature ID	2409798
Website	cityofbaycity.org

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1910	3,156	—
1920	3,454	9.4%
1930	4,070	17.8%
1940	6,594	62.0%
1950	9,427	43.0%
1960	11,656	23.6%
1970	13,445	15.3%
1980	17,837	32.7%
1990	18,170	1.9%
2000	18,667	2.7%
2010	17,614	−5.6%
2020	18,061	2.5%
U.S. Census Bureau

Bay City is a city located in Texas, United States. It is the main town of Matagorda County. In 2020, about 18,061 people lived there. Bay City was once called "Bay Prairie." This is because the area around it has many prairies and creeks that flow into the bay.

About Bay City's Location and Weather
- Bay City's Climate
People in Bay City
Bay City's Economy
- Fun Things to Do in Bay City
Education in Bay City
Getting Around Bay City
- Transportation
Famous People from Bay City
Churches in Bay City
See also

About Bay City's Location and Weather

Bay City covers about 8.5 square miles (22 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part covered by water.

Bay City's Climate

The weather in Bay City is usually hot and humid in summer. Winters are generally mild or cool. Bay City has a humid subtropical climate. This means it gets a lot of rain and has warm temperatures for most of the year.

People in Bay City

Bay City is home to a diverse group of people. In 2020, the city had 18,061 residents. There were 6,602 households and 4,086 families living in the city.

**Bay City racial composition as of 2020**
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race	Number	Percentage
White (NH)	5,811	32.17%
Black or African American (NH)	2,810	15.56%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	56	0.31%
Asian (NH)	169	0.94%
Pacific Islander (NH)	4	0.02%
Some Other Race (NH)	43	0.24%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)	366	2.03%
Hispanic or Latino	8,802	48.73%
Total	18,061

In 2000, the city had 18,667 people. About 34.74% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. People from minority groups make up the largest part of Bay City's population.

Bay City's Economy

In 2017, a large factory opened in Bay City. This factory, owned by Tenaris, makes special pipes for the oil drilling industry. It was a big investment for the city.

Bay City was also once the home of Stanley Stores. This store chain gave many donations to the Bay City Museum.

Fun Things to Do in Bay City

Bay City has several interesting places to visit.

The Matagorda County Birding Nature Center is a great spot for nature lovers. It has 35 acres of gardens and wildlife along the Colorado River.
You can also visit the Matagorda County Museum.
On the third Saturday of each month, you can enjoy Market Days.
Downtown Bay City has many small shops.
The Bay City Art League works to improve the art scene in the area.
The Bay City Community Theatre group (CAST) puts on plays and shows.

Bay City Regional Airport
Businesses in Bay City
Matagorda County Museum
Downtown Bay City

Education in Bay City

Students in Bay City attend schools in the Bay City Independent School District. This district includes elementary, intermediate, junior high, and high schools. Bay City High School is one of them. The district is led by Superintendent Dr. Marshall Scott III.

For college, students can go to Wharton County Junior College. It has a campus in Bay City. This campus focuses on technical training. It also teaches about nuclear plant operations.

Getting Around Bay City

Transportation

Highways

Texas State Highway 35
Texas State Highway 60
Farm to Market 2668

Railways

Bay City is on a main railway line used by the Union Pacific Railroad. This line runs along the Texas Gulf Coast. The BNSF Railway also uses this line. They also have a smaller line that goes from Bay City to Wadsworth. As of 2024, these train lines are only for moving goods, not for passengers.

Air Travel

The Bay City Regional Airport is a public airport owned by the city. It is located about five nautical miles (9 km) east of the city center.

Famous People from Bay City

Many talented people have come from Bay City.

Charles Austin, an Olympic gold medalist in high jump.
Forrest Bess, a well-known artist.
Robert Blackmon, a professional football player.
David Caldwell, another professional football player.
J. B. Cox, a professional baseball player.
Joe DeLoach, an Olympic gold medalist in track and field.
Mark Dennard, a professional football player.
Alex Dixon, a professional soccer player.
Hart Lee Dykes, a professional football player.
Simon Fletcher, a professional football player.
Ronnie Heard, a professional football player.
Quentin Jammer, a professional football player.
Chandi Jones, a professional basketball player.
Greg Laughlin, a former U.S. Representative.
That Mexican OT, a Mexican-American Rapper.
Mal Whitfield, an Olympic gold medalist in track and field.
Cedric Woodard, a professional football player.

Churches in Bay City

The First Baptist Church of Bay City dates to the 1850s. A hurricane destroyed the sanctuary in 1909. The current structure dates to 1947.
First United Methodist Church of Bay City dates to 1870.
First Presbyterian Church of Bay City
Entrance to Cedarvale Bay City Cemetery, which dates to 1896 with the burial of Rufus A. Mathis, an early Bay City pioneer

**Destinations from Bay City**
El Campo via Highway 35	Wharton via Highway 60	West Columbia via Highway 35
Markham via Highway 35		Lake Jackson via FM 457
	Bay City

Palacios via Highway 35	Wadsworth, Matagorda via Highway 60	Sargent via Highway 35