Cinco Ranch, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cinco Ranch, Texas
Census-designated place
Cinco Ranch, Texas Location in Texas Show map of Texas Cinco Ranch, Texas Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Texas
Counties	Fort Bend, Harris
Area
• Total	4.9 sq mi (12.8 km2)
• Land	4.9 sq mi (12.8 km2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	112 ft (34 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	16,899 +Derick
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
FIPS code	48-14929
GNIS feature ID	1852694

Cinco Ranch is a large, planned community in Texas, near the city of Houston. It's officially known as a census-designated place, which means it's a special area defined by the government for counting people. Cinco Ranch is located in both Fort Bend and Harris counties.

In 2020, about 16,899 people lived here. The community covers about 4.9 square miles (13 km²). It's about 25 miles (40 km) west of Houston and is considered part of the larger Katy area.

Discovering Cinco Ranch's Past

The story of Cinco Ranch began long ago, even before Texas became its own country. In the 1820s, a pioneer named Moses Austin received permission from the Spanish government. He planned to bring 300 families to settle in the valleys of the Brazos and Colorado rivers.

Moses Austin passed away before he could finish this big project. But his son, Stephen F. Austin, continued his father's dream. He completed the settlement plan, even under the new Mexican government. One of the first settlers was Randolph Foster. His land was huge, covering over 4,000 acres (16 km²) and was home to Native Americans, wild horses, deer, and buffalo.

From Ranch to Community

Randolph Foster's daughter married Thomas Blakeley, who became a cattleman and sheriff. Their son, Bassett Blakeley, followed in their footsteps. He became a cowboy and cattleman, owning 15,000 acres (61 km²) of land and 14,000 Brahman cattle. His cowboys would drive 10,000 cattle to Kansas every year.

In 1937, Bassett Blakeley sold his ranch to William Wheless. Wheless and four friends became partners. They named it Cinco Ranch, which means "Five Ranch" in Spanish, because there were five partners. Only the Wheless family lived on the ranch, but all the families visited often. The ranch grew not just cattle, but also rice and peanuts.

In 1984, a group of companies bought Cinco Ranch. They planned to turn the 5,000 acres (20 km²) ranch into a large, master-planned community. Over the years, different companies owned and expanded Cinco Ranch. By 2010, it had grown to about 8,092 acres (32.75 km²). It was expected to have over 14,000 homes by 2016.

Fun Things to Do in Cinco Ranch

Cinco Ranch has many great places for residents to enjoy.

Swimming Pools

There are 12 community pools in Cinco Ranch, perfect for cooling off on a hot day:

• Water Park
• Beach Club
• Equestrian Village
• North Lake Village
• Greenway Village
• South Ranch
• Highland Park
• Ridgewood
• Springwood Lake House
• Rosewood
• Westridge Creek
• Del Rio Lake

Golf Course

The Golf Club at Cinco Ranch is a large, 18-hole golf course. It has many sand traps and water hazards, making it a fun challenge. The Golf Academy also offers classes for young golfers.

Parks and Trails

Cinco Ranch has many parks, from small neighborhood spots to big recreation centers. These centers often have swimming pools and tennis courts. You can also find lakefront parks along South Lake, where you can fish, sail, or paddle boat.

The community has a growing network of greenbelt trails. These trails are great for jogging, biking, or rollerblading. You can even use them to get to schools and recreation spots. The Bayou Nature Trail is almost four miles long and protects nearly 70 acres (280,000 m²) of woods and wetlands. There are plans to connect this trail to a longer bike trail, allowing residents to bike for 26 miles (42 km).

YMCA Activities

The Katy Family YMCA has a large building with lots of exercise equipment. They offer over 75 fitness classes, including aerobics, kickboxing, pilates, and yoga.

The YMCA also has programs for kids. They offer free Child Watch and Kid Watch services for members. They also have Before and After School programs for children aged 5–12. During school breaks, they offer special camps. Youth sports programs include soccer, flag football, volleyball, basketball, and baseball. Other activities for young people include Taekwondo, Dance, and Babysitting Certification.

Amateur Radio Club

The Katy Amateur Radio Society (KARS) is a group of about 45 amateur radio operators. They have weekly radio chats and monthly meetings to discuss their hobby.

Cinco Ranch's Location

Map of the Cinco Ranch CDP

Cinco Ranch is located at 29°44′29″N 95°45′30″W / 29.74139°N 95.75833°W / 29.74139; -95.75833.

Who Lives in Cinco Ranch?

Cinco Ranch was first counted as a special census area in the year 2000. In 2020, there were 16,899 people living here.

Population Details

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 16,899 people, 5,882 households, and 5,037 families living in Cinco Ranch.

In 2000, about 63.7% of households had children under 18. Most households (84.9%) were married couples living together. The average household had 3.32 people.

About 38.3% of the population was under 18 years old. The median age was 35 years. Many residents (14%) have German ancestry, another 14% have English ancestry, and 10% have Irish roots.

Learning in Cinco Ranch

Public Schools

Cinco Ranch High School

Students in Cinco Ranch attend schools within the Katy Independent School District. Many schools are located right in Cinco Ranch or nearby.

Elementary schools in Cinco Ranch include:

• Betty Sue Creech Elementary School
• Bonnie Holland Elementary School
• Edna Mae Fielder Elementary School
• Odessa Kilpatrick Elementary School
• James E. Williams Elementary School
• Jo Ella Exley Elementary School
• Stan Stanley Elementary School
• Tom Wilson Elementary School
• Fred & Patti Shafer Elementary School
• MayDell Jenks Elementary School

Junior high schools in Cinco Ranch include:

• Rodger & Ellen Beck Junior High School
• Beckendorff Junior High School
• Cinco Ranch Junior High School
• Seven Lakes Junior High School

High schools in Cinco Ranch include:

• Cinco Ranch High School
• Seven Lakes High School
• Obra D. Tompkins High School
• Jordan High School (for Cinco Ranch II)

Colleges and Libraries

The Houston Community College System serves the Cinco Ranch area. This means students can attend college classes close to home.

Cinco Ranch also has its own public library, the Cinco Ranch Branch Library. It's part of the Fort Bend County Libraries system. The library first opened in 1998 in a small room. Because the community wanted a bigger library, a new, larger building opened in 2004. It's a great place to find books, study, and learn.

Shopping in Cinco Ranch

You can find several places to shop in Cinco Ranch:

• LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch
• Katy Mills

See also

In Spanish: Cinco Ranch para niños