Corpus Christi, Texas facts for kids

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Corpus Christi

City

Downtown Bayfront

Flag

Seal

Nickname(s):

Corpus, Sparkling City by the Sea

Location within Nueces County

Corpus Christi

Location in Texas

Corpus Christi

Location in the United States

Country

United States

State

Texas

Counties

Nueces, Kleberg, San Patricio, Aransas

Named for

Body of Christ

Government

• Type

Council–manager government

Area

• City

488.73 sq mi (1,265.80 km²)

• Land

160.63 sq mi (416.03 km²)

• Water

328.10 sq mi (849.77 km²)

Elevation

7 ft (2 m)

Population

(2020)

• City

317,863

• Estimate

(2022)

316,239

• Rank

US: 62nd

• Density

2,033.17/sq mi (785.01/km²)

• Urban

339,066 (US: 119th)

• Urban density

2,622.9/sq mi (1,012.7/km²)

• Metro

421,933 (US: 121st)

• CSA

525,875 (86th)

Time zone

UTC−6 (CST)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−5 (CDT)

ZIP Codes

78401, 78402, 78404–78419

Area code(s)

361

FIPS code

48-17000

GNIS feature ID

2410234

Corpus Christi (pronounced KOR-pəs KRIS-tee) is a big coastal city in Texas, USA. It's located in the South Texas region, right on the Gulf Coast. The city is the main city of Nueces County, but it also stretches into parts of Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. It's about 130 miles (208 km) southwest of Houston and 130 miles (208 km) southeast of San Antonio.

In 2022, about 316,239 people lived in Corpus Christi, making it the eighth-largest city in Texas. The larger area around the city, called the Corpus Christi metropolitan area, has about 442,600 people. The Port of Corpus Christi is a very important part of the city, being the fifth-largest port in the United States. The city also has its own airport, the Corpus Christi International Airport.

The name "Corpus Christi" means "body of Christ" in Latin. This name was given to the area by a Spanish explorer named Alonso Álvarez de Pineda in 1519. He discovered the beautiful bay on a Christian holiday called Corpus Christi. The city is also home to Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, a major training base for pilots in the US Navy, US Marine Corps, and US Coast Guard.

History of Corpus Christi

Map of Corpus Christi in 1887 from 1887

Corpus Christi was started in 1839 by Colonel Henry Lawrence Kinney and William P. Aubrey. It was first known as Kinney's Trading Post. It began as a small place where people could trade goods and get supplies.

In 1845, U.S. troops led by General Zachary Taylor set up a camp here. They stayed until 1846, getting ready for the Mexican–American War. About a year later, the settlement was officially named Corpus Christi. It became an incorporated city on September 9, 1852.

During the American Civil War, a battle took place in Corpus Christi from August 12 to August 18, 1862. Forces from the United States Navy fought against Confederate forces. The Union forces won against Confederate ships but were stopped when they tried to land on the coast.

Damaged restaurant after Hurricane Allen

The Port of Corpus Christi opened in 1926, which helped the city grow. The Corpus Christi Naval Air Station was built in 1941.

The city has faced some strong storms. A big hurricane in 1919 caused a lot of damage and killed many people. To protect the city, a seawall was built. Hurricane Celia in 1970 and Hurricane Allen in 1980 also caused damage. In December 2004, Corpus Christi had its biggest snowstorm ever, with 4.4 inches (11 cm) of snow on Christmas Eve!

Fighting for Civil Rights

In February 1929, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) was started in Corpus Christi. This group was formed to fight against unfair treatment of Hispanic people in the United States. Today, LULAC has offices in Washington, D.C.
In March 1949, the American GI Forum (AGIF) was also founded in Corpus Christi. This organization helps veterans, especially with education and civil rights. It was started because Mexican-American veterans faced unfair treatment.
A very important court case, Cisneros v. Corpus Christi Independent School District (1970), happened here. This case helped extend the Brown v. Board of Education ruling to Mexican Americans. It meant that they were also a minority group that could be discriminated against, and such unfair treatment was against the law.

Geography and Climate

Corpus Christi is a large city, covering about 460.2 square miles (1,192.0 km²). Most of this area is water, with 305.6 square miles (791.5 km²) being water and 154.6 square miles (400.5 km²) being land.

The city gets its drinking water from three reservoirs: Lake Corpus Christi, the Choke Canyon Reservoir, and Lake Texana. A 101-mile (163 km) pipeline, named the Mary Rhodes Pipeline, brings water from Lake Texana to the city. There are also plans to build a plant that can turn saltwater into drinking water, called a desalinization plant.

City Areas and Nearby Towns

Aerial view of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi has many different neighborhoods, each with its own feel. Some of these include:

There are also several towns near Corpus Christi that are considered suburbs:

Weather in Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot summers and very short, mild winters. The coolest months are from November to February. The warmest part of the year is from June to September, with August being the hottest.

The city is known for being very windy! Wind speeds often reach 25 mph (40 km/h), and sometimes even more than 35 mph (56 km/h). The highest temperature ever recorded was 109°F (43°C) on September 5, 2000. The lowest temperature ever was 11°F (-12°C) on February 12, 1899.

Corpus Christi usually gets about 31.73 inches (806 mm) of rain each year. However, it can have long periods with very little rain, or sometimes a lot of rain from hurricanes. The most rain in one day was 9.86 inches (250 mm) on July 2, 2007.

Climate data for Corpus Christi, Texas (Corpus Christi Int'l), 1981–2010 normals
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	91 (33)	97 (36)	102 (39)	102 (39)	103 (39)	107 (42)	105 (41)	107 (42)	109 (43)	101 (38)	98 (37)	91 (33)	109 (43)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	66.9 (19.4)	70.4 (21.3)	75.9 (24.4)	81.7 (27.6)	86.6 (30.3)	90.9 (32.7)	93.1 (33.9)	94.4 (34.7)	90.1 (32.3)	84.4 (29.1)	76.0 (24.4)	68.4 (20.2)	81.6 (27.6)
Daily mean °F (°C)	57.1 (13.9)	60.5 (15.8)	66.1 (18.9)	72.4 (22.4)	78.3 (25.7)	82.4 (28.0)	83.9 (28.8)	84.7 (29.3)	81.1 (27.3)	74.5 (23.6)	66.1 (18.9)	58.5 (14.7)	72.1 (22.3)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	47.2 (8.4)	50.5 (10.3)	56.3 (13.5)	63.0 (17.2)	70.0 (21.1)	73.9 (23.3)	74.8 (23.8)	75.0 (23.9)	72.0 (22.2)	64.8 (18.2)	56.2 (13.4)	48.6 (9.2)	62.7 (17.1)
Record low °F (°C)	14 (−10)	11 (−12)	24 (−4)	33 (1)	45 (7)	56 (13)	64 (18)	64 (18)	52 (11)	28 (−2)	27 (−3)	13 (−11)	11 (−12)
Average rainfall inches (mm)	1.54 (39)	1.92 (49)	1.89 (48)	1.84 (47)	3.07 (78)	3.36 (85)	2.79 (71)	2.92 (74)	4.97 (126)	3.64 (92)	1.97 (50)	1.82 (46)	31.73 (805)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.01 in)	7.1	6.5	5.3	5.3	6.0	6.8	5.7	6.5	8.8	6.3	6.0	6.4	76.7
Average relative humidity (%)	77.4	76.2	74.2	76.5	78.9	77.5	74.5	74.5	76.2	74.9	75.9	76.0	76.1
Mean monthly sunshine hours	140.2	155.7	198.1	208.4	234.1	290.4	328.1	299.7	244.2	231.9	170.4	135.1	2,636.3
Percent possible sunshine	43	50	53	54	56	70	77	74	66	65	53	42	59
Source: NOAA (extremes 1887–present, relative humidity and sun 1961–1990)

People of Corpus Christi

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	100	—
1870	2,140	2,040.0%
1880	3,257	52.2%
1890	4,387	34.7%
1900	4,703	7.2%
1910	8,222	74.8%
1920	10,522	28.0%
1930	27,741	163.6%
1940	57,301	106.6%
1950	108,287	89.0%
1960	167,690	54.9%
1970	204,525	22.0%
1980	231,999	13.4%
1990	257,453	11.0%
2000	277,454	7.8%
2010	305,215	10.0%
2020	317,863	4.1%
2022 (est.)	316,239	3.6%
U.S. Decennial Census

The population of Corpus Christi has grown a lot over the years. In 2020, there were 317,863 people living in the city. By 2022, the number was estimated to be 316,239.

Corpus Christi racial composition as of 2022
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race	Number	Percentage
White (NH)	201,083	45.61%
Black or African American (NH)	12,651	2.87%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	958	0.22%
Asian (NH)	7,606	1.73%
Pacific Islander (NH)	229	0.05%
Some Other Race (NH)	13,935	3.16%
Hispanic or Latino	204,417	46.37%
Total	440,879

Who Lives in Corpus Christi?

**Corpus Christi city, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition**
*Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.*
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	106,901	101,593	96,019	38.53%	33.29%	30.21%
Black or African American alone (NH)	12,404	11,912	12,419	4.47%	3.90%	3.91%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	822	792	847	0.30%	0.26%	0.27%
Asian alone (NH)	3,382	5,398	7,519	1.22%	1.77%	2.37%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	125	204	268	0.05%	0.07%	0.08%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	296	369	1,144	0.11%	0.12%	0.36%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	2,787	2,766	6,657	1.00%	0.91%	2.09%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	150,737	182,181	192,990	54.33%	59.69%	60.71%
Total	277,454	305,215	317,863	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

In 2020, about 60.71% of the people in Corpus Christi were of Hispanic or Latino background. About 30.21% were non-Hispanic White. The city is a mix of many different cultures and backgrounds.

Economy and Jobs

Many people in Corpus Christi work in service jobs, stores, and for the government. The city's economy is strongly linked to tourism and the oil and petrochemical industries.

The Port of Corpus Christi is very important. It's the fifth-largest port in the U.S. and handles a lot of oil and farm products.

Naval Air Station Corpus Christi is the biggest employer in the city, providing 6,200 civilian jobs. The Corpus Christi Army Depot, located there, is the largest place in the world for repairing helicopters. The United States Coast Guard also has a station here.

Corpus Christi was once the home of Whataburger headquarters, a popular fast-food chain. Other big employers include Christus Spohn Health System and H-E-B grocery stores.

Fun Things to Do

Corpus Christi has many popular places for both visitors and people who live there. The Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau can help you find things to do.

USS Lexington, a floating museum

Art Museum of South Texas

On North Beach, you can visit the Texas State Aquarium and the USS Lexington Museum on the Bay. The USS Lexington is a real aircraft carrier that was used in the movie Pearl Harbor.

Near the USS Lexington is the museum district. Here you can find the Museum of Asian Cultures, the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, and the South Texas Institute for the Arts. There's also the Harbor Playhouse Theatre, one of the oldest community theaters in Texas. Heritage Park in this area has many old, restored houses.

Texas State Aquarium

The Corpus Christi Botanical Gardens and Nature Center is a great place to learn about plants. The Hans and Pat Suter Wildlife Refuge near Oso Bay is perfect for watching seabirds.

East of Corpus Christi are Padre Island and Mustang Island. These islands have beautiful parks, including the famous Padre Island National Seashore. The city is also close to King Ranch, one of the world's largest ranches.

Sports in Corpus Christi

Whataburger Field, home of the Corpus Christi Hooks baseball team

Even though Corpus Christi doesn't have teams in the biggest sports leagues like the NFL or NBA, it still has lots of sports to enjoy!

The Corpus Christi IceRays play ice hockey in the North American Hockey League.
The Corpus Christi Hooks are a baseball team in the Texas League. They are a minor league team for the Houston Astros.
The biggest sports place in the city is Buccaneer Stadium, which can hold 18,000 people for American football games.

You can also find college sports at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Their teams, called the Islanders, play in the Southland Conference. The city also has a rugby team, the Corpus Christi Rugby Football Club. In 2017, a soccer team called Corpus Christi FC joined the USL League Two.

Club	Sport	League	Venue	Established	Championships
Corpus Christi Hooks	Baseball	Texas League	Whataburger Field	1968 (Relocated in 2005)	1 (2006)
Corpus Christi Tritons	Indoor football	AIF	American Bank Center	2023	N/A
Corpus Christi IceRays	Ice hockey	NAHL	American Bank Center	1998 (Became junior in 2010)	0
Corpus Christi Crabs	Rugby	TRU	Dewey's	1973	N/A
Corpus Christi FC	Soccer	USL2	St. John Paul II High School Stadium	2017	N/A

Parks and Outdoor Fun

Corpus Christi is a great place for outdoor activities because it's right next to Corpus Christi Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, and Laguna Madre.

Water Sports

The city is very windy, which makes it perfect for wind sports! People love to go kite boarding, wind surfing, kite flying, and sailing here. Corpus Christi has even hosted big events like the Windsurfing World Championships in 1990 and the Youth Sailing World Championships in 2018.

Fishing and Hunting

Fishing is a very popular hobby in Corpus Christi. You can fish from piers, in Oso Bay, or in the Gulf of Mexico. The area is also good for hunting waterfowl like duck and geese, and other animals like white-tailed deer.

Skating

The Corpus Christi Skate Park opened in 2007. It's a 12,000 square foot (1,115 m²) concrete park located in Cole Park, right by the bay. It has a skating bowl and a street course with stairs and railings.

Birdwatching

Seagulls at the Corpus Christi Coast

If you love birds, Corpus Christi is a fantastic place for birdwatching! Many seabirds can be seen here. Some popular spots include Blucher Park, the Hans and Pat Suter Wildlife Refuge, and the South Texas Botanic Garden and Nature Center. The Audubon Outdoor Club of Corpus Christi helps protect bird habitats and hosts birdwatching trips.

Education in Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi has many schools and colleges for students of all ages.

Colleges and Universities

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi: This is a big university that is part of the Texas A&M University System.
Del Mar College: A local community college that offers many different programs.
Saint Leo University-Corpus Christi: Located at the Naval Air Station.
There are also vocational schools like Southern Careers Institute, which offer training for specific jobs.

Schools for Kids

There are several school districts that serve the city of Corpus Christi:

Corpus Christi ISD
Calallen ISD
Flour Bluff ISD
London ISD
Port Aransas ISD
Tuloso-Midway ISD
West Oso ISD

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi also runs Catholic schools in the area. There are also "Open Enrollment Charter Schools" which are public schools with special programs.

Corpus Christi Independent School District Schools

High Schools

Mary Carroll High School
Richard King High School
Roy Miller High School
Foy H. Moody High School Health Science Academy
W. B. Ray High School
Collegiate High School
Solomon Coles High School
Branch Academy for Career and Technical Education
Veterans Memorial High School
School of Science and Technology College Prep High School

Middle Schools

Marvin P. Baker Middle School
Tom Browne Middle School
Cullen Place Middle School
Claude Cunningham Middle School
Robert Driscoll Middle School
Elliott Grant Middle School
Carl O. Hamlin Middle School
R. Haas Middle School
Harold Kaffie Middle School
Martin Middle School
South Park Middle School
Wynn Seale Academy of Fine Arts Magnet Middle School

Elementary Schools

Allen Elementary School
Barnes Elementary School
Berlanga Elementary School
Calk Elementary School
Club Estates Elementary School
Crockett Elementary School
Dawson Elementary School
Early Childhood Development Center
Evans Elementary School
Fannin Elementary School
Galvan Elementary School
Garcia Elementary School
Gibson Elementary School
Hicks Elementary School
Houston Elementary School
Jones Elementary School
Kolda Elementary School
Kostoryz Elementary School
Los Encinos SES Elementary School
Meadowbrook Elementary School
Menger Elementary School
Metropolitan Elementary School of Design
Mireles Elementary School
Montclair Elementary School
Moore Elementary School
Oak Park Elementary School
Sanders Elementary School
Schanen Estates Elementary School
Shaw Elementary School
Smith Elementary School
Travis Elementary School
Webb Elementary School
Wilson Elementary School
Windsor Park Elementary School
Woodlawn Elementary School
Yeager Elementary School
Zavala Elementary School

Alternative

Student Learning and Guidance Center
Mary Grett School

Flour Bluff Independent School District Schools

Flour Bluff High School (grades 9–12)
Flour Bluff Jr. High School (grades 7–8)
Flour Bluff Intermediate School (grades 5–6)
Flour Bluff Elementary School (grades 3–4)
Flour Bluff Primary School (grades 1–2)
Early Childhood Center (prekindergarten and kindergarten)
Head Start (ages 1–4)

West Oso Independent School District Schools

West Oso High School (grades 9–12)
West Oso Junior High School (grades 6–8)
West Oso Elementary (grades 2–5)
West Oso John F. Kennedy Elementary (prekindergarten to grade 1)

Tuloso-Midway Independent School District Schools

Tuloso-Midway High School
Tuloso-Midway Middle School
Tuloso-Midway Intermediate School
Tuloso-Midway Primary School
Tuloso-Midway Academic Career Center

Calallen Independent School District Schools

Calallen High School
Calallen Middle School
West Intermediate School (grades 4–5)
East Primary School (grades pre-K–3)
Wood River Primary School (grades pre-K–3)

London Independent School District Schools

London High School
London Middle School
London Elementary School

Private and Charter Schools

John Paul II High School (grades 8–12)
Bishop Garriga Middle School (grades 6–8)
St. James Episcopal (primary, K–8)
Corpus Christi Montessori School (grades 1–8)
Incarnate Word Academy (K–12)
Annapolis Christian Academy (K–12)
Yorktown Christian Academy (K–12)

Libraries

Corpus Christi has several public libraries where you can find books and resources:

Dr. Clotilde P. Garcia, 5930 Brockhampton
Ben F. McDonald, 4044 Greenwood
Janet F. Harte, 2629 Waldron
La Retama, 805 Comanche
Owen R.Hopkins, 3202 McKinzie
Anita & W.T. Neyland, 1230 Carmel Pkwy

Transportation

Corpus Christi is served by the Corpus Christi International Airport. Major highways like Interstate 37 and Interstate 69E help people travel in and out of the city. The Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority provides bus services within the city.

The city is connected by two main bridges: the Harbor Bridge and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Causeway.