Duval County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Duval County
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The Duval County Courthouse in San Diego
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Location within the U.S. state of Texas
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 Texas's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Founded | 1876 |
| Named for | Burr H. Duval |
| Seat | San Diego |
| Largest city | San Diego |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,796 sq mi (4,650 km2) |
| • Land | 1,793 sq mi (4,640 km2) |
| • Water | 2.1 sq mi (5 km2) 0.1% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 9,831 |
| • Density | 5.4738/sq mi (2.1135/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 28th |
Duval County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 9,831. The county seat is San Diego. The county was founded in 1858 and later organized in 1876. It is named for Burr H. Duval, a soldier in the Texas Revolution who died in the Goliad Massacre.
Contents
History
Duval County's development began during the Viceroyalty of New Spain (1521–1821). In 1804, six years before Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla launched Mexico's successful independence movement from Spain, Jose Faustino Contreras, surveyor general of San Luis Potosi, charted the county's landscape, which attracted colonists from Mier, Tamaulipas.
On February 1, 1858, the Texas Legislature established Duval County. The Texas Almanac of 1867 reported that Duval and nearby Dimmit County had only four stock raisers and their population was unlikely to grow much, absent the discovery of mineral wealth. Not long after, a wave of Anglo immigrants entered the county to raise sheep. Englishmen, Frenchmen, Germans, Irishmen, and Scots came. During this boom, the county seat enjoyed formal balls and haute cuisine. The Hotel Martinet's Sunday feast drew patrons from Corpus Christi, 50 miles (80 km) to the East.
The death rate rivaled Tombstone, Arizona's.
In April of 1878, a large Indian raid carried out by the Kickapoo, Seminole, and Lipan Apache ended up in the deaths of more than 10 people.
Prosperity in the 1880s placated Anglo animosity. When the Texas Mexican Railway began operating in 1881, its San Diego station served as an important hub for trading hides, wool and cotton, but the boom evaporated when sheep began dying during the Winter of 1886–1887, triggering the Sheep Wars that once again primarily victimized the legacy Spanish-speaking population.
During the twentieth century, the Parr family established a political machine that dominated politics in Duval and nearby Jim Wells counties. The family was instrumental in the 1948 election of Lyndon B. Johnson to the US Senate, and influenced the outcome of the 1960 presidential election which threw Texas to John F. Kennedy.
Geography
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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,796 square miles (4,650 km2), of which 1,793 square miles (4,640 km2) is land and 2.1 square miles (5.4 km2) (0.1%) is water. The county overlies the Piedras Pintas salt dome, scheduled for at hydrogen storage.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 59
Interstate 69W is currently under construction and will follow the current route of U.S. 59 in most places.
State Highway 16
State Highway 44
State Highway 285
State Highway 339
State Highway 359
Farm to Market Road 716
Farm to Market Road 1329
Farm to Market Road 2295
Farm to Market Road 3196
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Adjacent counties
- McMullen County (north)
- Live Oak County (northeast)
- Jim Wells County (east)
- Brooks County (southeast)
- Jim Hogg County (south)
- Webb County (west)
- La Salle County (northwest)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 1,083 | — | |
| 1880 | 5,732 | 429.3% | |
| 1890 | 7,598 | 32.6% | |
| 1900 | 8,483 | 11.6% | |
| 1910 | 8,964 | 5.7% | |
| 1920 | 8,251 | −8.0% | |
| 1930 | 12,191 | 47.8% | |
| 1940 | 20,565 | 68.7% | |
| 1950 | 15,643 | −23.9% | |
| 1960 | 13,398 | −14.4% | |
| 1970 | 11,722 | −12.5% | |
| 1980 | 12,517 | 6.8% | |
| 1990 | 12,918 | 3.2% | |
| 2000 | 13,120 | 1.6% | |
| 2010 | 11,782 | −10.2% | |
| 2020 | 9,831 | −16.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White alone (NH) | 1,206 | 937 | 10.24% | 9.53% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 86 | 145 | 0.73% | 1.47% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 18 | 13 | 0.15% | 0.13% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 17 | 45 | 0.14% | 0.46% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 5 | 0 | 0.04% | 0.00% |
| Other Race alone (NH) | 6 | 8 | 0.05% | 0.08% |
| Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) | 20 | 721 | 0.17% | 7.33% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 10,424 | 7,962 | 88.47% | 80.99% |
| Total | 11,782 | 9,831 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 11,782 people living in the county. 87.0% were White, 0.9% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 9.8% of some other race and 1.7% of two or more races. 88.5% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,120 people, 4,350 households, and 3,266 families living in the county. The population density was 7 people per square mile (2.7 people/km2). There were 5,543 housing units at an average density of 3 units per square mile (1.2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 80.22% White, 0.54% Black or African American, 0.53% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 15.46% from other races, and 3.11% from two or more races. 87.99% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 4,350 households, out of which 36.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.20% were married couples living together, 16.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.90% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.40.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 29.50% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 20.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 100.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $22,416, and the median income for a family was $26,014. Males had a median income of $25,601 versus $16,250 for females. The per capita income for the county was $11,324. About 23.00% of families and 27.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.90% of those under age 18 and 25.30% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
- Benavides
- Freer
- San Diego (county seat) (small part in Jim Wells County)
Census-designated places
Unincorporated communities
Ghost towns
Education
School districts for the county include:
- Benavides Independent School District
- Freer Independent School District
- Premont Independent School District
- Ramirez Common School District
- San Diego Independent School District
Coastal Bend College (formerly Bee County College) is the designated community college for the county.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Duval (Texas) para niños
