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List of unincorporated communities in Texas facts for kids

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In Texas, there are many places that aren't officially cities or towns. These are called unincorporated communities. Think of them as neighborhoods or small areas that don't have their own local government, like a mayor or city council. Instead, they are usually managed by the county government.

Sometimes, these communities are also known as:

  • Census-designated places (CDPs): These are areas that the U.S. Census Bureau identifies for gathering information, even if they aren't official cities. They help us understand where people live.
  • Ghost towns: These are places where most or all of the people have moved away, often leaving behind empty buildings. They tell stories of the past!

Texas has a lot of these unincorporated communities. This list shows some of them, organized by the county they are in.

What is an Unincorporated Community?

An unincorporated community is a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own city government. This means there's no local mayor or city council making rules just for that area. Instead, the larger county government takes care of things like roads, police, and other services for everyone in the county, including these communities.

For example, a place like Midkiff in Upton County is an unincorporated community. The people living there rely on Upton County for their local services.

Census-Designated Places (CDPs)

The U.S. Census Bureau helps us count how many people live in different areas. Sometimes, they identify places that aren't official cities but still have a lot of people living there. They call these "census-designated places" or CDPs. This helps them collect accurate population data.

For example, Canyon Lake in Comal County is a CDP. It's a busy area with many residents, even though it's not an official city.

Ghost Towns

Texas is a big state with a long history, and some communities that once thrived are now "ghost towns." These are places where people used to live and work, but over time, everyone moved away. This might have happened because a local industry, like mining or farming, disappeared, or perhaps a new road or railroad bypassed the town.

An example is Indianola in Calhoun County. It was once a very important port city, but after being hit by powerful hurricanes in the late 1800s, most people left, and it became a ghost town.

Examples of Unincorporated Communities by County

Here are a few examples of unincorporated communities you might find in Texas, listed by their county:

Anderson County

Andrews County

Bastrop County

Bexar County

Brewster County

Burnet County

Cameron County

Comal County

Coryell County

  • Flat
  • Pearl
  • The Grove (another place with a single owner, popular for visitors)

El Paso County

Fayette County

Fort Bend County

Galveston County

Gillespie County

Harris County

Hidalgo County

Karnes County

Kenedy County

  • Sarita (the county seat, but still unincorporated)

King County

  • Guthrie (the county seat, known for being one of the least populated counties)

Llano County

Loving County

  • Mentone (the county seat of the least populated county in the U.S.!)

Palo Pinto County

Polk County

Presidio County

Starr County

Terrell County

Travis County

Val Verde County

Washington County

Webb County

Wharton County

Wise County

Zapata County

See also: List of cities in Texas, List of census-designated places in Texas, and List of ghost towns in Texas

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