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Starr County, Texas facts for kids

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Starr County
County
The Starr County Courthouse in Rio Grande City
The Starr County Courthouse in Rio Grande City
Official seal of Starr County
Seal
Map of Texas highlighting Starr County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Texas
Founded 1848
Named for James Harper Starr
Seat Rio Grande City
Largest city Rio Grande City
Area
 • Total 1,229 sq mi (3,180 km2)
 • Land 1,223 sq mi (3,170 km2)
 • Water 88.5 sq mi (229 km2)  0.5%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 65,920
 • Density 53.637/sq mi (20.709/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 28th

Starr County is a county located in the southern part of Texas, a state in the United States. In 2020, about 65,920 people lived here. The main city and county seat is Rio Grande City. Starr County was created in 1848. It was named after James Harper Starr, who was an important leader in the early days of the Republic of Texas.

This county is part of the Rio Grande City area, which includes other small towns. It's also part of the larger Rio Grande Valley region. Starr County is right next to the border with Mexico.

Most of the people living in Starr County are of Hispanic or Latino background. About 97.7% of the population identifies this way. This makes Starr County the place with the highest percentage of Hispanic people in the main part of the United States.

History of Starr County

Starr County has grown quite a bit over the years. For example, between 2000 and 2010, the number of people living here increased from 53,597 to 60,968. This shows that more and more families are choosing to make Starr County their home.

Geography and Location

Starr County covers a total area of about 1,229 square miles (3,183 square kilometers). Only a small part of this area, about 5.9 square miles (15 square kilometers), is covered by water.

Main Roads in Starr County

  • US 83.svg U.S. Highway 83 is a major road that runs through the county.

Neighboring Areas

Starr County shares its borders with several other counties in Texas and some cities in Mexico:

Protected Natural Areas

Part of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge is located in Starr County. This refuge helps protect important wildlife and their habitats in the region.

People of Starr County

The number of people living in Starr County has changed over time. Here's a quick look at the population from different years:

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1860 2,406 —
1870 4,154 72.7%
1880 8,304 99.9%
1890 10,749 29.4%
1900 11,469 6.7%
1910 13,151 14.7%
1920 11,089 −15.7%
1930 11,409 2.9%
1940 13,312 16.7%
1950 13,948 4.8%
1960 17,137 22.9%
1970 17,707 3.3%
1980 27,266 54.0%
1990 40,518 48.6%
2000 53,597 32.3%
2010 60,968 13.8%
2020 65,920 8.1%
U.S. Decennial Census
1850–2010 2010–2014

Population in 2020

In 2020, there were 65,920 people living in Starr County. There were 16,281 households, which are groups of people living together in one home. Out of these, 12,836 were families.

Most people in Starr County are of Hispanic or Latino background. In 2020, about 97.68% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino. This is the highest percentage of Hispanic residents in any county in the main United States.

The median age in Starr County in 2000 was 26 years old. This means half the people were younger than 26 and half were older. Many young people live here, with about 37.4% of the population being under 18 years old.

Economy and Jobs

Starr County is well-known for its farming. Farmers here grow a lot of oilseeds, which are used to make cooking oils, and dry beans. It's one of the top counties in Texas for producing these crops.

Education in Starr County

Students in Starr County attend schools in different school districts, depending on where they live:

  • If you live in eastern Starr County, you would go to schools in the Rio Grande City Consolidated Independent School District.
  • If you live in western Starr County, you would go to schools in the Roma Independent School District.
  • If you live in northeastern Starr County, you would go to schools in the San Isidro Independent School District.

There is also a Catholic school in Rio Grande City called Immaculate Conception School. It was started in 1884 and teaches students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

For higher education, all of Starr County is served by South Texas College. This college provides learning opportunities for people after high school.

Communities in Starr County

Starr County has several towns and many smaller communities. Many families have moved to these smaller communities, often called colonias.

Cities in Starr County

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller communities that are not officially part of a city:

Census-Designated Places (CDPs)

Starr County has many census-designated places, which are areas identified by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes. Some examples include:

Images for kids

  • Architect Stanley Bliss designed the brick Starr County Courthouse, which opened in 1939 in Rio Grande City, Texas LCCN2014631828

    The Starr County Courthouse in Rio Grande City, Texas.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Starr para niños

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