Webb County, Texas facts for kids

Webb County
	Quick facts for kidsWebb County, Texas
	Map
	; Location in the state of Texas
	; Texas's location in the U.S.
	Statistics
Founded	1848
Seat	Laredo
Largest City	Laredo
Area; - Total; - Land; - Water	; 3,375 sq mi (8,741 km²); 3,361 sq mi (8,705 km²); 14 sq mi (36 km²), 0.4%
Population; - (2010); - Density	; 250,304; 74/sq mi (29/km²)
Time zone	CST (UTC-6) : /
	Website: webbcounty.com

The Texas tourism travel station is located at the intersection of Interstate 35 and U.S. Route 83 north of Laredo.

Typical Webb County ranch road north of Texas State Highway 359 (2012)

Webb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 250,304. Its county seat is Laredo. The county was named after James Webb, who served as Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of State, and Attorney General of the Republic of Texas, and later judge of the United States District Court following the admission of Texas to statehood. By area, Webb County is the largest county in South Texas and the sixth largest in the state.

Webb County includes the Laredo metropolitan area.

History

See also: Timeline of Laredo, Texas

Webb County was split in 1856. Encinal County was established on February 1, 1856, and was to have consisted of the eastern portion of Webb County. However, Encinal County was never organized and was finally dissolved on March 12, 1899, with its territory returned as part of Webb County.

Much of Webb County history is based on the prevalence of ranching in the 19th century and continuing thereafter. The Webb County Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit organization that seeks to preserve documents and artifacts of the past to guarantee that the regional history is not lost to upcoming generations. In 2015, the foundation, headed by President James E. Moore, presented Heritage Awards to such local notables as the artist Janet Krueger, the journalist Maria Eugenia Guerra, and the Laredo Community College art instructor Martha F. Fenstermaker (1943-2014).

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,376 square miles (8,740 km²), of which 3,361 square miles (8,700 km²) is land and 14 square miles (36 km²) (0.4%) is covered by water.

Major highways

Main page: List of highways in Webb County, Texas

I-35
BS I-35
I-69W
US 59
US 83
SH 12
SH 20
SH 44
SH 255 Toll
SH 359

Adjacent counties and municipalities

Dimmit County (north)
La Salle County (north)
Duval County (east)
Jim Hogg County (southeast)
Zapata County (south)
Maverick County (northwest)
McMullen County, Texas (northeast)
Guerrero, Coahuila, Mexico (west)
Hidalgo, Coahuila, Mexico (west)
Anáhuac, Nuevo León, Mexico (west)
Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico (southwest)
Guerrero, Tamaulipas, Mexico (southwest)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	1,397	—
1870	2,615	87.2%
1880	5,273	101.6%
1890	14,842	181.5%
1900	21,851	47.2%
1910	22,503	3.0%
1920	29,152	29.5%
1930	42,128	44.5%
1940	45,916	9.0%
1950	56,141	22.3%
1960	64,791	15.4%
1970	72,859	12.5%
1980	99,258	36.2%
1990	133,239	34.2%
2000	193,117	44.9%
2010	250,304	29.6%
Est. 2015	269,721	7.8%
U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010–2014

As of the census of 2000, 193,117 people, 50,740 households, and 43,433 families resided in the county. The county gained 57,000 additional residents between 2000 and 2010. The population density was 58 people per square mile (22/km²). The 55,206 housing units averaged 16 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.16% White, 0.37% Black or African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 14.00% from other races, and 2.54% from two or more races. About 94% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 50,740 households, 53.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.60% were married couples living together, 18.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.40% were not families; 12.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.75 and the average family size was 4.10.

In the county, the population was distributed as 36.20% under the age of 18, 11.40% from 18 to 24, 29.30% from 25 to 44, 15.60% from 45 to 64, and 7.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,100, and for a family was $29,394. Males had a median income of $23,618 versus $19,018 for females. The per capita income for the county was $10,759. About 26.70% of families and 31.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.40% of those under age 18 and 26.90% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

El Cenizo
Laredo (county seat)
Rio Bravo

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Cactus
Callaghan
D-5 Acres Colonia
Darwin
East Gate Acres Colonia
La Moca Ranch Colonia
Las Tiendas
Minera
Old Milwaukee East
Old Milwaukee West
Palafox
Ranchitos los Mesquites Colonia
Ranchitos los Veteranos Colonia
San Pablo
San Ramon
Village East Colonia
Webb

Ghost towns

Gallery

Map of Webb and Encinal Counties in 1895
Webb County Courthouse in 1905
Webb County Courthouse today
Entrance to the William N. "Billy" Hall Administrative Building annex of the Webb County Courthouse in Laredo
The Webb County Appraisal District Office in Laredo appraises taxable real property for municipal and county governments, Laredo Community College, and both public school districts.
Entrance to the J. O. Walker, Jr., Piedra Parada Ranch in eastern Webb County
Opuntia cacti abound throughout much of Webb County.
The Cactus Jack Ranch in northwestern Webb County is named for U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's first vice president, John Nance Garner of Uvalde. Imported saguaro cacti are planted at the gate.
Entrance gate to La Esperanza (Hope) Ranch in northwestern Webb County near the Dimmit County boundary
This abandoned building along U.S. Route 83 in northwestern Webb County reflects the isolation of the South Texas ranch country.