Hidalgo County, Texas

Hidalgo County (/hɪˈdælɡoʊ/; Spanish pronunciation: [iˈðalɣo]) is located in the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat is Edinburg[1] and the largest city is McAllen. The county is named for Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the priest who raised the call for Mexico's independence from Spain.[2] It is located in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas and is one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Hidalgo County was 774,769,[3] making it the eighth-most populous county in Texas. Hidalgo County is designated by the U.S. Census Bureau as the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission Metropolitan Statistical Area, which itself is part of the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission-Rio Grande City Combined Statistical Area with neighboring Starr County.

Hidalgo County
County
County of Hidalgo
The Hidalgo County Courthouse at Edinburg in 2002
Flag
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 26°24′N 98°11′W
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1852
Named forMiguel Hidalgo y Costilla
SeatEdinburg
Largest cityMcAllen
Area
 • Total1,583 sq mi (4,100 km2)
 • Land1,571 sq mi (4,070 km2)
 • Water12 sq mi (30 km2)  0.81%%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total774,769
 • Density493/sq mi (190/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts15th, 28th, 34th
Websitewww.co.hidalgo.tx.us

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,583 square miles (4,100 km2), of which 1,571 square miles (4,070 km2) are land and 12 square miles (31 km2) (0.8%) are covered by water.[4] The northern part of the county has sandy and light loamy soils over deep reddish or mottled, clayey subsoils. In some areas, limestone lies within 40 in (1 m) of the surface. The southern part of the county has moderately deep to deep loamy surfaces over clayey subsoils. Along the Rio Grande, brown to red clays occur. Hidalgo County is in the South Texas Plains vegetation area, which features grasses, mesquite, live oaks, and chaparral. Native plants, reduced in recent years by extensive farming, include chapote, guayacán, ebony, huisache, brasil, and yucca.

In 1982, 91% of the land was in farms and ranches, with 52% of the farmland under cultivation and 85% irrigated; 51 to 60% of the county was considered prime farmland. The primary crops were sorghum, cotton, corn, and vegetables; Hidalgo County led Texas counties in the production of cabbage, onions, cantaloupes, carrots, and watermelons. The primary fruits and nuts grown in the county were grapefruit, oranges, and pecans. Cattle, milk cows, and hogs were the primary livestock products. Natural resources included caliche, sand, gravel, oil, and gas. Oil and gas production in 1982 totaled 98,487,211,000 cubic feet (2.7888472×109 m3) of gas-well gas, 139,995 barrels of crude oil, 1,101,666 barrels of condensate, and 15,784,000 cubic feet (447,000 m3) of casinghead gas. The climate is subtropical and subhumid. Temperatures range from an average low of 47 °F (8 °C) in January to an average high to 96 °F (36 °C) in July; the average annual temperature is 73 °F (23 °C). Rainfall averages 23 inches (580 mm) a year, and the growing season lasts for 320 days of the year.[5]

Major highways

Adjacent counties and municipalities

National protected areas

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18601,182—
18702,387101.9%
18804,34782.1%
18906,53450.3%
19006,8374.6%
191013,728100.8%
192038,110177.6%
193077,004102.1%
1940106,05937.7%
1950160,44651.3%
1960180,90412.8%
1970181,5350.3%
1980283,22956.0%
1990383,54535.4%
2000569,46348.5%
2010774,76936.1%
2019 (est.)868,707[6]12.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1850–2010[8] 2010–2019[3]

2015 Texas Population Estimate Program

As of the 2015 Texas Population Estimate Program, the population of the county was 841,667, non-Hispanic whites 62,232 (7.4%). Black Americans 2,973 (0.3%). Other non-Hispanic 11,106 (1.3%). Hispanics and Latinos (of any race) 765,356 (90.9%).[9]

2010 Census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 774,769 people living in the county. 88.0% were White, 1.0% Asian, 0.6% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 8.8% of some other race and 1.3% of two or more races. 90.6% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

There were 216,471 households, and 179,668 families living in the county. The population density was 363 people per square mile (140/km2). There were 248,287 housing units at an average density of 123 per square mile (47/km2). There were 216,471 households, out of which 54.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.00% were married couples living together, 18.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.0% were non-families. 14.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.55 and the average family size was 3.94.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 34.7% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28.3 years. For every 100 females there were 94.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,134, and the median income for a family was $31,760. Males had a median income of $22,635 versus $17,526 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,130. About 32.60% of families and 35.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 47.4% of those under age 18 and 29.8% of those age 65 or over. The county's per-capita income makes it one of the poorest counties in the United States. In 2009, it was tied with Bronx County, New York for "the greatest share of people receiving food stamps: 29 percent."[10]

Las Milpas, previously unincorporated, was annexed by Pharr in 1987.[11]

Metropolitan Statistical Area

The United States Office of Management and Budget has designated Hidalgo County as the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area.[12] The United States Census Bureau ranked the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area as the 70th most populous metropolitan statistical area of the United States as of July 1, 2012.[13]

The Office of Management and Budget has further designated the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area as a component of the more extensive McAllen-Edinburg, TX Combined Statistical Area,[12] the 60th most populous combined statistical area and the 67th most populous primary statistical area of the United States as of July 1, 2012.[13][14]

Government and politics

Hidalgo County tends to vote for the Democratic Party, although there is representation of the Republican Party in some of the offices that affect the county. Hidalgo County is represented by Vicente González of Texas's 15th congressional district, Henry Cuellar of Texas's 28th congressional district and Filemon Vela Jr. of Texas's 34th congressional district. In the 2012 presidential election, 70.4% of the voters voted for Barack Obama while 28.6% voted for Mitt Romney. The last time Hidalgo County voted Republican was in the 1972 presidential election when Richard Nixon won over 55% of the votes. In the 2020 Presidential election, Hidalgo County saw a significant shift to the Republican Party with Donald Trump increasing the Republican vote from 27.9% in 2016 to 40.9%.[15] However, as an urban county, the shift was not as large as nearby less densely populated counties.

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[16]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 40.9% 90,527 58.0% 128,199 0.9% 2,158
2016 27.9% 48,642 68.1% 118,809 4.0% 6,957
2012 28.6% 39,865 70.3% 97,969 1.1% 1,488
2008 30.3% 39,668 68.9% 90,261 0.8% 1,043
2004 44.8% 50,931 54.9% 62,369 0.3% 383
2000 37.9% 38,301 60.8% 61,390 1.4% 1,359
1996 28.8% 24,437 66.5% 56,335 4.7% 3,955
1992 30.6% 26,976 58.1% 51,205 11.3% 9,979
1988 34.9% 29,246 64.8% 54,330 0.4% 294
1984 44.1% 35,059 55.6% 44,147 0.3% 226
1980 41.8% 25,808 56.0% 34,542 2.2% 1,367
1976 35.2% 19,199 64.2% 35,021 0.7% 373
1972 55.2% 22,920 44.3% 18,366 0.5% 213
1968 39.0% 14,455 54.1% 20,087 6.9% 2,569
1964 34.3% 11,563 65.5% 22,110 0.3% 83
1960 42.1% 13,628 57.6% 18,663 0.4% 115
1956 56.9% 13,270 42.0% 9,804 1.1% 253
1952 62.2% 15,303 37.6% 9,251 0.2% 48
1948 38.8% 6,220 59.5% 9,526 1.7% 272
1944 33.4% 4,080 59.3% 7,250 7.4% 904
1940 39.0% 4,787 60.8% 7,471 0.2% 27
1936 29.5% 2,962 67.5% 6,782 3.1% 309
1932 23.2% 2,969 75.8% 9,695 0.9% 120
1928 51.4% 4,285 48.4% 4,034 0.2% 16
1924 20.4% 996 75.2% 3,662 4.4% 214
1920 31.1% 1,108 67.7% 2,409 1.2% 42
1916 15.7% 260 82.3% 1,364 2.0% 33
1912 2.8% 39 86.6% 1,203 10.6% 147

County services

The Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office operates jail facilities and is the primary provider of law enforcement services to the unincorporated areas of the county.

County government
Position Name Party
  County Judge Richard Cortez Democratic
  Commissioner, Precinct 1 David Fuentes Democratic
  Commissioner, Precinct 2 Eduardo "Eddie" Cantu Democratic
  Commissioner, Precinct 3 Joe M. Flores Democratic
  Commissioner, Precinct 4 Ellie Torres Democratic
  Criminal District Attorney Ricardo Rodriguez Democratic
  District Clerk Laura Hinojosa Democratic
  County Clerk Arturo Guajardo, Jr. Democratic
  Sheriff J.E. "Eddie" Guerra Democratic
  Tax Assessor-Collector Pablo "Paul" Villarreal Democratic
  Treasurer Lita Leo Democratic
  Constable, Precinct 1 Celestino Avila, Jr. Democratic
  Constable, Precinct 2 Martin Cantu Democratic
  Constable, Precinct 3 Lazaro Gallardo, Jr. Democratic
  Constable, Precinct 4 Atanacio "J.R." Gaitan Democratic
  Constable, Precinct 5 Danny Marichalar Democratic

Education

The following school districts serve Hidalgo County:

In addition, the county is served by the multi-county South Texas Independent School District. The Catholic Diocese of Brownsville operates three PK-8th Grade schools, two lower-level elementary schools and two high schools.

The Edinburg campus of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (formerly University of Texas-Pan American) is located in Hidalgo County. The Pecan, Mid-Valley, Technology, and Nursing & Allied Health campuses of South Texas College are also located in Hidalgo County.[17]

Media

Newspapers

Radio stations

Magazine

Communities

Cities

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated places

See also

References
  1. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  2. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 156.
  3. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 25, 2011. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  4. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
  5. "Hidalgo County". Texas Almanac. Retrieved Nov 23, 2011.
  6. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
  8. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
  9. Estimates of the Population by Age, Sex, and Race/Ethnicity for July 1, 2015 for State of Texas (PDF), July 15, 2015, archived from the original (PDF) on May 4, 2017, retrieved June 8, 2017
  10. Bloch, Matthew; Jason DeParle; Matthew Ericson; Robert Gebeloff (November 28, 2009). "Food Stamp Usage Across the Country". New York Times. Retrieved November 28, 2009.
  11. "LAS MILPAS, TX." Handbook of Texas. Retrieved on September 27, 2013.
  12. "OMB Bulletin No. 13-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas" (PDF). United States Office of Management and Budget. February 28, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 19, 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
  13. "Table 1. Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". 2012 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. March 2013. Archived from the original (CSV) on 2013-04-01. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
  14. "Table 2. Annual Estimates of the Population of Combined Statistical Areas: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". 2012 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. March 2013. Archived from the original (CSV) on May 17, 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
  15. "2020 Election Results". New York Times. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  16. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  17. "About South Texas College". southtexascollege.edu. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  18. Garza, Alicia A. "McCook, Texas". The Handbook of Texas. Retrieved July 14, 2009.

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