Medina County, Texas

Medina County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 46,006.[1] Its county seat is Hondo.[2] The county is named for the Medina River. The extreme northern part of the county lies within the Edwards Plateau, which elevates into the Texas Hill Country .

Medina County
U.S. county
The Medina County Courthouse in Hondo
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 29°21′N 99°07′W
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1848
Named forMedina River
SeatHondo
Largest cityHondo
Area
 • Total1,335 sq mi (3,460 km2)
 • Land1,325 sq mi (3,430 km2)
 • Water9.2 sq mi (24 km2)  0.7%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2018)
50,921
 • Density38/sq mi (15/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district23rd
Websitewww.medinacountytexas.org

The Medina Dam, the fourth largest in the nation when completed in 1913, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[3] The irrigation project, creating Medina Lake, was built by 1500 skilled workers who worked in shifts operating 24 hours a day to complete the dam in two years.

Medina County is part of the San Antonio, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The county is named after the Medina River, which was named in 1689 after the Spanish cartographer Pedro de Medina by the Spanish explorer Alonso de Leon, the first European to encounter the river.[4] Because Pedro de Medina derived his surname from the Andalusian city of Medina-Sidonia, the name Medina comes from the Arabic for city.

The Texas Legislature formed Medina county on February 12, 1848 and enlarged it on February 1, 1850 using land taken from Bexar County. Castroville was the county seat, and the county erected the first permanent courthouse there in 1854. The county seat moved to Hondo in 1892, and a new courthouse was completed there in 1893.[5]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,335 square miles (3,460 km2), of which 1,325 square miles (3,430 km2) is land and 9.2 square miles (24 km2) (0.7%) is water.[6]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1850909—
18601,838102.2%
18702,07813.1%
18804,492116.2%
18905,73027.6%
19007,78335.8%
191013,41572.4%
192011,679−12.9%
193013,98919.8%
194016,10615.1%
195017,0135.6%
196018,90411.1%
197020,2497.1%
198023,16414.4%
199027,31217.9%
200039,30443.9%
201046,00617.1%
2019 (est.)51,584[7]12.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1850–2010[9] 2010–2014[1]

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 39,304 people, 12,880 households, and 10,136 families residing in the county. The population density was 30 people per square mile (11/km2). There were 14,826 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 79.38% White, 2.20% Black or African American, 0.68% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 14.48% from other races, and 2.88% from two or more races. 45.47% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 12,880 households, out of which 39.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.20% were married couples living together, 11.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.30% were non-families. 18.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.30.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 29.00% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 28.70% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,063, and the median income for a family was $40,288. Males had a median income of $27,045 versus $21,734 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,210. About 12.00% of families and 15.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.80% of those under age 18 and 15.60% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns
  • Hondo Creek is located south of Hondo.
  • Entrance to Hondo Creek Ranch
  • The Medina County Museum is located off U.S. Route 90 in Hondo.
  • The Medina County Jail
  • Medina Electric Cooperative in Hondo
  • Scorched cornfield in Castroville
  • Medina Valley United Methodist Church in Castroville

Politics
Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[11]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 69.0% 15,642 29.9% 6,773 1.1% 242
2016 70.1% 12,085 26.9% 4,634 3.1% 527
2012 69.0% 11,079 29.8% 4,784 1.2% 186
2008 66.6% 10,480 32.7% 5,147 0.7% 110
2004 70.1% 10,389 29.2% 4,322 0.8% 115
2000 66.7% 8,590 31.3% 4,025 2.0% 258
1996 55.0% 5,710 37.4% 3,880 7.6% 787
1992 45.5% 4,912 33.8% 3,650 20.6% 2,223
1988 57.1% 5,722 42.2% 4,227 0.8% 80
1984 65.2% 5,737 34.7% 3,053 0.2% 13
1980 60.1% 4,742 38.5% 3,034 1.4% 112
1976 46.5% 3,252 52.7% 3,681 0.8% 55
1972 71.9% 4,059 26.7% 1,507 1.5% 83
1968 39.2% 2,058 47.1% 2,471 13.8% 722
1964 31.7% 1,583 68.3% 3,408 0.0% 1
1960 46.4% 2,028 53.2% 2,325 0.3% 15
1956 63.5% 2,668 36.1% 1,516 0.4% 17
1952 63.5% 3,204 36.5% 1,840
1948 42.4% 1,492 53.3% 1,875 4.4% 153
1944 47.4% 1,607 43.4% 1,469 9.2% 313
1940 45.8% 1,480 54.2% 1,749
1936 32.0% 969 67.6% 2,050 0.4% 12
1932 17.0% 515 82.9% 2,516 0.2% 5
1928 46.9% 1,243 52.9% 1,400 0.2% 5
1924 35.8% 816 43.3% 986 20.9% 477
1920 45.7% 772 30.7% 519 23.6% 398
1916 45.1% 650 52.6% 758 2.3% 33
1912 18.9% 219 55.8% 648 25.4% 295

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on October 18, 2011. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. Ruben E. Ochoa, "Medina County", Handbook of Texas Online, accessed 3 August 2010
  4. Norris, Lola Orellano. GENERAL ALONSO DE LEÓN’S EXPEDITION DIARIES INTO TEXAS (1686-1690): A LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE SPANISH MANUSCRIPTS WITH SEMIPALEOGRAPHIC TRANSCRIPTIONS AND ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS (PDF). pp. 274, 277.
  5. Ochoa, Ruben E. "Medina County". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  6. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  7. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  9. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  10. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  11. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-07-27.

Further reading
  • Holt, Jr., C.L.R. (1959). Geology and ground-water resources of Medina County, Texas [U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 1422]. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
  • Castro Colonies Heritage Association, The History of Medina County, Texas, Dallas, TX: National Share Graphics, 1983).
  • Houston B. Eggen, History of Public Education in Medina County, Texas, 1848–1928 (M.A. thesis, University of Texas, 1950).
  • Cyril Matthew Kuehne, S.M., Ripples from Medina Lake, San Antonio, TX: Naylor, 1966.
  • Bobby D. Weaver, Castro's Colony: Empresario Development in Texas, 1842–1865, College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 1985.

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