Matagorda County, Texas

Matagorda County
Matagorda County
U.S. county
	The Matagorda County Courthouse and Confederate Soldier Statue in Bay City
	Location within the U.S. state of Texas
	Texas's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 28°47′N 96°00′W / 28.78°N 96°W
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1836
Seat	Bay City
Largest city	Bay City
Area
• Total	1,613 sq mi (4,180 km2)
• Land	1,100 sq mi (3,000 km2)
• Water	512 sq mi (1,330 km2) 32%%
Population (2010)
• Total	36,702
• Density	33/sq mi (13/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	27th
Website	www.co.matagorda.tx.us

Matagorda County Office Building

Matagorda County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 36,702.^[1] Its county seat is Bay City,^[2] not to be confused with the larger Baytown in Harris and Chambers Counties. Matagorda County is named for the canebrakes that once grew along the coast (matagorda is a Spanish word meaning "thick bush").

Matagorda County comprises the Bay City, TX Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Houston-The Woodlands, TX combined statistical area.

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,613 square miles (4,180 km²), of which 1,100 square miles (2,800 km²) are land and 512 square miles (1,330 km²) (32%) are covered by water.^[3] The water area includes Matagorda Bay. It borders the Gulf of Mexico.

Major highways[]

Adjacent counties[]

Brazoria County (northeast)
Calhoun County (southwest)
Jackson County (west)
Wharton County (northwest)

National protected areas[]

Demographics[]

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1850	2,124		—
1860	3,454		62.6%
1870	3,377		−2.2%
1880	3,940		16.7%
1890	3,985		1.1%
1900	6,097		53.0%
1910	13,597		123.0%
1920	16,589		22.0%
1930	17,678		6.6%
1940	20,066		13.5%
1950	21,559		7.4%
1960	25,744		19.4%
1970	27,913		8.4%
1980	37,828		35.5%
1990	36,928		−2.4%
2000	37,957		2.8%
2010	36,702		−3.3%
2019 (est.)	36,643	^[4]	−0.2%
U.S. Decennial Census^[5] 1850–2010^[6] 2010–2014^[1]

As of the census^[7] of 2000, 37,957 people, 13,901 households, and 9,925 families were residing in the county. The population density was 34 people per square mile (13/km²). The 18,611 housing units averaged 17 per mi² (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 67.83% White, 12.72% African American, 0.67% Native American, 2.38% Asian, 14.02% from other races, and 2.38% from two or more races. About 31.35% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. By ancestry, 10.3% were of German, 8.2% American, 5.4% English, and 5.2% Irish according to Census 2000, and 73.9% spoke English, 24.0% Spanish, and 1.6% Vietnamese as their first language.

Of the 13,901 households, 36.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.80% were married couples living together, 12.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were not families. About 25.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70, and the average family size was 3.25.

In the county, the age distribution was 30.00% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 21.80% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,174, and for a family was $40,586. Males had a median income of $37,733 versus $21,871 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,709. About 14.90% of families and 18.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.00% of those under age 18 and 13.60% of those age 65 or over.

Economy[]

Matagorda County Museum in Bay City is located across from the Court House.

Rice is grown extensively in Matagorda County, as are St. Augustine and other turf grasses. In addition to a wealth of offshore oil rigs and natural gas extraction facilities all over the county, two petrochemical processing plants (Celanese and Equistar) and the South Texas Project nuclear power plant operate within the county. Matagorda County has secluded, extensive forests, wetlands, prairie, and coastal regions. The Gulf Coast floodplain has several conditions conducive to a variety of ecosystems and recreational activities evident by the highest count of migrating birds in the United States. Fishing (on- and offshore), hunting, and scuba diving are large parts of the recreation industry due to the Colorado River, the forests and Matagorda Bay. The Rio Colorado Golf Course and a birdwatching park are on the Colorado River near the State Highway 35 bridge, and a significant number of wildlife preserves are located around the county, a portion of which is land bought for that purpose by the two major petrochemical refineries and nuclear plant in the county.

Education[]

School districts serving Matagorda County include:

Bay City Independent School District
Boling Independent School District (partial)
Matagorda Independent School District
Palacios Independent School District (partial)
Tidehaven Independent School District
Van Vleck Independent School District

Communities[]

Cities[]

Bay City (county seat)
Palacios

Census-designated places[]

Unincorporated communities[]

Ghost towns[]

Hawley^[8]

Notable people[]

James Boyd Hawkins, a planter and rancher, the founder of Hawkins Plantation.^[9]
Charlie Siringo
Hortense Sparks Ward

Gallery[]

Monument erected by the Daughters of the Confederacy on the Matagorda County Courthouse square in Bay City in 1913
Episcopal Church, Palacios

Politics[]

show

Presidential elections results

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 13, 2011. Retrieved December 21, 2013.
^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
^ JENKINS, RACHEL (15 June 2010). "HAWLEY, TX". tshaonline.org. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
^ Lewis, Frank Hawkins (February 1979). "Evolution of an Early Texas Ranch". Rangelands. 1 (1): 6–8. JSTOR 3900331.
^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org.

External links[]

Media related to Matagorda County, Texas at Wikimedia Commons

Official website
Matagorda County from the Handbook of Texas Online
"Matagorda County Profile" from the Texas Association of Counties

Coordinates: 28°47′N 96°00′W / 28.78°N 96.00°W / 28.78; -96.00

[QF-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 13, 2011. Retrieved December 21, 2013.

[GR6-2] "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.

[GR1-3] "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2015.

[USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse-4] "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.

[5] "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 4, 2015.

[6] "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved May 4, 2015.

[GR8-7] "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.

[8] JENKINS, RACHEL (15 June 2010). "HAWLEY, TX". tshaonline.org. Retrieved 22 March 2018.

[evolutionofan-9] Lewis, Frank Hawkins (February 1979). "Evolution of an Early Texas Ranch". Rangelands. 1 (1): 6–8. JSTOR 3900331.

[10] Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org.

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[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third parties
2020	71.7% 9,845	27.2% 3,733	1.1% 149
2016	68.6% 8,366	28.7% 3,500	2.7% 330
2012	66.3% 8,040	32.8% 3,980	0.9% 113
2008	63.3% 7,835	35.9% 4,440	0.8% 98
2004	64.8% 8,119	34.8% 4,355	0.4% 47
2000	60.9% 7,584	37.7% 4,696	1.4% 179
1996	47.0% 5,876	43.0% 5,374	10.0% 1,244
1992	40.5% 5,328	36.2% 4,759	23.4% 3,078
1988	54.0% 6,787	45.2% 5,675	0.8% 104
1984	61.7% 8,452	38.0% 5,201	0.3% 41
1980	53.4% 5,545	44.2% 4,585	2.4% 252
1976	42.1% 3,679	56.9% 4,971	0.9% 81
1972	66.8% 5,003	33.0% 2,473	0.3% 19
1968	36.6% 3,094	42.5% 3,595	21.0% 1,777
1964	36.7% 2,407	63.2% 4,143	0.1% 5
1960	49.6% 2,975	49.5% 2,971	0.9% 52
1956	66.5% 3,927	32.2% 1,904	1.3% 78
1952	66.2% 4,122	33.8% 2,101	0.0% 1
1948	30.8% 1,016	49.4% 1,628	19.9% 655
1944	13.4% 412	60.5% 1,854	26.1% 801
1940	23.1% 651	76.6% 2,156	0.2% 6
1936	21.2% 459	78.6% 1,700	0.2% 5
1932	16.6% 408	82.9% 2,039	0.6% 14
1928	58.9% 1,194	40.9% 829	0.3% 6
1924	37.6% 893	57.0% 1,353	5.4% 128
1920	43.9% 918	47.4% 992	8.7% 181
1916	23.1% 252	68.6% 748	8.3% 91
1912	9.6% 107	64.0% 710	26.4% 293

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Bodies of water	Buffalo Bayou Galveston Bay Gulf Intracoastal Waterway Houston Ship Channel San Jacinto River Trinity River Lake Houston Lake Conroe

show v t Municipalities and communities of Matagorda County, Texas, United States
County seat: Bay City
Cities	Bay City Palacios
CDPs	Blessing Markham Matagorda Van Vleck
Other unincorporated communities	Allenhurst Ashwood Caney Cedar Lake Cedar Lane Collegeport El Maton Hawkinsville Midfield Pledger Sargent Wadsworth
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