Aransas County
County
The Aransas County Courthouse
The Aransas County Courthouse
Flag of Aransas County
Flag
Map of Texas highlighting Aransas County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 28°06′N 96°59′W / 28.1°N 96.99°W / 28.1; -96.99
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1872
Named forAransas Bay
SeatRockport
Largest cityCorpus Christi
Area
 • Total528 sq mi (1,370 km2)
 • Land252 sq mi (650 km2)
 • Water276 sq mi (710 km2)  52%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total23,830
 • Density94.5/sq mi (36.5/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district27th
Websitewww.aransascountytx.gov/main/

Aransas County (/əˈrænzəs/ ə-RAN-zəss)[1] is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is in South Texas and its county seat is Rockport.[2]

As of the 2020 census, the population was 23,830.[3] Aransas County comprises the Rockport, Texas micropolitan statistical area.

History

Spanish conquistador and cartographer Alonso Álvarez de Pineda was likely the first European to encounter this land when he sailed along the Texas coast in the summer of 1519 and charted Aransas Bay. This name is derived from an outpost established during the Viceroyalty of New Spain called "Río de Nuestra Señora de Aránzazu," which was itself named for the Sanctuary of Aránzazu, a Franciscan sanctuary in Oñate, Gipuzkoa, Spain, whose name originates from the Basque language.

In 1871, the Texas Legislature established Aransas County from portions of Refugio County, and it organized the following year.[4]

In August 2017, Hurricane Harvey inflicted tremendous damage on the county.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 528 square miles (1,370 km2), of which 252 square miles (650 km2) is land and 276 square miles (710 km2) (52%) is water.[5]

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880966—
18901,82488.8%
19001,716−5.9%
19102,10622.7%
19202,064−2.0%
19302,2197.5%
19403,46956.3%
19504,25222.6%
19607,00664.8%
19708,90227.1%
198014,26060.2%
199017,89225.5%
200022,49725.7%
201023,1582.9%
202023,8302.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1850–2010[7] 2010–2020[3]
Aransas County racial composition[8][9]
(NH = Non-Hispanic)[a]
Race Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2010 % 2020
White (NH) 16,350 15,816 70.59% 66.37%
Black or African American (NH) 258 241 1.11% 1.01%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH) 118 142 0.51% 0.6%
Asian (NH) 443 480 1.91% 2.01%
Pacific Islander (NH) 5 15 0.02% 0.06%
Some Other Race (NH) 21 78 0.09% 0.33%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) 273 900 1.18% 3.78%
Hispanic or Latino 5,690 6,158 24.58% 25.84%
Total 23,158 23,830

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 23,830 people, 9,917 households, and 6,303 families residing in the county.

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 22,497 people, 9,132 households, and 6,401 families residing in the county. The population density was 89 people per square mile (34 people/km2). There were 12,848 housing units at an average density of 51 units per square mile (20/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 87.44% White, 1.43% Black or African American, 0.58% Native American, 2.77% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 5.33% from other races, and 2.39% from two or more races. 20.32% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,132 households, out of which 27.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% were married couples living together, 9.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.90% were non-families. 25.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.90. As of the 2010 census, there were about 5.9 same-sex couples per 1,000 households in the county.[13]

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.80% under the age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 23.20% from 25 to 44, 27.10% from 45 to 64, and 19.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 98.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,702, and the median income for a family was $34,915. Males had a median income of $31,597 versus $20,289 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,560. About 15.50% of families and 19.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.00% of those under age 18 and 10.20% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Most county residents, including the cities of Rockport and Fulton, are served by the Rockport-Fulton Independent School District.

Some residents (including the city of Aransas Pass, which is actually outside of the county) are served by the Aransas Pass Independent School District.

Del Mar College is the designated community college for the county.[14]

Transportation

Major highways

Airport

Aransas County Airport is located in Fulton, north of Rockport.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

Politics

Aransas County is a state bellwether for Texas in U.S. presidential elections, having voted for the statewide winner in every presidential election since the county's formation in 1872. It shares this status along with Brown County, Lampasas County, Parker County, Shackelford County, and Young County.

United States presidential election results for Aransas County, Texas[15]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 9,239 75.17% 2,916 23.73% 135 1.10%
2016 7,740 73.63% 2,465 23.45% 307 2.92%
2012 6,830 70.79% 2,704 28.03% 114 1.18%
2008 6,693 68.45% 3,006 30.74% 79 0.81%
2004 6,569 70.88% 2,640 28.49% 59 0.64%
2000 5,390 65.36% 2,637 31.98% 220 2.67%
1996 3,769 50.66% 2,964 39.84% 707 9.50%
1992 2,826 41.74% 2,246 33.18% 1,698 25.08%
1988 3,858 62.27% 2,305 37.20% 33 0.53%
1984 4,352 71.73% 1,696 27.95% 19 0.31%
1980 3,081 60.79% 1,800 35.52% 187 3.69%
1976 1,985 47.48% 2,136 51.09% 60 1.44%
1972 2,037 70.48% 844 29.20% 9 0.31%
1968 1,076 39.63% 1,222 45.01% 417 15.36%
1964 602 28.65% 1,492 71.01% 7 0.33%
1960 792 45.31% 948 54.23% 8 0.46%
1956 757 63.67% 425 35.74% 7 0.59%
1952 818 61.74% 503 37.96% 4 0.30%
1948 235 34.31% 418 61.02% 32 4.67%
1944 150 24.15% 456 73.43% 15 2.42%
1940 141 20.83% 536 79.17% 0 0.00%
1936 60 21.66% 206 74.37% 11 3.97%
1932 39 12.66% 268 87.01% 1 0.32%
1928 161 51.44% 152 48.56% 0 0.00%
1924 75 26.98% 195 70.14% 8 2.88%
1920 49 25.13% 146 74.87% 0 0.00%
1916 24 11.37% 179 84.83% 8 3.79%
1912 7 3.11% 187 83.11% 31 13.78%

See also

References

  1. ^ "How to Pronounce: A Cities". TexasTripper.com Texas Travel Guide. September 21, 2014. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Aransas County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  4. ^ "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Archived from the original on April 12, 2017. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  5. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  6. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  7. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  8. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  9. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  10. ^ Bureau, US Census. "Census.gov". Census.gov.
  11. ^ "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  12. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  13. ^ Leonhardt, David; Quealy, Kevin (June 26, 2015), "Where Same-Sex Couples Live", The New York Times, retrieved July 6, 2015
  14. ^ "EDUCATION CODE CHAPTER 130. JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICTS". statutes.capitol.texas.gov.
  15. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  1. ^ Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.[10][11]

External links

28°06′N 96°59′W / 28.10°N 96.99°W / 28.10; -96.99

Places adjacent to Aransas County, Texas
Municipalities and communities of Aransas County, Texas, United States
Counties of Texas
State of Texas
Authority control databases
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