San Patricio County, Texas

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San Patricio County is located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 68,755.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Sinton.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> San Patricio County is part of the Corpus Christi metropolitan statistical area.

History

In 1828, 200 Irish Catholic families, recruited from Ireland and the Irish population of New York City, contracted with the Mexican government to settle on 80 leagues of land in this area. By 1836, about 500 people lived in the colony on 84 Mexican land grants. During the Texas Revolution, most fled from the colony because of fighting in the area. By 1841, a small number of permanent residents had returned. When Texas was admitted by treaty to the United States in 1845, the area was stabilized by the presence of U.S. troops under General Zachary Taylor. In 1845, the county was formed (San Patricio is Spanish for Saint Patrick, the primary patron saint of the colonists' home country of Ireland), and Corpus Christi was designated as the county seat. The following year, the county south of the Nueces River was reorganized as Nueces County, and the town of San Patricio became the county seat of San Patricio County. In 1848, additional counties were formed out of San Patricio, which further reduced its size.<ref name="autogenerated1">Template:Handbook of Texas</ref>

The 1850 U.S. census listed only 200 people in the county, including three slaves. The local economy was based on cattle raising. In the mid-1860s, more settlers moved, drawn by the cheap land. By 1870, 602 people lived in the county, and the agricultural census reported 51 farms and ranches, totaling Template:Convert, in the area, with about Template:Convert described as "improved". Development of the county intensified during the early 20th century, as hundreds of farmers moved in from North Texas and other states. The population reached 7,307 by 1910, and was 11,386 by 1920; 470 farms were counted in 1910, and 757 farms in 1920. Cattle ranching remained important, but vegetables and cotton also became important. The acres planted in the cotton increased from about Template:Convert in 1910 to Template:Convert by 1930.<ref name="autogenerated1"/><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert are land and Template:Convert (2.0%) are covered by water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

The Gulf of Mexico forms the eastern border of the county.

Major highways

File:I-37 (TX).svg Interstate 37
File:US 77.svg U.S. Highway 77
- File:I-69E (TX).svg Interstate 69E is currently under construction and will follow the current route of U.S. 77 in most places.
File:US 181.svg U.S. Highway 181
File:Texas 35.svg State Highway 35
File:Texas 188.svg State Highway 188
File:Texas 359.svg State Highway 359
File:Texas 361.svg State Highway 361
File:Texas FM 136.svg Farm to Market Road 136

Adjacent counties

Bee County (north)
Refugio County (north)
Aransas County (northeast)
Nueces County (south)
Jim Wells County (southwest)
Live Oak County (northwest)

Demographics

Template:US Census population

**San Patricio County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition**
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Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 2010<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Partial<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	% 2000	% 2010	Template:Partial
White alone (NH)	30,749	27,330	26,613	45.80%	42.17%	38.71%
Black or African American alone (NH)	1,767	902	994	2.63%	1.39%	1.45%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	233	169	198	0.35%	0.26%	0.29%
Asian alone (NH)	389	506	845	0.58%	0.78%	1.23%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	58	46	66	0.09%	0.07%	0.1%
Other race alone (NH)	78	53	227	0.12%	0.08%	0.33%
Multiracial (NH)	683	550	1,592	1.02%	0.85%	2.32%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	33,181	35,248	38,220	49.42%	54.39%	55.59%
Total	67,138	64,804	68,755	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, 68,755 people, 23,422 households, and 16,838 families were residing in the county.

As of the 2000 census<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> 67,138 people, 22,093 households, and 17,232 families resided in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. The 24,864 housing units averaged Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 76.76% White, 2.81% African American, 0.70% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 15.94% from other races, and 3.05% from two or more races. About 49.42% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 22,093 households, 41.6% had children under 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.0% were not families. About 18.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.97, and the average family size was 3.40.

In the county, the age distribution was 31.1% under 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,836, and for a family was $40,002. Males had a median income of $31,132 versus $20,730 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,425. About 14.60% of families and 18.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.50% of those under age 18 and 16.80% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities (multiple counties)

Aransas Pass (partly in Aransas and Nueces Counties)
Corpus Christi (mostly in Nueces County, with small parts in Kleberg and Aransas Counties)
Ingleside (small part in Nueces County)
Portland (small part in Nueces County)
San Patricio (small part in Nueces County)

Cities

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Towns

Education

School districts include:<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref>

Del Mar College is the designated community college for all of San Patricio County.<ref>Texas Education Code Sec. 130.177. DEL MAR COLLEGE-CORPUS CHRISTI JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.</ref>

Government and politics

Government

San Patricio County, like all counties in Texas, is governed by a commissioners' court. This court consists of the county judge (the chairperson of the court), who is elected county-wide, and four commissioners who are elected by the voters in each of four precincts.

The commissioners' court is the policy-making body for the county; in addition, the county judge is the senior executive and administrative position in the county. The Commissioners' Court sets the county tax rate, adopts the budget, appoints boards and commissions, approves grants and personnel actions, and oversees the administration of county government. Each commissioner also supervises a Road and Bridge District.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

County commissioners

	Name	Party
County judge	David Krebs	Republican
Commissioner, Precinct 1	William "Ski" Zagorski	Republican
Commissioner, Precinct 2	Tom Yardley	Republican
Commissioner, Precinct 3	Ruben Gonzales	Republican
Commissioner, Precinct 4	Howard Gillespie	Republican

County officials

	Name	Party
County attorney	Tamera Cochran-May	Republican
County clerk	Gracie Alaniz-Gonzales	Democratic
District attorney	Margie Silva Flores	Republican
District clerk	Heather Marks	Republican
Sheriff	Oscar Riveria	Republican
Tax assessor-collector	Marcela Thormaehlen	Republican
Treasurer	April Garcia	Republican

Constables

	Name	Party
Constable, Precinct 1	Steve Hutchins	Republican
Constable, Precinct 2	Franciso Cantu	Democratic
Constable, Precinct 4	Paul Good	Republican
Constable, Precinct 5	Sean Orsak	Republican
Constable, Precinct 6	Kody Fahrenthold	Republican
Constable, Precinct 8	James Easley	Republican

Justices of the peace

	Name	Party
Justice of the peace, Precinct 1	Leslie DeAses	Republican
Justice of the peace, Precinct 2	Danny Garza	Democratic
Justice of the peace, Precinct 4	Karen Diaz	Republican
Justice of the peace, Precinct 5	Nere Villarreal	Democratic
Justice of the peace, Precinct 6	Susan Price	Republican
Justice of the peace, Precinct 8	Leslie Pullin	Republican

County courts

Office<ref name=":0" />		Name	Party
	County Court at Law No. 1	Elizabeth Welborn	Republican
	County Court at Law No. 2	Vicki Hesseltine Martino	Republican

District Courts

	Name	Party
36th District Court	Starr Bauer	Republican
156th District Court	Patrick L. Flanigan	Republican
343rd District Court	Jana Whatley	Republican

Politics

Despite being majority-minority San Patricio county leans overwhelmingly Republican. The GOP does better than average among Latino residents in Texas, particularly south Texas. In 2022, Republicans won 40% of the Latino vote.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This has been as high as 48% in 2014.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> These margins help Republicans win majority-minority districts, while Republicans in other parts of the country struggle - only garnering between 21% and 30% of the vote. Republicans appear to be increasing their Latino support from picking off specific segments: Men, rural Latinos, Rio Grande Valley, devout Catholics, Tejano and pro-life voters. Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot

References

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External links

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