Editing Hondo, Texas

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Hondo, Texas
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| image_skyline      = Downtown Hondo 1.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Downtown Hondo
| image_map          = TXMap-doton-Hondo.PNG
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Hondo, Texas
| image_map1         = Medina County Hondo.svg
| mapsize1           = 250px
| map_caption1       = 
<!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{Flagicon|USA}}United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{Flagicon|Texas}}[[Texas]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Texas|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Medina County, Texas|Medina]]
<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes = {{cn|date=September 2024}}
| government_type    = [[Council-manager government|Council-Manager]]
| leader_title       = [[City Council]]
| leader_name        = [[Mayor]] James W. Danner, Sr. <br/> John McAnelly <br/> Sammy Nooner  <br/> Eric A. Torres <br/> Ann Michelle Long <br/> Johnny Villa
| leader_title1      = [[City Manager]]
| leader_name1       = Kim Davis
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = 
| website            = [https://www.hondo-tx.org/ hondo-tx.org]
<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 26.10
| area_land_km2      = 26.03
| area_water_km2     = 0.07
| area_total_sq_mi   = 10.08
| area_land_sq_mi    = 10.05
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.03
<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 8289
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
<!-- General information -->
| timezone           = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = CDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 902
| coordinates        = {{coord|29|21|06|N|99|08|34|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 78861
| area_code          = [[Area code 830|830]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 48-34676<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2410784<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2410784}}</ref>
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''Hondo''' is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Medina County, Texas]], United States.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2011-05-31 }}</ref> According to the 2020 Census, its population was 8,289. It is part of the [[San Antonio]] [[San Antonio metropolitan area|metropolitan statistical area]].

==History==
[[File:44_12_HondoTX_1.jpg|thumb|left|Sign in Hondo, 1941]]

Hondo was the scene of two bank robberies in the early 1920s. The crooks were the famed [[Newton Gang]], the most successful outlaws in U.S. history. Both bank heists occurred the same night.

In 1930, the local Hondo [[Lions Club]] erected the now somewhat famous sign reading, "This is God's Country, Don't Drive Thru It Like Hell" at the city limits, with the intention of slowing down those speeding while traveling through town. Later, in the 1940s, the sign was changed to "This is God's Country, Please Don't Drive Through It Like Hell" to satisfy those in the town who were displeased with the tone of the old sign. [https://web.archive.org/web/20060111022354/http://www.hondochamber.com/City/Hondo_4_copy_small.jpg] The sign has been in news and print in many magazines, including on the cover of [[National Geographic Magazine|''National Geographic'']], and in the music video of [[Little Texas (band)|Little Texas']] song "God Blessed Texas".

The U.S. Army built an airfield in the town in 1942 to train new pilots; at one time the largest air navigation school in the world, [[Hondo Army Air Field]] trained over 14,000 navigators for service during [[World War II]] before closing in 1946.

==Geography==
Hondo is located about {{convert|40|mi|km}} west of downtown San Antonio.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|9.6|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|0.04|sqmi|km2}} of it (0.21%) is covered with water. Hondo was mentioned in season two, episode 13 of ''[[The Night Shift (TV series)|The Night Shift]]'' and described as "a two-stoplight town down I-90" (actually US 90).

===Climate===
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.  According to the [[Köppen climate classification]], Hondo has a [[humid subtropical climate]], ''Cfa'' on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=335227&cityname=Hondo%2C+Texas%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Hondo, Texas]</ref>

{{Weather box
 | width       = auto
 | collapsed   = yes
 | single line = yes
 | location    = Hondo, Texas ([[South Texas Regional Airport at Hondo]]) (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1900–present){{efn|extremes from 1900–1974 are taken from the city site}}
 | Jan record high F  = 90
 | Feb record high F  = 98
 | Mar record high F  = 102
 | Apr record high F  = 105
 | May record high F  = 106
 | Jun record high F  = 107
 | Jul record high F  = 112
 | Aug record high F  = 111
 | Sep record high F  = 112
 | Oct record high F  = 102
 | Nov record high F  = 99
 | Dec record high F  = 93
 | year record high F = 
 | Jan avg record high F  = 81.3
 | Feb avg record high F  = 85.9
 | Mar avg record high F  = 89.8
 | Apr avg record high F  = 93.6
 | May avg record high F  = 96.8
 | Jun avg record high F  = 99.6
 | Jul avg record high F  = 101.2
 | Aug avg record high F  = 102.5
 | Sep avg record high F  = 99.1
 | Oct avg record high F  = 94.1
 | Nov avg record high F  = 85.9
 | Dec avg record high F  = 81.2
 | year avg record high F = 103.9
 | Jan high F = 65.3
 | Feb high F = 69.7
 | Mar high F = 75.8
 | Apr high F = 82.7
 | May high F = 88.3
 | Jun high F = 94.4
 | Jul high F = 96.7
 | Aug high F = 97.2
 | Sep high F = 91.4
 | Oct high F = 83.8
 | Nov high F = 73.3
 | Dec high F = 65.6
 | year high F = 82.0
 | Jan mean F = 52.0
 | Feb mean F = 56.6
 | Mar mean F = 63.0
 | Apr mean F = 69.8
 | May mean F = 76.9
 | Jun mean F = 82.8
 | Jul mean F = 84.7
 | Aug mean F = 84.8
 | Sep mean F = 79.6
 | Oct mean F = 71.4
 | Nov mean F = 60.6
 | Dec mean F = 52.9
 | year mean F = 69.6
 | Jan low F = 38.7
 | Feb low F = 43.4
 | Mar low F = 50.2
 | Apr low F = 56.9
 | May low F = 65.6
 | Jun low F = 71.2
 | Jul low F = 72.6
 | Aug low F = 72.3
 | Sep low F = 67.7
 | Oct low F = 58.9
 | Nov low F = 47.9
 | Dec low F = 40.1
 | year low F = 57.1
| Jan avg record low F  = 22.5
| Feb avg record low F  = 26.2
| Mar avg record low F  = 30.9
| Apr avg record low F  = 39.0
| May avg record low F  = 50.2
| Jun avg record low F  = 62.9
| Jul avg record low F  = 67.2
| Aug avg record low F  = 66.4
| Sep avg record low F  = 54.7
| Oct avg record low F  = 39.5
| Nov avg record low F  = 29.1
| Dec avg record low F  = 23.6
| year avg record low F = 19.8
 | Jan record low F  = 4
 | Feb record low F  = 4
 | Mar record low F  = 13
 | Apr record low F  = 29
 | May record low F  = 38
 | Jun record low F  = 47
 | Jul record low F  = 57
 | Aug record low F  = 55
 | Sep record low F  = 43
 | Oct record low F  = 23
 | Nov record low F  = 19
 | Dec record low F  = 7
 | year record low F = 
 | precipitation colour   = green
 | Jan precipitation inch = 1.21
 | Feb precipitation inch = 1.27
 | Mar precipitation inch = 1.88
 | Apr precipitation inch = 2.10
 | May precipitation inch = 3.43
 | Jun precipitation inch = 2.94
 | Jul precipitation inch = 2.06
 | Aug precipitation inch = 1.93
 | Sep precipitation inch = 2.76
 | Oct precipitation inch = 2.59
 | Nov precipitation inch = 1.56
 | Dec precipitation inch = 1.18
 | year precipitation inch = 24.91
 | unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
 | Jan precipitation days  = 5.9
 | Feb precipitation days  = 5.7
 | Mar precipitation days  = 7.0
 | Apr precipitation days  = 5.6
 | May precipitation days  = 7.7
 | Jun precipitation days  = 6.0
 | Jul precipitation days  = 4.9
 | Aug precipitation days  = 4.5
 | Sep precipitation days  = 6.8
 | Oct precipitation days  = 5.5
 | Nov precipitation days  = 5.9
 | Dec precipitation days  = 5.9
 | year precipitation days = 71.4
 | source = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name="NOWData">{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=ewx
|title = NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = November 7, 2023}}</ref><ref name="NCEI">{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00012962&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = November 7, 2023}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| align = left
| 1950 = 4188
| 1960 = 4992
| 1970 = 5487
| 1980 = 6057
| 1990 = 6018
| 2000 = 7897
| 2010 = 8803
| 2020 = 8289
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===

{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Hondo racial composition'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4834676&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=2022-05-20 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref><br /> (NH = Non-Hispanic){{efn|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.<ref>https://www.census.gov/ {{nonspecific|date=August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=About the Hispanic Population and its Origin |url=https://www.census.gov/topics/population/hispanic-origin/about.html |website=www.census.gov |access-date=18 May 2022}}</ref>}}
!Race
!Number
!Percentage
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|2,376
|28.66%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|624
|7.53%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|3
|0.04%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|46
|0.55%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|3
|0.04%
|-
|Some Other Race (NH)
|18
|0.22%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed/multiracial]] (NH)
|88
|1.06%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|5,131
|61.9%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''8,289'''
|
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]],  8,289 people, 2,574 households, and 1,846 families resided in the city.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, 7,897 people, 2,207 households, and 1,664 families lived in the city. The population density was {{convert|823.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The 2,474 housing units had an average density of {{convert|258.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the city was 73.33% White, 8.33% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 15.23% from other races, and 2.38% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 59.92% of the population.

Of the 2,207 households, 39.0% had children under 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.6% were not families. About 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.38.

In the city, the age distribution was 26.0% under 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 33.1% from 25 to 44, 16.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 132.7 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 145.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,917, and for a family was $34,856. Males had a median income of $21,639 versus $17,868 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $12,635. About 18.9% of families and 22.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 31.8% of those under 18 and 17.1% of those 65 or over.

==Government==
[[File:Hondo, TX, Municipal Building IMG 3285.JPG|thumb|Hondo Municipal Building]]
Hondo is the home of the [[38th Judicial District of Texas]].

Hondo is governed by a six-member city council, whose members, including the mayor, are elected by the city's residents.<ref>{{Cite web |title = Mayor & City Council |work = hondo-tx.org |access-date = 6 November 2023 |url = https://www.hondo-tx.org/264/Mayor-City-Council
}}</ref>

==Education==
The City of Hondo is served by the [[Hondo Independent School District]] and home to the [[Hondo High School (Texas)|Hondo High School]] Owls.

==Transportation==
[[U.S. Route 90 in Texas|U.S. Route 90]] runs east-west through the center of Hondo as 19th Street, leading west 20 miles (32 km) to [[Sabinal, Texas|Sabinal]] and east 16 miles (26 km) to [[Castroville, Texas|Castroville]] and roughly 40 miles (65 km) to downtown [[San Antonio]]. [[Texas State Highway 173]] runs north-south immediately to the east of the city, leads north 29 miles (47 km) to [[Bandera, Texas|Bandera]] and south 21 miles (34 km) to [[Devine, Texas|Devine]], where it intersects [[Interstate Highway 35 (Texas)|Interstate Highway 35]].

The closest airport with commercial airline service is [[San Antonio International Airport]], on the north side of [[San Antonio]] 46 miles (74 km) to the east. Hondo also has a public airport named [[South Texas Regional Airport at Hondo]].<ref name="STRAHondo">{{cite web |title=South Texas Regional Airport at Hondo |url=https://www.hondo-tx.org/161/South-Texas-Regional-Airport |accessdate=November 7, 2023 |publisher=City of Hondo}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Jake Schuehle]] (1917-2001), [[American football]] [[Halfback (American football)|halfback]] who played for the [[Philadelphia Eagles]]
* [[Clint Hartung]], baseball pitcher/outfielder (1947–1952), was born in Hondo.
* [[George C. Windrow]] (1931–2019), member of the [[Wisconsin State Assembly]], was born in Hondo.<ref>''Wisconsin Blue Book 1956'', Biographical Sketch of George C. Windrow, 

pg. 58</ref>

==References==
<references />
{{notelist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Hondo, Texas}}
* [http://www.hondochamber.com Hondo Area Chamber of Commerce Official website]
* [http://www.texasescapes.com/DEPARTMENTS/Stopito/Hondo/hondo.htm History of Hondo's famous welcome sign]

{{Greater San Antonio}}
{{Medina County, Texas}}
{{Texas}}
{{Texas county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Medina County, Texas]]
[[Category:Cities in Texas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1881]]
[[Category:County seats in Texas]]
[[Category:Greater San Antonio]]
[[Category:1881 establishments in Texas]]