Editing Matagorda County, Texas

{{Short description|County in Texas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Matagorda County
 | state                = Texas
 | seal                 = 
 | founded              = 1836
 | seat wl              = Bay City
 | largest city wl      = Bay City
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 1613
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 1100
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 512
 | area percentage      = 32
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 36255
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | ex image             = Matagorda County Texas Courthouse 2016.jpg
 | ex image size        = 250
 | ex image cap         = The Matagorda County Courthouse and Confederate Soldier Statue in Bay City
 | web                  = www.co.matagorda.tx.us
 | time zone            = Central
 | district             = 22nd
}}
[[File:MatagordaCountyOfficeBuilding.JPG|thumb|Matagorda County Office Building]]

'''Matagorda County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Texas]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], its population was 36,255.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Matagorda County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US48321|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=February 23, 2021|archive-date=February 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227005432/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US48321|url-status=live}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Bay City, Texas|Bay City]],<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties|archive-date=May 31, 2011|archive-url=https://archive.today/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> not to be confused with the larger [[Baytown, Texas|Baytown]] in [[Harris County, Texas|Harris]] and [[Chambers County, Texas|Chambers]] Counties. Matagorda County is named for the [[canebrake]]s 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, Texas|The Woodlands]], TX [[Greater Houston|combined statistical area]].

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1613|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|512|sqmi}} (32%) are covered by water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 4, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files|archive-date=March 9, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309153527/http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_48.txt|url-status=live}}</ref> The water area includes [[Matagorda Bay]]. It borders the [[Gulf of Mexico]].

===Major highways===
* [[Image:Texas 35.svg|20px]] [[Texas State Highway 35|State Highway 35]]
* [[Image:Texas 60.svg|20px]] [[Texas State Highway 60|State Highway 60]]
* [[Image:Texas 71.svg|20px]] [[Texas State Highway 71|State Highway 71]]
* [[Image:Texas 111.svg|20px]] [[Texas State Highway 111|State Highway 111]]

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Brazoria County, Texas|Brazoria County]] (northeast)
* [[Calhoun County, Texas|Calhoun County]] (southwest)
* [[Jackson County, Texas|Jackson County]] (west)
* [[Wharton County, Texas|Wharton County]] (northwest)

===National protected areas===
* [[Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge]] (part)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 2124
|1860= 3454
|1870= 3377
|1880= 3940
|1890= 3985
|1900= 6097
|1910= 13597
|1920= 16589
|1930= 17678
|1940= 20066
|1950= 21559
|1960= 25744
|1970= 27913
|1980= 37828
|1990= 36928
|2000= 37957
|2010= 36702
|2020= 36255
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=|archive-date=July 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706023553/https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|url-status=live}}</ref><br />1850–2010<ref>{{cite web|url=http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010|publisher=Texas Almanac|access-date=May 4, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2/> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>
}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Matagorda County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''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 may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Matagorda County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=0500000US48321&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Matagorda County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48321&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=February 27, 2022|archive-date=February 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227005433/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48321&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|url-status=live}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Matagorda County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48321&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=February 27, 2022|archive-date=February 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227005426/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48321&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|url-status=live}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|19,900
|17,400
|style='background: #ffffe6; |15,355
|52.43%
|47.41%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |42.35%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|4,778
|4,060
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,734
|12.59%
|11.06%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10.30%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|125
|104
|style='background: #ffffe6; |99
|0.33%
|0.28%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.27%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|891
|693
|style='background: #ffffe6; |700
|2.35%
|1.89%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.93%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|6
|7
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7
|0.02%
|0.02%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.02%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|23
|33
|style='background: #ffffe6; |103
|0.06%
|0.09%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.28%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or multiracial]] (NH)
|336
|331
|style='background: #ffffe6; |802
|0.89%
|0.90%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.21%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|11,898
|14,074
|style='background: #ffffe6; |15,455
|31.35%
|38.35%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |42.63%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''37,957'''
|'''36,702'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''36,255'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=May 14, 2011|title=U.S. Census website|archive-date=December 27, 1996|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961227012639/https://www.census.gov/|url-status=live}}</ref> of 2000, 37,957 people, 13,901 households, and 9,925 families were residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|34|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. The 18,611 housing units averaged {{convert|17|/mi2|/km2|adj=pre|units&nbsp;}}. The [[Race (United States Census)|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 [[germans|German]], 8.2% [[United States|American]], 5.4% [[English people|English]], and 5.2% [[Irish people|Irish]]  according to [[Census 2000]], and 73.9% spoke [[English language|English]], 24.0% [[Spanish language|Spanish]], and 1.6% [[vietnamese language|Vietnamese]] as their first language.

Of the 13,901 households, 36.70% had children under 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 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.70, and the average family size was 3.25.

In the county, the age distribution was 30.0% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.60 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 95.5 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==
[[File:Matagorda County Museum in Bay City.jpg|thumb|The Matagorda County Museum in Bay City is located across from the Courthouse.]]
Rice is grown extensively in Matagorda County, as are St. Augustine and other turf grasses. In addition to a wealth of [[offshore oil|offshore]] [[oil rig]]s 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 (Texas)|Colorado River]], the forests, and Matagorda Bay. The Rio Colorado Golf Course and a birdwatching park are on the Colorado River near the [[Texas State Highway 35|State Highway 35]] bridge, and several 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 district]]s serving Matagorda County include:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48321_matagorda/DC20SD_C48321.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Matagorda County, TX|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-11-29|archive-date=December 3, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203122720/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48321_matagorda/DC20SD_C48321.pdf|url-status=live}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48321_matagorda/DC20SD_C48321_SD2MS.txt Text list] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204044319/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48321_matagorda/DC20SD_C48321_SD2MS.txt |date=December 4, 2024 }}</ref>
* [[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]]

Residents in Bay City, Boling, Matagorda, Palacios, Tidehaven, and Van Vleck ISDs (in other words, the entire county<!--See the SD list at https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48321_matagorda/DC20SD_C48321_SD2MS.txt -->) are in the service area of [[Wharton County Junior College]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm |title=Texas Education Code Sec. 130.211.  WHARTON COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. |access-date=November 29, 2024 |archive-date=September 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922180708/https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Communities==

===Cities===
* [[Bay City, Texas|Bay City]] (county seat)
* [[Palacios, Texas|Palacios]]

===Census-designated places===
* [[Blessing, Texas|Blessing]]
* [[Markham, Texas|Markham]]
* [[Matagorda, Texas|Matagorda]]
* [[Midfield, Texas|Midfield]]
* [[Sargent, Texas|Sargent]]
* [[Van Vleck, Texas|Van Vleck]]
* [[Wadsworth, Texas|Wadsworth]]

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Allenhurst, Texas|Allenhurst]]
* [[Buckeye, Texas|Buckeye]]
* [[Caney, Matagorda County, Texas|Caney]]
* [[Cedar Lake, Texas|Cedar Lake]]
* [[Cedar Lane, Texas|Cedar Lane]]
* [[Collegeport, Texas|Collegeport]]
* [[Elmaton, Texas|El Maton]]
* [[Hawkinsville, Texas|Hawkinsville]]
* [[Pledger, Texas|Pledger]]
{{div col end}}

===Ghost towns===
* Hawley<ref>{{cite web|last1=JENKINS|first1=RACHEL|title=HAWLEY, TX|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hrh96|website=tshaonline.org|access-date=March 22, 2018|language=en|date=June 15, 2010|archive-date=March 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180321193014/https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hrh96|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[James Boyd Hawkins]], a planter and rancher, was the founder of [[Hawkins Ranch|Hawkins Plantation]].<ref name="evolutionofan">{{cite journal|last1=Lewis|first1=Frank Hawkins|date=February 1979|title=Evolution of an Early Texas Ranch|journal=Rangelands|volume=1|issue=1|pages=6–8|jstor=3900331}}</ref>
*[[Charlie Siringo]]
* [[Hortense Sparks Ward]]
* [[Priscilla Richman]], chief judge of the [[Fifth Circuit]]
* William Abrams (W.A.) Price was the first black attorney, the first black judge, and the first black man elected county attorney in Texas.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2019/02/23/was-craig-watkins-the-first-black-da-in-texas-historians-find-evidence-of-another/ | title=Was Craig Watkins the first black DA in Texas? Historians find evidence of another | date=February 23, 2019 | access-date=November 30, 2022 | archive-date=November 30, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130212830/https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2019/02/23/was-craig-watkins-the-first-black-da-in-texas-historians-find-evidence-of-another/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Daughters of the Confederacy on the Matagorda County Courthouse.jpg|Monument erected by the [[Daughters of the Confederacy]] on the Matagorda County Courthouse Square in [[Bay City, Texas|Bay City]] in 1913
Episcopal Church Palacios TX.jpg|Episcopal Church, [[Palacios, Texas|Palacios]]
</gallery>

==Politics==
{{PresHead|place=Matagorda County, Texas|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=July 20, 2017|archive-date=March 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323225526/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|9,957|3,231|139|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|9,845|3,733|149|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|8,366|3,500|330|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|8,040|3,980|113|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|7,835|4,440|98|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|8,119|4,355|47|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|7,584|4,696|179|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|5,876|5,374|1,244|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|5,328|4,759|3,078|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|6,787|5,675|104|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|8,452|5,201|41|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|5,545|4,585|252|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|3,679|4,971|81|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|5,003|2,473|19|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|3,094|3,595|1,777|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|2,407|4,143|5|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|2,975|2,971|52|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|3,927|1,904|78|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|4,122|2,101|1|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|1,016|1,628|655|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|412|1,854|801|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|651|2,156|6|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|459|1,700|5|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|408|2,039|14|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|1,194|829|6|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|893|1,353|128|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|918|992|181|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|252|748|91|Texas}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|107|710|293|Texas}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Texas}}
* [[List of museums in the Texas Gulf Coast]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Matagorda County, Texas]]
* [[List of Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks (Mason-Rusk)#Matagorda County|Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Matagorda County]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline|Matagorda County, Texas}}
* {{Official website|http://www.co.matagorda.tx.us/ }}
* {{Handbook of Texas|id=hcm05|name=Matagorda County}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20131212172502/http://www.txcip.org/tac/census/profile.php?FIPS=48321 "Matagorda County Profile" from the Texas Association of Counties]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Matagorda County, Texas
|North     =
|Northeast = [[Brazoria County, Texas|Brazoria County]]
|East      =
|Southeast = [[Gulf of Mexico]]
|South     =
|Southwest = [[Calhoun County, Texas|Calhoun County]]
|West      = [[Jackson County, Texas|Jackson County]]
|Northwest = [[Wharton County, Texas|Wharton County]]
}}

{{Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown MSA}}
{{Matagorda County, Texas}}
{{Texas counties}}
{{Texas}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|28.78|-96.00|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-TX_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Matagorda County, Texas| ]]
[[Category:1836 establishments in the Republic of Texas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1836]]
[[Category:Greater Houston]]
[[Category:Majority-minority counties in Texas]]