Blessing, Texas
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Blessing, Texas
| settlement_type = CDP
| nickname =
| motto =
| image_skyline = Signs (22017676358).jpg
| imagesize =
| image_caption = Downtown Blessing
| image_flag =
| image_seal =
| image_map = TXMap-doton-Blessing.PNG
| mapsize = 250px
| map_caption = Location of Blessing, Texas
| image_map1 = Matagorda County Blessing.svg
| mapsize1 = 250px
| map_caption1 =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = United States
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = Texas
| subdivision_type2 = County
| subdivision_name2 = Matagorda
| government_footnotes =
| government_type =
| leader_title =
| leader_name =
| leader_title1 =
| leader_name1 =
| established_title =
| established_date =
| unit_pref = Imperial
| area_footnotes =
| area_magnitude =
| area_total_km2 = 5.3
| area_land_km2 = 5.3
| area_water_km2 = 0.0
| area_total_sq_mi = 2.0
| area_land_sq_mi = 2.0
| area_water_sq_mi = 0.0
| population_as_of = 2020
| population_footnotes = {{cite web |date=May 2023 |title=Census Bureau profile: Blessing, Texas |url=https://data.census.gov/all?q=Blessing%20CDP,%20Texas |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=Jun 7, 2024}}
| population_total = 856
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
| timezone = Central (CST)
| utc_offset = -6
| timezone_DST = CDT
| utc_offset_DST = -5
| elevation_ft = 36
| coordinates = {{coord|28|52|27|N|96|12|55|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type = ZIP code
| postal_code = 77419
| area_code = 361
| blank_name = FIPS code
| blank_info = 48-08668{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}
| blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
| blank1_info = 2407862{{GNIS|2407862}}
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
Blessing is a census-designated place (CDP) in Matagorda County, Texas, United States. The population was 856 at the 2020 census.
Blessing got its start when the railroad finally was extended to that point, and first settlers accepted the name "Blessing" after their first choice of "Thank God" was deemed unsuitable by postal officials.{{cite book|last1=Moyer|first1=Armond|last2=Moyer|first2=Winifred|title=The origins of unusual place-names|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89058322223;view=1up;seq=18|year=1958|publisher=Keystone Pub. Associates|page=14}} A post office called Blessing has been in operation since 1903.{{cite web | url=https://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp | title=Post Offices| publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | accessdate=5 January 2017}}
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of {{convert|2.0|sqmi|km2}}, all land.
Demographics
{{US Census population
|2000=861
|2010=927
|2020=856
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census by Decade|website=United States Census Bureau|access-date=}}
1850–1900{{Cite web|title= 1900 Census of Population - Population of Texas By Counties And Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1900/bulletins/demographic/49-population-tx.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1910{{Cite web|title= 1910 Census of Population - Supplement for Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-tx-p1.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}
1920{{Cite web|title= 1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1920/bulletins/demographics/population-tx-number-of-inhabitants.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1930{{Cite web|title= 1930 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1930/population-volume-1/03815512v1ch10.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1940{{Cite web|title= 1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch09.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}
1950{{Cite web|title= 1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-1/vol-01-46.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1960{{Cite web|title= 1960 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/33255142v1p45ch02.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1970{{Cite web|title= 1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/00496492v1p45s1ch02.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}
1980{{Cite web|title= 1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1980/volume-1/texas/1980a_txab-01.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1990{{Cite web|title=1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cph-2/cph-2-45.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 2000{{Cite web|title=2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-45.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}
2010{{Cite web|title=2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-45.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}
}}
=2020 census=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Blessing CDP, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition !Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) !Pop 2000{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Blessing CDP, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=160XX00US4808668&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }} !Pop 2010{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Blessing CDP, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US4808668&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }} !{{partial|Pop 2020}}{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Blessing CDP, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US4808668&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }} !% 2000 !% 2010 !{{partial|% 2020}} |
| White alone (NH)
|405 |375 |style='background: #ffffe6; |288 |47.04% |40.45% |style='background: #ffffe6; |33.64% |
| Black or African American alone (NH)
|51 |25 |style='background: #ffffe6; |11 |5.92% |2.70% |style='background: #ffffe6; |1.29% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)
|0 |0 |style='background: #ffffe6; |1 |0.00% |0.32% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.12% |
| Asian alone (NH)
|0 |0 |style='background: #ffffe6; |1 |0.00% |0.00% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.12% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)
|0 |0 |style='background: #ffffe6; |0 |0.00% |0.00% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH)
|0 |0 |style='background: #ffffe6; |5 |0.00% |0.00% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.58% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)
|8 |4 |style='background: #ffffe6; |11 |0.93% |0.43% |style='background: #ffffe6; |1.29% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|397 |520 |style='background: #ffffe6; |539 |46.11% |56.09% |style='background: #ffffe6; |62.97% |
| Total
|861 |927 |style='background: #ffffe6; |856 |100.00% |100.00% |style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00% |
=2000 census=
As of the census of 2000, there were 861 people, 300 households, and 230 families residing in the CDP. The population density was {{convert|423.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 334 housing units at an average density of {{convert|164.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 72.01% White, 5.92% Black, 19.98% from other races, and 2.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 46.11% of the population.
There were 300 households, out of which 39.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.3% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.36.
In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 32.2% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 111.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.8 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $22,989, and the median income for a family was $27,431. Males had a median income of $25,833 versus $30,288 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $10,980. About 26.0% of families and 24.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.4% of those under age 18 and 32.0% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Blessing is served by the Tidehaven Independent School District.
The designated community college for Tidehaven ISD is Wharton County Junior College.[https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code Sec. 130.211. WHARTON COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.]
Notable people
- Pudge Heffelfinger-first professional footballer died here in 1954
- Kelly Siegler, a former Harris County, Texas prosecutor, was raised in Blessing. Since 2013, she has starred in the true crime series Cold Justice, collaborating with law enforcement to solve unsolved homicide cases.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Blessing, Texas}}
- {{Handbook of Texas|id=hlb36|name=Blessing, Texas}}
{{Matagorda County, Texas}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Census-designated places in Matagorda County, Texas
Category:Census-designated places in Texas