Webb County, Texas

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Webb County

| official_name = County of Webb

| settlement_type = County

| image_skyline = Webb County Courthouse North Side.JPG

| image_caption = Webb County Courthouse in Laredo

| image flag = Flag of the Republic of the Rio Grande.svg

| image_seal = Webb County Seal.png

| image_map = {{Maplink|zoom=7|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-width=250|frame-align=center|type=shape|fill=#ffffff|fill-opacity=0|stroke-width=3}}

| map_caption = Interactive map of Webb County

| image_map1 = Map of Texas highlighting Webb County.svg

| map_caption1 = Location within the U.S. state of Texas

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = {{nowrap|{{US}}}}

| subdivision_type1 = State

| subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Texas}}

| established_title = Established

| established_date = January 28, 1848

| established_title1 = Organized

| established_date1 = March 16, 1848

| named_for = James Webb

| seat_type = County seat

| seat = Laredo

| parts_type = Largest city

| parts = Laredo

| unit_pref = US

| area_total_sq_mi = 3375

| area_land_sq_mi = 3361

| area_water_sq_mi = 14

| area_water_percent = 0.4

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_total = 267114

| population_est =

| pop_est_as_of =

| population_density_sq_mi = auto

| area_code = 956

| area_code_type = Area code

| blank_name_sec1 = FIPS code

| blank_info_sec1 = 48479

| blank1_name_sec1 = GNIS feature ID

| blank1_info_sec1 = {{GNIS 4|1384025}}

| website = [https://www.webbcountytx.gov www.webbcountytx.gov]

| timezone = Central

| utc_offset = −6

| timezone_DST = CDT

| utc_offset_DST = −5

| government_type = Commissioners Court

}}

Image:Texas Travel Bureau in Webb County, TX IMG 3176.JPG and U.S. Route 83 north of Laredo.]]

Image:Ranch road, Webb County, TX IMG 6080.JPG (2012)]]

Webb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 267,114.[https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/2020-population-and-housing-state-data.html 2020 Population and Housing State Data | Arizona]{{Cite web|title=Webb County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US48479|website=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=February 23, 2021}} Its county seat is Laredo.{{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|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|archive-date=May 31, 2011}} The county was named after James Webb (1792–1856), who served as secretary of the treasury, secretary of state, and attorney general of the Republic of Texas, and later judge of the United States District Court following the admission of Texas to statehood. By area, Webb County is the largest county in South Texas and the sixth-largest in the state. Webb County comprises the Laredo metropolitan area. Webb County is the only county in the United States to border three foreign states or provinces, sharing borders with Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas.

Webb County has a minority majority, with 95.2% of the population of the county identifying as Hispanic. This makes Webb the county with the second-highest proportion of Hispanic people in the continental United States after Starr County, and it has the highest proportion of Hispanic people among counties with a population over 100,000.{{cite web |title=P2: HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=P2%3A%20HISPANIC%20OR%20LATINO,%20AND%20NOT%20HISPANIC%20OR%20LATINO%20BY%20RACE&g=0100000US%240500000&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2&hidePreview=true |website=2020 Census |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=10 October 2021 }}

History

Webb County was split in 1856. Encinal County was established on February 1, 1856, and was to have consisted of the eastern portion of Webb County. However, Encinal County was never organized and was finally dissolved on March 12, 1899, with its territory returned as part of Webb County.

Much of Webb County history is based on the prevalence of ranching in the 19th century and continuing thereafter. The Webb County Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit organization that seeks to preserve documents and artifacts of the past to guarantee that the regional history is not lost to upcoming generations. In 2015, the foundation, headed by President James E. Moore, presented Heritage Awards to such local notables as the artist Janet Krueger, journalist Maria Eugenia Guerra, and Laredo Community College art instructor Martha F. Fenstermaker (1943-2014).Gabriel A. Trevino, "Preservation of history", ''Laredo Morning Times, May 24, 2015, pp. 1, 17A

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|3376|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|3361|sqmi}} are land and {{convert|14|sqmi}} (0.4%) are covered by water.{{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 12, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419031755/http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_48.txt|archive-date=April 19, 2015}}

=Major highways=

The Webb County - City of Laredo Regional Mobility Authority has responsibility for a comprehensive transport system in the region.

{{jct|state=TX|I|35}}
{{jct|state=TX|BL|35|dab1=Encinal}}
{{jct|state=TX|BS|35|dab1=Laredo}}
{{jct|state=TX|I|69W}}
{{jct|state=TX|US|59}}
{{jct|state=TX|US-Bus|59|nolink1=yes}}
{{jct|state=TX|US|83}}
{{jct|state=TX|TX|12}}
{{jct|state=TX|Loop|20}}
{{jct|state=TX|TX|44}}
{{jct|state=TX|TX|255}}
{{jct|state=TX|Spur|260}}
{{jct|state=TX|TX|359}}
{{jct|state=TX|FM|649}}
{{jct|state=TX|FM|1472}}
{{jct|state=TX|FM|1583}}
{{jct|state=TX|FM|2050}}
{{jct|state=TX|FM|2895}}
{{jct|state=TX|FM|3338}}
{{jct|state=TX|FM|3464}}

=Adjacent counties and municipalities=

Dimmit County (north)
La Salle County (north)
Duval County (east)
Jim Hogg County (southeast)
Zapata County (south)
Maverick County (northwest)
McMullen County, Texas (northeast)
Guerrero, Coahuila, Mexico (west)
Hidalgo, Coahuila, Mexico (west)
Anáhuac, Nuevo León, Mexico (west)
Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico (south)
Guerrero, Tamaulipas, Mexico (southwest)

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1860= 1397

|1870= 2615

|1880= 5273

|1890= 14842

|1900= 21851

|1910= 22503

|1920= 29152

|1930= 42128

|1940= 45916

|1950= 56141

|1960= 64791

|1970= 72859

|1980= 99258

|1990= 133239

|2000= 193117

|2010= 250304

|2020= 267114

|estyear=

|estimate=

|estref=

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decade|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=}}
1850–2010{{cite web|url=http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf|title=Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010|publisher=Texas Almanac|access-date=May 12, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226003918/http://www.texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf|archive-date=February 26, 2015}} 2010 2020

}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Webb County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
{{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.}}

!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 – Webb County, Texas |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=050XX00US48479&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 26, 2024}}

!Pop 2010{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Webb County, Texas |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US48479&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 26, 2024}}

!{{partial|Pop 2020}}{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Webb County, Texas |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US48479&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 26, 2024}}

!% 2000

!% 2010

!{{partial|% 2020}}

White alone (NH)

|9,508

|8,345

|style='background: #ffffe6; |9,495

|4.92%

|3.33%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.55%

Black or African American alone (NH)

|294

|487

|style='background: #ffffe6; |788

|0.15%

|0.19%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.30%

Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|144

|95

|style='background: #ffffe6; |135

|0.07%

|0.04%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.05%

Asian alone (NH)

|783

|1,320

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,300

|0.41%

|0.53%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.49%

Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|16

|11

|style='background: #ffffe6; |25

|0.01%

|0.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.01%

Some other race alone (NH)

|22

|130

|style='background: #ffffe6; |458

|0.01%

|0.05%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.17%

Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|280

|263

|style='background: #ffffe6; |559

|0.14%

|0.11%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.21%

Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|182,070

|239,653

|style='background: #ffffe6; |254,354

|94.28%

|95.74%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |95.22%

Total

|193,117

|250,304

|style='background: #ffffe6; |267,114

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

As of the 2015 Texas Population Estimate Program, the population of the county was 273,536. The racial makeup of the county was 99.8% White and 0.2% Black or African American. The ethnic makeup of the county was non-Hispanic whites 8,699 (3.2%), Black Americans 552 (0.2%), and other non-Hispanic 2,134 (0.8%). Hispanics and Latinos (of any race) 262,151 (95.8%).{{citation|title=Estimates of the Population by Age, Sex, and Race/Ethnicity for July 1, 2015 for State of Texas|date=July 15, 2015|access-date=June 8, 2017|url=http://demographics.texas.gov/Resources/TPEPP/Estimates/2015/2015_ASRE_Estimate_alldata.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170504234332/http://demographics.texas.gov/Resources/TPEPP/Estimates/2015/2015_ASRE_Estimate_alldata.pdf|archive-date=May 4, 2017}}

As of the census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 14, 2011|title=U.S. Census website}} of 2000, 193,117 people, 50,740 households, and 43,433 families resided in the county. The county gained 57,000 additional residents between 2000 and 2010. The population density was 58 people/sq mi (22/km²). The 55,206 housing units averaged 16/sq mi (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.16% White, 0.37% Black or African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 14.02% from other races, and 2.54% from two or more races. About 94% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 50,740 households, 53.20% had children under 18 living with them, 62.60% were married couples living together, 18.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.40% were not families; 12.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.75, and the average family size was 4.10.

In the county, the age distribution was 36.20% under 18, 11.40% from 18 to 24, 29.30% from 25 to 44, 15.60% from 45 to 64, and 7.60% who were 65 or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,100, and for a family was $29,394. Males had a median income of $23,618 versus $19,018 for females. The per capita income for the county was $10,759. About 26.70% of families and 31.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.40% of those under age 18 and 26.90% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

{{PresHead|place=Webb County, Texas|source={{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=May 6, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323225526/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|archive-date=March 23, 2018}}}}

Webb County was long a Democratic stronghold.{{cite web|url=https://team1.sos.state.tx.us/enr/results/mar04_169_county239.htm|title=2014 Democratic and Republican Party Primary Election Returns for Webb County|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|access-date=March 20, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320172700/https://team1.sos.state.tx.us/enr/results/mar04_169_county239.htm|archive-date=March 20, 2014}}

Despite its long-term Democratic streak, since 2016 Webb County has been trending more towards the Republican party, due to Donald Trump attracting more Hispanic voters. This mirrors the same trend seen in other counties in South Texas. In 2024, the county flipped Republican by a slim majority, the first time it had done so since 1912. Webb was Biden's best county in 2020 of the counties that flipped for Trump in 2024 by margin, voting for him by over 23%.

Education

Three school districts serve Webb County:{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48479_webb/DC20SD_C48479.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48479_webb/DC20SD_C48479.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Webb County, TX|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|accessdate=2022-06-29}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48479_webb/DC20SD_C48479_SD2MS.txt list]

Prior to 1994, Webb CISD served only Bruni and Oilton. Mirando City Independent School District served the community of Mirando City from 1923 to 2005. Prior to 1994, all Mirando City children attended Mirando City ISD schools. After the spring of 1994, Mirando City High School closed.{{Handbook of Texas|id=hlm75|name=Mirando City, Texas}} Therefore, from the fall of 1994 to July 1, 2005, WCISD served high schoolers from Mirando City, while Mirando Elementary School in the Mirando City ISD served pupils from kindergarten through eighth grade. On May 9, 2005, the Texas Education Agency ordered the closure of Mirando City ISD. The district closed on July 1, 2005, and all students were rezoned to Webb CISD schools.Bogan, Jesse. "[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SAEC&p_theme=saec&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10A0165ABB68730E&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM A school district counts its final days]." San Antonio Express-News. May 9, 2005. 01A. Retrieved on April 11, 2009.

The private Holding Institute is a former United Methodist boarding school operating as a downtown Laredo community center.

All residents are zoned to Laredo College.[https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code Sec. 130.185. LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.]

Communities

=Cities=

El Cenizo
Laredo (county seat)
Rio Bravo

=Census-designated places=

=Former census designated places=

Larga Vista

=Other unincorporated communities=

Cactus
Callaghan
D-5 Acres Colonia
East Gate Acres Colonia
Las Tiendas
Minera
Old Milwaukee East
Old Milwaukee West
Palafox
Ranchitos los Mesquites Colonia
Ranchitos los Veteranos Colonia
San Pablo
San Ramon
Village East Colonia
Webb

=Ghost towns=

Gallery

Image:Webb-Encinal Counties 1895.JPG|Map of Webb and Encinal Counties in 1895

Image:Webb County Courthouse (1905).jpg|Webb County Courthouse in 1905

Image:Webb County Courthouse 2007.jpg|Webb County Courthouse today

Image:Webb County, TX courthouse annex IMG 1780.JPG|Entrance to the William N. "Billy" Hall Administrative Building annex of the Webb County Courthouse in Laredo

Image:Webb County, TX, Appraisal District Office IMG 2011.JPG|The Webb County Appraisal District Office in Laredo appraises taxable real property for municipal and county governments, Laredo Community College, and both public school districts.

Image:J.O. Walker Ranch entrance, Webb County, TX IMG_6066.JPG|Entrance to the J. O. Walker, Jr., Piedra Parada Ranch in eastern Webb County

Image:South Texas cactus; Webb County IMG_6060.JPG|Opuntia cacti abound throughout much of Webb County.

Image:Cactus Jack Ranch in Webb County, TX IMG 1983.JPG|The Cactus Jack Ranch in northwestern Webb County is named for U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's first vice president, John Nance Garner of Uvalde. Imported saguaro cacti are planted at the gate.

Image:Entrance to La Esperanza Ranch, Webb County, TX IMG_1255.JPG|Entrance gate to La Esperanza (Hope) Ranch in northwestern Webb County near the Dimmit County boundary

Image:Abandoned building off U.S. Highway 83 in Webb County, TX IMG 1926.JPG|This abandoned building along U.S. Route 83 in northwestern Webb County reflects the isolation of the South Texas ranch country.

File:Road through Tamaulipan thornscrub 2, Webb County, Texas, USA (10 June 2016).jpg|Road through Tamaulipan thornscrub, Webb County, Texas, USA (10 June 2016)

File:Road through Tamaulipan thornscrub 1, Webb County, Texas, USA (10 June 2016).jpg|Road through Tamaulipan thornscrub, Webb County, Texas, USA (10 June 2016)

References

External links

[http://www.webbcounty.com/ Webb County government's website]
[https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcw05 Webb County in Handbook of Texas Online] at the University of Texas
[http://www.webbheritage.org/ Webb County Heritage Foundation ]

{{Geographic Location

|Centre = Webb County, Texas

|North = Dimmit County and La Salle County

|Northeast =

|East = Duval County

|Southeast = Jim Hogg County

|South = Zapata County

|Southwest = Guerrero and Nuevo Laredo Municipalities, Tamaulipas {{flagicon|Mexico}}

|West = Anáhuac, Hidalgo, and Guerrero Municipalities, Coahuila {{flagicon|Mexico}}

|Northwest = Maverick County

}}

{{coord|27.77|-99.33|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-TX_source:UScensus1990}}