Zapata County, Texas

Zapata County, Texas
The front of the Zapata County Courthouse
Location in the state of Texas
Texas's location in the U.S.
Founded	January 22, 1858
Seat	Zapata
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	1,058 sq mi (2,740 km²) 997 sq mi (2,582 km²) 61 sq mi (158 km²), 5.80%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	14,018 13/sq mi (5/km²)
Website	www.zapatausa.com

Zapata County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 14,018. Its county seat is Zapata. Zapata is named for Colonel Jose Antonio de Zapata, a rancher in the area who rebelled against Mexico.

The South Texas Oil Boom included wells drilled in Zapata County in the early 1920s through the work of Laredo industrialist Oliver Winfield Killam, a Missouri native who once served as an Oklahoma state legislator.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,058 square miles (2,740 km²), of which 997 square miles (2,580 km²) is land and 61 square miles (160 km²) (5.80%) is water.

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 83
• State Highway 16

Adjacent counties and municipalities

• Webb County (north)
• Jim Hogg County (east)
• Starr County (southeast)
• Guerrero, Tamaulipas, Mexico (west)

National protected area

• Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Government and politics

19th century Los Corralitos Building relocated from Zapata County to the National Ranching Heritage Center in Lubbock in West Texas

The western side of the Jesus Trevino Rancho building in the San Ygnacio Historic District; note the structural similarity to Los Corralitos above.

A two=story historic residence in San Ygnacio on U.S. Highway 83 business route

Entrance to Zapata County Cemetery from Farm-to-Market Road 496

Zapata County is overwhelmingly Democratic in political orientation. In the November 4, 2008, general election Barack Obama topped John McCain, the presidential winner in Texas, 1,939 (67.7 percent) to 918 (32 percent). Republican Party primaries are not regularly held in Zapata County because Texas requires parties to be organized in a county to hold a primary there.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1860	1,248		—
1870	1,488		19.2%
1880	3,636		144.4%
1890	3,562		−2.0%
1900	4,760		33.6%
1910	3,809		−20.0%
1920	2,929		−23.1%
1930	2,867		−2.1%
1940	3,916		36.6%
1950	4,405		12.5%
1960	4,393		−0.3%
1970	4,352		−0.9%
1980	6,628		52.3%
1990	9,279		40.0%
2000	12,182		31.3%
2010	14,018		15.1%
U.S. Decennial Census Texas Almanac: 1850-2010

As of the census of 2000, there were 12,182 people, 3,921 households, and 3,164 families residing in the county. Zapata County is estimated to be the eleventh fastest growing county (+15.8%) in the state of Texas since the year 2000 (based on % of population change). The population density was 12 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 6,167 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 84.07% White, 0.41% Black or African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 12.64% from other races, and 2.33% from two or more races. 84.78% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,921 households out of which 43.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.20% were married couples living together, 13.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.30% were non-families. 17.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 3.52.

In the county, the population was spread out with 33.00% under the age of 18, 10.00% from 18 to 24, 24.10% from 25 to 44, 18.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 96.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $24,635, and the median income for a family was $26,722. Males had a median income of $26,294 versus $14,579 for females. The per capita income for the county was $10,486. About 29.30% of families and 35.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 46.10% of those under age 18 and 21.30% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

There are no incorporated areas in Zapata County and hence no municipal governments.

Falcon Lake Estates Falcon Mesa

Lopeno Medina Morales-Sanchez

New Falcon San Ygnacio

Siesta Shores Zapata

Education

All of Zapata County is a part of the Zapata County Independent School District.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Zapata County, Texas

External links

• Zapata County from the Handbook of Texas Online
• Current Hang Gliding Records