Hondo is a city in and the county seat of Medina County, Texas, United States. According to the 2020 Census, its population was 8,289. It is part of the San Antonio metropolitan area.
History
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. The sign has been in news and print in many magazines, including on the cover of National Geographic, and in the music video of 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 west of downtown San Antonio.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which of it (0.21%) is covered with water. Hondo was mentioned in season two, episode 13 of 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.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Hondo had a population of 8,289, and 1,846 families resided in the city. The median age was 34.4 years; 20.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 146.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 159.8 males age 18 and over.
72.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 27.6% lived in rural areas.
There were 2,356 households in Hondo, of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 41.2% were married-couple households, 18.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
! Race !! Number !! Percent
|-
| White || 4,206 || 50.7%
|-
| Black or African American || 643 || 7.8%
|-
| American Indian and Alaska Native || 45 || 0.5%
|-
| Asian || 47 || 0.6%
|-
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 3 || 0.0%
|-
| Some other race || 1,752 || 21.1%
|-
| Two or more races || 1,593 || 19.2%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 5,131 || 61.9%
|}
2000 census
As of the census
Education
The City of Hondo is served by the Hondo Independent School District and home to the Hondo High School Owls.
Transportation
U.S. Route 90 runs east-west through the center of Hondo as 19th Street, leading west 20 miles (32 km) to Sabinal and east 16 miles (26 km) to 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 and south 21 miles (34 km) to Devine, where it intersects 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.
Notable people
- Jake Schuehle (1917-2001), 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.