Kirbyville is a city in Jasper County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,036 at the 2020 census.
History
Early development
The town was first established in 1895 when the Gulf, Beaumont, and Kansas City railroad reached the site. It was first named Kirby for John Henry Kirby, a lumber businessman who intended to use the site for building a facility to market his lumber. The post office was established the same year, but the name was changed to Kirbyville when a town already called Kirby was discovered. The town became incorporated in 1926.
Significant events
On September 24, 2005, Hurricane Rita made landfall in extreme Southwest Louisiana as a Category 3 hurricane. As Rita moved inland, the center of the storm moved very near Kirbyville. According to the National Weather Service, wind gusts around the area reached speeds of up to 120 mph. As a result, wind damage throughout the town and surrounding towns was extensive. Several buildings in the city sustained damage, some of which sustained major damage or were destroyed. Many residents were without power for several weeks due to the storm.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and 0.41% is covered by water.
Climate
The climate of Kirbyville and surrounding areas consists of mainly hot and humid summers, while winters are usually mild. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Kirbyville has a humid subtropical climate, mainly because of its close proximity to the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Kirbyville had a population of 2,036 and 511 families; the median age was 37.7 years. 28.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 86.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 81.6 males age 18 and over.
There were 809 households in Kirbyville, of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 37.0% were married-couple households, 17.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 40.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 35.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
! Race !! Number !! Percent
|-
| White || 1,456 || 71.5%
|-
| Black or African American || 377 || 18.5%
|-
| American Indian and Alaska Native || 30 || 1.5%
|-
| Asian || 2 || 0.1%
|-
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 3 || 0.1%
|-
| Some other race || 32 || 1.6%
|-
| Two or more races || 136 || 6.7%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 140 || 6.9%
|}
2000 census
As of the census