Refugio ( ) is a town in Refugio County, of which it is the county seat, in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 2,712 as of the 2020 Census. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.0 km), all land.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, Refugio has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps.
Demographics
2020 census
{| class="wikitable"
|+Refugio racial composition<br /> (NH = Non-Hispanic)
!Race
!Number
!Percentage
|-
|White (NH)
|791
|29.17%
|-
|Black or African American (NH)
|298
|10.99%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native (NH)
|9
|0.33%
|-
|Asian (NH)
|10
|0.37%
|-
|Some Other Race (NH)
|3
|0.11%
|-
|Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)
|53
|1.95%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino
|1,548
|57.08%
|-
|Total
|2,712
|
|}
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,712 people, 957 households, and 598 families residing in the town.
2000 census
As of the census
In 1947, future Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan was born in Refugio, though his family would move to Alvin, Texas, when Ryan was an infant.
Hurricane Harvey
On August 23, 2017, Governor Greg Abbott published an emergency evacuation for the town of Refugio, following his state of emergency announcement on the state of Texas. On August 25, at peak intensity, Hurricane Harvey hit Refugio, causing significant damage to businesses and homes along US-77. Wind speeds were clocked up to 130 mph when the storm hit the town. Many professional storm trackers were storm chasing in Refugio during the peak of the storm, witnessing and documenting the experience. Several businesses in Refugio closed permanently in the aftermath of Harvey, and the town was without utilities for months.