Refugio County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 6,741. Its county seat is Refugio. The county originated as a municipality of Mexico in 1834 and was classified as a county in 1837.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which (5.8%) are covered by water.
Major highways
- 20px U.S. Highway 77
- 25px Interstate 69E is currently under construction and will follow the current route of U.S. 77 in most places.
- 20px<br />20px 25px U.S. Highway 77 Alternate/U.S. Highway 183
- 20px State Highway 35
- 20px State Highway 239
- 20px Farm to Market Road 136
- 20px Farm to Market Road 774
- 20px Farm to Market Road 2441
- 20px Farm to Market Road 2678
Adjacent counties
- Victoria County (north)
- Calhoun County (northeast)
- Aransas County (southeast)
- San Patricio County (south)
- Bee County (west)
- Goliad County (northwest)
National protected area
- Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (part)
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 6,741. The median age was 45.0 years. 22.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.6 males age 18 and over.
There were 2,632 households in the county, of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 46.6% were married-couple households, 21.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. Those households comprised 1,730 families residing in the county. There were 3,252 housing units, of which 19.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 74.6% were owner-occupied and 25.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.0%.
Racial and ethnic composition
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Refugio County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition<br><small></small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(NH = Non-Hispanic)</small>
!Pop 1980
!Pop 1990
!Pop 2000
!Pop 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020
!% 1980
!% 1990
!% 2000
!% 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020
|-
|White alone (NH)
|4,952
|4,181
|3,703
|3,337
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,864
|53.31%
|52.42%
|47.30%
|45.20%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |42.49%
|-
|Black or African American alone (NH)
|763
|608
|521
|445
|style='background: #ffffe6; |400
|8.21%
|7.62%
|6.66%
|6.03%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.93%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)
|7
|12
|27
|25
|style='background: #ffffe6; |18
|0.08%
|0.15%
|0.34%
|0.34%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.27%
|-
|Asian alone (NH)
|7
|5
|20
|27
|style='background: #ffffe6; |27
|0.08%
|0.06%
|0.26%
|0.37%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.40%
|-
|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)
|x
|x
|3
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|x
|x
|0.04%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|Other race alone (NH)
|4
|6
|11
|9
|style='background: #ffffe6; |12
|0.04%
|0.08%
|0.14%
|0.12%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.18%
|-
|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)
|x
|x
|53
|53
|style='background: #ffffe6; |114
|x
|x
|0.68%
|0.72%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.69%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|3,556
|3,164
|3,490
|3,487
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,306
|38.28%
|39.67%
|44.58%
|47.23%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |49.04%
|-
|Total
|9,289
|7,976
|7,828
|7,383
|style='background: #ffffe6; |6,741
|100.00%
|100.00%
|100.00%
|100.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%
|}
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, 7,828 people, 2,985 households, and 2,176 families resided in the county. The population density was . The 3,669 housing units averaged . The racial makeup of the county was 80.22% White, 6.77% African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 10.47% from other races, and 1.67% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were about 48.6% of the population.
thumb|left|Refugio County Medical Center (2014)
Of the 2,985 households, 31.60% had children under 18 living with them, 55.10% were married couples living together, 12.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.10% were not families. About 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.59, and the average family size was 3.07.
In the county, the population was distributed as 26.10% under 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 25.90% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 16.60% who were 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.80 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 92.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,986, and for a family was $36,162. Males had a median income of $29,667 versus $16,565 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,481. About 14.30% of families and 17.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.20% of those under age 18 and 16.30% of those age 65 or over.
Oil and gas
Commercial gas was first discovered near the town of Refugio in 1920. Oil was first discovered near Refugio in 1928. A major oil field was discovered at Greta in 1933. The largest oilfield in Refugio county, the Tom O'Connor oil field, was discovered in 1934.
The Quintana Tom O'Connor No. 1-A discovery well's location was based on a gravity survey and a trend of other fields in the southwest and northeast between the Vicksburg Fault Zone and the Frio Fault Zone. The field is a structural trap formed by an anticline on the downthrown side of the Vicksburg Fault Zone. The faulting is due to "large-scale gravity slumping", Most of the oil and half the gas is produced at depths between 4500 and 6000 feet, from 15 oil reservoirs and 4 gas reservoirs in the Oligocene Frio Formation sandstones deposited during Marine regression, notably the "5900-foot sand", the "5800-foot sand", the "5500-foot sand" and the "5200-foot sand". Gas with some oil is found above these sandstones in the Oligocene Anahuac Formation, deposited in a Marine transgression, notably the "4400-foot Greta sand". Dry gas is found in the Miocene-Pliocene Fleming sandstones deposited during marine regression, notably the "L-4 sand, which is overlain by 1400 feet of Pleistocene Lissie sandstones.
The last major oil field discovered in Refugio county was the Lake Pasture oil field, discovered in 1953, with an estimated cumulative recovery at abandonment of 104 million barrels of oil.
Communities
Cities
- Austwell
Towns
- Bayside
- Refugio (County seat)
- Woodsboro
Census-designated place
- Tivoli
Ghost towns
- Copano
- St. Mary's of Aransas
Notable residents
- Nicholas Fagan - early Refugio county pioneer and active participant in the Texas revolution
- James Power - impresario and early settler of Refugio county
- Thomas O'Connor - active participant in the Texas revolution and later largest land and cattle owner in the state of Texas
Politics
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Voting results, shown in table, show that Refugio county has become a Republican party stronghold in the 21st century. Prior to the 21st century, Refugio county was primarily a Democratic party stronghold with some exceptions.
Education
School districts include:
- Austwell-Tivoli Independent School District
- Refugio Independent School District
- Woodsboro Independent School District
The portions of the county not in Woodsboro ISD are in the service area of Victoria College. the Texas Education Code does not specify a community college service area for the Woodsboro ISD portion.
See also
- Structural evolution of the Louisiana gulf coast
- List of museums in the Texas Gulf Coast
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Refugio County, Texas
- Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Refugio County
References
External links
- "Refugio County Profile" from the Texas Association of Counties
- Exxon wins, again, in oil field sabotage case
- At Tom O'Connor Ranch, Field Production High