Tornillo ( ) is a border town in El Paso County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, Tornillo had a population of 1,432. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined this unincorporated community as a census-designated place (CDP). It is part of the El Paso metropolitan area. The Tornillo and Guadalupe, Chihuahua, area is connected by the Tornillo–Guadalupe International Bridge.
The town is the home of Sonic Ranch, the world's largest residential recording complex.
In June 2018, the US government opened a tent city detention camp for migrant children at the Marcelino Serna Port of Entry on the Mexican border in Tornillo. By January 11, 2019, the last migrant child had been moved out of the camp en route to, or placed with, vetted sponsors.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all land.
The city is located on State Highway 20 and the Southern Pacific Railroad. Temperatures reach an average high of 96 °F and average low of 62 °F in June, and an average high of 59 °F and average low of 28 °F in December. The annual average rainfall is 9.25 inches.
Demographics
Tornillo first appeared as a census designated place in the 2000 U.S. census.
!Pop 2010
!
!% 2000
!% 2010
!
|-
|White alone (NH)
|11
|18
|style='background: #ffffe6; |30
|0.68%
|1.15%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.09%
|-
|Black or African American alone (NH)
|0
|3
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.00%
|0.19%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|Asian alone (NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|Other race alone (NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)
|3
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4
|0.19%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.28%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|1,595
|1,547
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,398
|99.13%
|98.66%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |97.63%
|-
|Total
|1,609
|1,568
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,432
|100.00%
|100.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%
|}
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,432 people, 337 households, and 281 families residing in the CDP.
2000 census
As of the census
History
Tornillo was first platted in 1909 by a group of businessmen from El Paso, Texas who had formed the Tornillo Townsite Company. The first post office in the town opened the same year.