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Starr County, Texas

Starr County is located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 65,920.[1] Its county seat is Rio Grande City.[2] The county was created in 1848.[3] It is named for James Harper Starr, who served as secretary of the treasury of the Republic of Texas.

Starr County
County
The Starr County Courthouse in Rio Grande City
The Starr County Courthouse in Rio Grande City
Official seal of Starr County
Seal
Map of Texas highlighting Starr County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 26°34′N 98°44′W / 26.57°N 98.73°W / 26.57; -98.73
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1848
Named forJames Harper Starr
SeatRio Grande City
Largest cityRio Grande City
Government
 • SheriffRene "Orta" Fuentes
Area
 • Total
1,229 sq mi (3,180 km2)
 • Land1,223 sq mi (3,170 km2)
 • Water88.5 sq mi (229 km2)  0.5%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
65,920
 • Density54/sq mi (21/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district28th
Websitewww.co.starr.tx.us

Starr County comprises the Rio Grande City micropolitan statistical area, which also includes other small cities, which itself is part of the larger Rio Grande Valley region. It is directly northeast of the Mexican border.

The county population is almost entirely Hispanic or Latino, with 97.7% of its population identifying as such. It is the county with the highest proportion of Hispanics[4] in the contiguous United States.

History

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From 2000 to 2010, the population of Starr County increased from 53,597 to 60,968.[5]

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,229 square miles (3,180 km2), of which 5.9 square miles (15 km2) (0.5%) are covered by water.[6]

Major highways

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Adjacent counties and municipalities

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National protected area

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18602,406—
18704,15472.7%
18808,30499.9%
189010,74929.4%
190011,4696.7%
191013,15114.7%
192011,089−15.7%
193011,4092.9%
194013,31216.7%
195013,9484.8%
196017,13722.9%
197017,7073.3%
198027,26654.0%
199040,51848.6%
200053,59732.3%
201060,96813.8%
202065,9208.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1850–2010[8] 2010–2014[9]

2020 census

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Starr County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[10] Pop 2010[11] Pop 2020[12] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 1,082 2,449 1,171 2.02% 4.02% 1.78%
Black or African American alone (NH) 6 15 31 0.01% 0.02% 0.05%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 27 17 8 0.05% 0.03% 0.01%
Asian alone (NH) 141 119 100 0.26% 0.20% 0.15%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 15 0 0 0.03% 0.00% 0.00%
Other Race alone (NH) 11 5 98 0.02% 0.01% 0.15%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 37 26 119 0.07% 0.04% 0.18%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 52,278 58,337 64,393 97.54% 95.68% 97.68%
Total 53,597 60,968 65,920 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, 65,920 people, 16,281 households, and 12,836 families were residing in the county. As of the 2010 United States Census, 60,968 people living in the county. About 0.4% were Non-Hispanic White, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% Native American, 0.1% Black or African American, 3.0% of some other race, and 0.5% of two or more races; 95.7% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). According to the Census Bureau, Starr County had the highest percentage of Hispanic residents of any county in the United States,[13] and the lowest percentage of non-Hispanic White residents.[14]

As of the census[15] of 2000, 53,597 people, 14,410 households, and 12,666 families were living in the county. The population density was 44 people per square mile (17 people/km2). The 17,589 housing units had an average density of 14 units per square mile (5.4 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 87.92% White, 0.15% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 9.95% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races.

Of the 14,410 households, 54.7% had children under 18 living with them, 66.5% were married couples living together, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.1% were not families. About 11.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65or older. The average household size was 3.69, and the average family size was 4.01.

In the county, the age distribution was 37.4% under the age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 16.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.20 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 88.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $16,504, and for a family was $17,556. Males had a median income of $17,398 versus $13,533 for females. The per capita income for the county was $7,069, which is the third-lowest in the United States. About 47.40% of families and 50.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 59.40% of those under age 18 and 43.30% of those age 65 or over.

As of 2009 the median household income was $22,418.[5]

Economy

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Starr County is especially known for oilseeds and dry beans, one of the highest-producing counties in the state.[16]: 431 

Education

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Residents of eastern Starr County are zoned to schools in the Rio Grande City Consolidated Independent School District. Residents of western Starr County are zoned to schools in the Roma Independent School District. Residents of northeastern Starr County are zoned to schools in the San Isidro Independent School District.[17]

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brownsville operates area Catholic schools. Immaculate Conception School, located in Rio Grande City and founded in 1884, is the only Catholic school in Starr County and provides a faith-based pre-K through eighth-grade education to approximately 250 students each year.

All of the county is in the service area of South Texas College.[18]

Government and politics

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Law enforcement

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In the 1970s and into the 1980s, federal law-enforcement officials concentrated their efforts against drug smuggling on Starr County.[19]

On May 1, 2009, the former sheriff of Starr County, Reymundo Guerra, a Democrat, pleaded guilty in federal court to a narcotics conspiracy charge.[20]

In April 2016, Starr County Justice of the Peace Salvador Zarate Jr., faced up to 20 years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine on two counts of bribery for accepting a $500 bribe in exchange for reducing bond on two persons arrested on narcotics charges in an incident on Christmas Eve 2014. He was found not guilty of possession of a controlled substance. Zarate was expected to appeal any sentence rendered.[21]

Presidential elections

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Starr County had long been a strongly Democratic county, but has suffered from low voter turnout with only about 20% of its 53,000 residents voting. In 2024, Donald Trump became the first Republican since 1892 to carry the county, ending over 130 years of Democratic dominance.[22] Starr had the longest streak of voting for Democrats in the entire country.[23][24] Its streak was triple the length of Minnesota's Democratic streak, which began in 1976.[25] In 1988, the county gave Michael Dukakis his highest vote share in the nation.[26] In 2008, Barack Obama won Starr County with 8,274 votes (84 percent). In 2020, Donald Trump came within five points of winning the county, receiving 8,247 votes (47 percent) to Joe Biden's 9,123 (52 percent). This was a major shift from Hillary Clinton's 60-point margin of victory four years earlier, and represented the strongest pro-Trump swing of any county in the nation.[27][28]

United States presidential election results for Starr County, Texas[29]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 9,443 57.73% 6,845 41.84% 70 0.43%
2020 8,247 47.06% 9,123 52.06% 155 0.88%
2016 2,224 18.94% 9,289 79.12% 227 1.93%
2012 1,547 13.02% 10,260 86.34% 76 0.64%
2008 1,492 15.24% 8,274 84.50% 26 0.27%
2004 2,552 26.09% 7,199 73.60% 30 0.31%
2000 1,911 22.58% 6,505 76.85% 48 0.57%
1996 756 10.41% 6,312 86.94% 192 2.64%
1992 1,209 13.05% 7,668 82.80% 384 4.15%
1988 1,218 14.83% 6,958 84.74% 35 0.43%
1984 1,658 24.70% 5,047 75.18% 8 0.12%
1980 1,389 22.21% 4,782 76.48% 82 1.31%
1976 664 12.47% 4,646 87.25% 15 0.28%
1972 2,389 41.82% 3,320 58.11% 4 0.07%
1968 1,374 25.60% 3,922 73.08% 71 1.32%
1964 678 14.30% 4,056 85.53% 8 0.17%
1960 280 6.46% 4,051 93.49% 2 0.05%
1956 547 16.71% 2,727 83.29% 0 0.00%
1952 620 16.87% 3,055 83.13% 0 0.00%
1948 179 8.18% 1,996 91.22% 13 0.59%
1944 68 4.87% 1,312 94.05% 15 1.08%
1940 68 5.36% 1,200 94.64% 0 0.00%
1936 320 12.22% 2,289 87.43% 9 0.34%
1932 32 4.07% 754 95.93% 0 0.00%
1928 79 9.69% 736 90.31% 0 0.00%
1924 23 2.95% 756 97.05% 0 0.00%
1920 89 17.55% 418 82.45% 0 0.00%
1916 115 18.23% 516 81.77% 0 0.00%
1912 252 27.16% 674 72.63% 2 0.22%

Communities

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As of 2011, Starr County had approximately 55 colonias. By that year, many families were moving to the colonias.[5]

Between the 2000 and 2010 censuses, Starr County went through many changes. Four CDPs were deleted, one gained area, 12 lost area, and 92 new CDPs were created. Only 11 remained unchanged.[30]

Cities

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Unincorporated communities

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Former communities

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Census-designated places

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Former census-designated places

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "QuickFacts: Starr County, Texas". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Archived from the original on May 13, 2015. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  4. ^ "P2: HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE". 2020 Census. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Grinberg, Emmanuella. "Impoverished border town grows from shacks into community Archived 2012-11-10 at the Wayback Machine." CNN. July 8, 2011. Retrieved on July 9, 2011.
  6. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on April 19, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
  7. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decade". US Census Bureau.
  8. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
  9. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on October 18, 2011. Retrieved December 24, 2013.
  10. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Starr County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  11. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Starr County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  12. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Starr County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  13. ^ Villarreal, Alexandra (July 10, 2020). "Texas border county had 'model' Covid-19 response – then the governor stepped in". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  14. ^ Census Bureau data, cited in "Minorities now in the majority in nearly 10% of U.S. counties", Associated Press August 8, 2007, Lexington Herald-Leader p A8
  15. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  16. ^ "2017 Census - Volume 1, Chapter 1: State Level Data". United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA NASS). 2017. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
  17. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Starr County, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved June 29, 2022. - list
  18. ^ Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.199. SOUTH TEXAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA..
  19. ^ Miller, Tom. On the Border: Portraits of America’s Southwestern Frontier, pp. 27-34.
  20. ^ "A Counterintelligence Approach To Controlling Cartel Corruption". www.poligazette.com. Archived from the original on May 26, 2009.
  21. ^ Aaron Nelsen, "Star County JP faces jail for bribery", San Antonio Express-News, April 16, 2016, p. A7
  22. ^ "Donald Trump Flips Most Hispanic County in America".
  23. ^ Meurer, Avery (November 6, 2024). "Starr County flips red for the first time in over 100 years". KSAT. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  24. ^ "Trump wins South Texas county that Democrats have won since 1896". November 6, 2024. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  25. ^ "Presidential election of 1892 - Map by counties". geoelections.free.fr. Archived from the original on March 7, 2006.
  26. ^ "David Leip's Presidential Atlas (1988 election statistics)". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on November 26, 2008.
  27. ^ "Texas Election Night Results". Texas Election Results. Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  28. ^ "President Donald J. Trump nearly wins Starr County". KRGV.com. Mobile Video Tapes, Inc. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  29. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018.
  30. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Counts, 2010 Census of Population and Housing" (PDF). Texas: 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 13, 2017.
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26°34′N 98°44′W / 26.57°N 98.73°W / 26.57; -98.73

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