Karnes County, Texas

Karnes County
County
The Karnes County Courthouse in Karnes City
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 28°55′N97°52′W / 28.91°N 97.86°W / 28.91; -97.86
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	February 4, 1854
Named for	Henry Karnes
Seat	Karnes City
Largest city	Kenedy
Area
• Total	754 sq mi (1,950 km2)
• Land	748 sq mi (1,940 km2)
• Water	6.0 sq mi (16 km2)  0.8%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	14,710
• Density	20/sq mi (7.5/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	15th
Website	www.co.karnes.tx.us

Karnes County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,710. ^[1] Its county seat is Karnes City. ^[2] The county is named for Henry Karnes, a soldier in the Texas Revolution. ^[3] The former San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway passed through Karnes County in its connection linking San Antonio with Corpus Christi.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 754 square miles (1,950 km²), of which 748 square miles (1,940 km²) is land and 6.0 square miles (16 km²) (0.8%) is water. ^[4]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 181
• State Highway 72
• State Highway 80
• State Highway 123
• State Highway 239

Adjacent counties

• Gonzales County (northeast)
• DeWitt County (east)
• Goliad County (southeast)
• Bee County (south)
• Live Oak County (southwest)
• Atascosa County (west)
• Wilson County (northwest)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	2,171		—
1870	1,705		−21.5%
1880	3,270		91.8%
1890	3,637		11.2%
1900	8,681		138.7%
1910	14,942		72.1%
1920	19,049		27.5%
1930	23,316		22.4%
1940	19,248		−17.4%
1950	17,139		−11.0%
1960	14,995		−12.5%
1970	13,462		−10.2%
1980	13,593		1.0%
1990	12,455		−8.4%
2000	15,446		24.0%
2010	14,824		−4.0%
2020	14,710		−0.8%
U.S. Decennial Census [5] 1850–2010 [6] 2010–2014 [7]

Karnes County racial/ethnic composition
(NH = Non-Hispanic) ^{[lower-alpha 1]}

Race	Pop 2010 [10]	Pop 2020 [11]	% 2010	% 2020
White (NH)	5,956	5,388	40.18%	36.63%
Black or African American (NH)	1,351	1,116	9.11%	7.59%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	37	26	0.25%	0.18%
Asian (NH)	25	145	0.17%	0.99%
Pacific Islander (NH)	2	1	0.01%	0.01%
Some Other Race (NH)	18	61	0.12%	0.41%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)	59	239	0.4%	1.62%
Hispanic or Latino	7,376	7,734	49.76%	52.58%
Total	14,824	14,710

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 14,710 people, 4,552 households, and 3,156 families residing in the county.

As of the census ^[12] of 2000, there were 15,446 people, 4,454 households, and 3,246 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile (8.1 people/km²). There were 5,479 housing units at an average density of 7 units per square mile (2.7/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 68.55% White, 10.79% Black or African American, 0.68% Native American, 0.43% Asian American, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 17.23% of other races, and 2.26% of two or more races. 47.42% of the population were Hispanic or Latino American of any race.

There were 4,454 households, out of which 34.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.60% were married couples living together, 13.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.10% were non-families. 24.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.80% under the age of 18, 11.50% from 18 to 24, 34.20% from 25 to 44, 18.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 146.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 162.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $26,526, and the median income for a family was $30,565. Males had a median income of $27,260 versus $19,367 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,603. About 18.50% of families and 21.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.10% of those under age 18 and 20.50% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Around 2008 ConocoPhillips drilled a well in Karnes County and struck oil, causing an economic boom. ^[13]

Communities

Cities

• Falls City
• Karnes City (county seat)
• Kenedy

Town

• Runge

Unincorporated communities

• Cestohowa
• Choate
• Ecleto
• Gillett
• Hobson
• Panna Maria

Ghost towns

• Helena
• Wintergreen

Politics

United States presidential election results for Karnes County, Texas ^[14]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	3,968	75.55%	1,234	23.50%	50	0.95%
2016	2,965	70.63%	1,145	27.27%	88	2.10%
2012	2,825	67.50%	1,325	31.66%	35	0.84%
2008	2,736	60.44%	1,760	38.88%	31	0.68%
2004	3,114	66.64%	1,543	33.02%	16	0.34%
2000	2,638	61.23%	1,617	37.53%	53	1.23%
1996	1,869	43.12%	2,154	49.70%	311	7.18%
1992	1,990	42.34%	1,897	40.36%	813	17.30%
1988	2,383	48.31%	2,529	51.27%	21	0.43%
1984	3,068	62.84%	1,802	36.91%	12	0.25%
1980	2,719	53.59%	2,284	45.01%	71	1.40%
1976	1,675	35.50%	2,996	63.50%	47	1.00%
1972	2,639	59.60%	1,780	40.20%	9	0.20%
1968	1,342	31.22%	2,271	52.83%	686	15.96%
1964	993	23.77%	3,178	76.08%	6	0.14%
1960	1,526	37.36%	2,556	62.57%	3	0.07%
1956	1,764	51.62%	1,636	47.88%	17	0.50%
1952	2,374	55.73%	1,884	44.23%	2	0.05%
1948	592	19.93%	2,198	73.98%	181	6.09%
1944	692	24.23%	1,920	67.23%	244	8.54%
1940	631	23.88%	2,010	76.08%	1	0.04%
1936	371	15.16%	2,067	84.47%	9	0.37%
1932	186	7.02%	2,458	92.75%	6	0.23%
1928	855	44.83%	1,052	55.17%	0	0.00%
1924	531	21.27%	1,727	69.19%	238	9.54%
1920	484	31.27%	642	41.47%	422	27.26%
1916	238	20.95%	889	78.26%	9	0.79%
1912	66	7.96%	710	85.65%	53	6.39%

Education

School districts include:

• Falls City Independent School District
• Karnes City Independent School District
• Kenedy Independent School District
• Nixon-Smiley Consolidated Independent School District
• Nordheim Independent School District
• Pawnee Independent School District
• Pettus Independent School District
• Runge Independent School District

Coastal Bend College (formerly Bee County College) is the designated community college for the county. ^[15]

See also

• Texas portal

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Karnes County, Texas
• Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Karnes County

References

1. "QuickFacts: Karnes 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. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  172.
4. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
5. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
6. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
7. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on October 18, 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
8. https://www.census.gov/ ^{[ not specific enough to verify ]}
9. "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
10. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
11. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
12. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
13. MacCormack, John. "Shale play turns Karnes County around, but not without trouble." Houston Chronicle . February 23, 2013. Retrieved on March 2, 2013.
14. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
15. Texas Education Code Sec. 130.167. BEE COUNTY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. The legislation calls it "Bee County College".

1. 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 can be of any race. ^{[8] [9]}

External links

• The Karnes Countywide newspaper
• Henry Karnes' entry in Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas hosted by the Portal to Texas History].
• Karnes County from the Handbook of Texas Online
• Genealogy in Karnes County, Texas

28°55′N97°52′W / 28.91°N 97.86°W / 28.91; -97.86