Spofford, Texas

Spofford, Texas
City
Coordinates: 29°10′22″N100°24′41″W / 29.17278°N 100.41139°W / 29.17278; -100.41139
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Kinney
Area [1]
• Total	0.24 sq mi (0.62 km2)
• Land	0.24 sq mi (0.62 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation [2]	1,011 ft (308 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	41
• Density	170/sq mi (66/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code	78877
Area code	830
FIPS code	48-69560 [3]
GNIS feature ID	1368916 [2]

Spofford is a city in Kinney County, Texas, United States. The population was 41 at the 2020 census.

Geography

Spofford is located in southern Kinney County at 29°10′22″N100°24′41″W / 29.17278°N 100.41139°W / 29.17278; -100.41139 (29.172681, –100.411388). ^[4] It is on the east side of Texas State Highway 131, which leads north 10 miles (16 km) to Brackettville, the county seat, and south 24 miles (39 km) to U.S. Route 277 in the Rio Grande valley.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Spofford has a total area of 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²), all land. ^[5]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1950	246		—
1960	138		−43.9%
1970	69		−50.0%
1980	77		11.6%
1990	68		−11.7%
2000	75		10.3%
2010	95		26.7%
2020	41		−56.8%
U.S. Decennial Census [6] 2020 Census [7]

As of the census ^[3] of 2000, 75 people, 24 households, and 19 families resided in the city. The population density was 299 inhabitants per square mile (115/km²). The 38 housing units averaged 151.4/sq mi (58.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 81.33% White, 18.67% from other races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 52.00% of the population.

Of the 24 households, 50.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.7% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.7% were not families. About 16.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.13 and the average family size was 3.45.

In the city, the population was distributed as 29.3% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $39,583, and for a family was $39,583. Males had a median income of $36,250 versus $11,250 for females. The per capita income for the city was $36,485. Around 5.3% of families and 11.8% of the population were living below the poverty line, including 17.4% of those under 18 and none of those over 64.

History

Spofford was named after C.K. Spofford, who opened a hotel in town shortly after the railroad came through in 1882. The town grew around the hotel and was granted a post office in 1884. By 1896, the town had its first school, and by 1900, it had 100 residents.

The Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railroad (later part of the Southern Pacific Railroad, and today part of the Union Pacific Railroad) had chosen Spofford over Brackettville. At Spofford, they laid a spur to Eagle Pass, and the main line continued west to Langtry. At various times, Spofford was a stop on the Sunset Limited . Amtrak’s Sunset Limited passes through the town on Union Pacific tracks, but makes no stop. A stop is located 30 miles northwest in Del Rio.

The population reached the high-water mark of 373 people in the mid-1940s. After the school consolidations in the '40s, Spofford's students were bused to Brackettville. In 1961, the population was only 138, and it went as low as 54 people in the mid-1970s.

Education

Spofford is served by the Brackett Independent School District.

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Spofford, Texas
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
5. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Spofford city, Texas". American FactFinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved May 10, 2019.
6. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
7. "Census Bureau profile: Spofford, Texas". United States Census Bureau. May 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2024.