Gonzales County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas, adjacent to Greater Austin-San Antonio. As of the 2020 census, its population was 19,653. The county is named for its county seat, the city of Gonzales. The county was created in 1836 and organized the following year. As of August 2020, under strict budgetary limitations, the County of Gonzales governmental body is unique in that it claims to have no commercial paper, regarding it as "the absence of any county debt."
According to the census, all areas county-wide had $188,099,000 in total annual payroll (2016), $550,118,900 (±39,442,212; 2018) in aggregate annual income, and $238,574,000 in total annual retail sales (2012). In 2018, the census valued all real estate in the county at an aggregate $795,242,300 (±74,643,103); with an aggregate $29,058,000 of real estate being listed for sale and $173,100 listed for rent. In the same year, approximately, the top 5% of households made an average of $361,318; the top 20% averaged at $188,699; the fourth quintile at $79,601; the third quintile (median income) at $53,317; the second quintile at $31,238; and the lowest at $13,339. The Texas Almanac rated all categories of land in the county at an aggregate value of $5.6-billion.
Contents
History
Paleo-Indian hunter-gatherers were here thousands of years ago; the later Coahuiltecan, Tonkawa, and Karankawa migrated into the area in the 14th century, but lost much of their population by the 18th century due to new infectious diseases contracted by contact with European explorers. The historic Comanche and Waco tribes later migrated into the area and competed most with European American settlers of the 19th century.
Between 1519 and 1685, Hernando Cortez and Alonso Álvarez de Pineda claimed Texas for Spain. Beginning in 1685, France planted its flag on Texas soil, but departed after only five years, and Spain regained the territory.
Mexico, including Texas, won its independence from Spain in 1821. Citizens of the United States began to settle in Texas and were granted land and Mexican citizenship.
In 1825, Green DeWitt's petition for a land grant to establish a colony in Texas was approved by the Mexican government. Gonzales was established, named for Rafael Gonzales, governor of Coahuila y Tejas.
When Jean Louis Berlandier visited in 1828, he found settler cabins, a fort-like barricade, crop agriculture, and livestock, as well as nearby villages of Tonkawa and Karankawa. The Coahuila y Tejas government sent a six-pound cannon to Gonzales in 1831 for settlers' protection against Indian raids.
In 1835, the colony sent delegates to conventions (1832–1835) to discuss disagreements with Mexico. The Mexican government viewed the conventions as treason, so troops were sent to Gonzales in September 1832 to retrieve the cannon. On October 2, the Battle of Gonzales became the first shots fired in the Texas Revolution. The colonists put up armed resistance, with the cannon pointed at the Mexican troops, and above it a banner proclaimed, "Come and Take It". Commemoration of the event became the annual "Come and Take It Festival". From October 13 – December 9, the Siege of Bexar became the first major campaign of the Texas Revolution.
Gonzales County was established in 1836.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,070 square miles (2,800 km2), of which 3.2 sq mi (8.3 km2) (0.3%) are covered by water.
Directly connected to the US 183 / I-10 / SH 130 corridor, the Gonzales County roads support average annual daily traffic rated at over 100,000 vehicles by the Texas Department of Transportation; due to its direct adjacency to Greater Austin and Greater San Antonio.
River crossings
Gonzales County and the Texas Department of Transportation provide bridges across the Guadalupe River and the San Marcos River.
North FM 466 / SH 80 bridge; Belmont, extreme-west Gonzales County
North FM 466 / Gonzales County Road 143 bridge; Monthalia, west Gonzales County
North SH 97 / US 183 bridge; City of Gonzales, Texas
East US 90A / FM 2091 bridge; San Marcos River, Ottine
Major highways
The majority of the county's arterial roads have had their names removed and replaced by "County Road" numbered designations. Very few major roads remain properly named on record for Gonzales County, especially outside incorporated areas, including:
Capote Road ( FM 466), Belmont-Leesville to Seguin
Salt Lake Road (CR 266), North Ottine
Harwood Road (CR 230), North Harwood to City-of-Gonzales
Double Live Oak Lane ( FM 1115), North Waelder
Adjacent counties
Caldwell County (north)
Fayette County (northeast)
Lavaca County (east)
Dewitt County (south)
Karnes County (southwest)
Wilson County (west)
Guadalupe County (northwest)
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 19,653. The median age was 40.1 years. 25.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.3 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 57.7% White, 6.0% Black or African American, 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 18.5% from some other race, and 16.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 50.4% of the population.
35.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 64.6% lived in rural areas.
There were 7,275 households in the county, of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.0% were married-couple households, 19.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 8,919 housing units, of which 18.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 68.4% were owner-occupied and 31.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.4%.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,628 people, 6,782 households, and 4,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 17 people per square mile (6.6 people/km2). There were 8,194 housing units at an average density of 8 units per square mile (3.1/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 72.25% White, 8.39% Black or African American, 0.53% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 16.48% from other races, and 2.01% from two or more races. 39.62% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 6,782 households, out of which 34.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.00% were married couples living together, 12.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.00% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 25.70% from 25 to 44, 20.90% from 45 to 64, and 16.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $28,368, and the median income for a family was $35,218. Males had a median income of $23,439 versus $17,027 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,269. About 13.80% of families and 18.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.60% of those under age 18 and 19.40% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
Gonzales (county seat)
Nixon (small part in Wilson County)
Smiley
Waelder
Unincorporated areas
Bebe
Belmont
Leesville
Ottine
Education
School districts include:
Cuero Independent School District
Gonzales Independent School District
Moulton Independent School District
Nixon-Smiley Consolidated Independent School District
Shiner Independent School District
Waelder Independent School District
Yoakum Independent School District
All of the county is in the service area of Victoria College.