| Webb County | |
| Official Name: | County of Webb |
| Settlement Type: | County |
| Image Flag: | Flag of the Republic of the Rio Grande.svg |
| Image Map1: | Map of Texas highlighting Webb County.svg |
| Map Caption1: | Location within the U.S. state of Texas |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Established Date: | January 28, 1848 |
| Established Title1: | Organized |
| Established Date1: | March 16, 1848 |
| Named For: | James Webb |
| Seat Type: | County seat |
| Seat: | Laredo |
| Parts Type: | Largest city |
| Parts: | Laredo |
| Unit Pref: | US |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 3375 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 3361 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 14 |
| Area Water Percent: | 0.4 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 267114 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | auto |
| Area Code: | 956 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Blank Name Sec1: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info Sec1: | 48479 |
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | GNIS feature ID |
| Website: | www.webbcountytx.gov |
| Timezone: | Central |
| Utc Offset: | -6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -5 |
| Government Type: | Commissioners Court |
Webb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 267,114.[1] [2] Its county seat is Laredo.[3] The county was named after James Webb (1792–1856), who served as secretary of the treasury, secretary of state, and attorney general of the Republic of Texas, and later judge of the United States District Court following the admission of Texas to statehood. By area, Webb County is the largest county in South Texas and the sixth-largest in the state. Webb County comprises the Laredo metropolitan area. Webb County is the only county in the United States to border three foreign states or provinces, sharing borders with Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas.
Webb County has a minority majority, with 95.2% of the population of the county identifying as Hispanic. This makes Webb the county with the second-highest proportion of Hispanic people in the continental United States after Starr County, and it has the highest proportion of Hispanic people among counties with a population over 100,000.[4]
See also: Timeline of Laredo, Texas. Webb County was split in 1856. Encinal County was established on February 1, 1856, and was to have consisted of the eastern portion of Webb County. However, Encinal County was never organized and was finally dissolved on March 12, 1899, with its territory returned as part of Webb County.
Much of Webb County history is based on the prevalence of ranching in the 19th century and continuing thereafter. The Webb County Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit organization that seeks to preserve documents and artifacts of the past to guarantee that the regional history is not lost to upcoming generations. In 2015, the foundation, headed by President James E. Moore, presented Heritage Awards to such local notables as the artist Janet Krueger, journalist Maria Eugenia Guerra, and Laredo Community College art instructor Martha F. Fenstermaker (1943-2014).[5]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which are land and (0.4%) are covered by water.[6]
The Webb County - City of Laredo Regional Mobility Authority has responsibility for a comprehensive transport system in the region.
| White alone (NH) | 9,508 | 8,345 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 9,495 | 4.92% | 3.33% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 3.55% | |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 294 | 487 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 788 | 0.15% | 0.19% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 0.30% | |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 144 | 95 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 135 | 0.07% | 0.04% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 0.05% | |
| Asian alone (NH) | 783 | 1,320 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 1,300 | 0.41% | 0.53% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 0.49% | |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 16 | 11 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 25 | 0.01% | 0.00% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 0.01% | |
| Some other race alone (NH) | 22 | 130 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 458 | 0.01% | 0.05% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 0.17% | |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 280 | 263 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 559 | 0.14% | 0.11% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 0.21% | |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 182,070 | 239,653 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 254,354 | 94.28% | 95.74% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 95.22% | |
| Total | 193,117 | 250,304 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 267,114 | 100.00% | 100.00% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 100.00% |
As of the 2015 Texas Population Estimate Program, the population of the county was 273,536. The racial makeup of the county was 99.8% White and 0.2% Black or African American. The ethnic makeup of the county was non-Hispanic whites 8,699 (3.2%), Black Americans 552 (0.2%), and other non-Hispanic 2,134 (0.8%). Hispanics and Latinos (of any race) 262,151 (95.8%).
As of the census[10] of 2000, 193,117 people, 50,740 households, and 43,433 families resided in the county. The county gained 57,000 additional residents between 2000 and 2010. The population density was 58 people/sq mi (22/km2). The 55,206 housing units averaged 16/sq mi (6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 82.16% White, 0.37% Black or African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 14.02% from other races, and 2.54% from two or more races. About 94% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 50,740 households, 53.20% had children under 18 living with them, 62.60% were married couples living together, 18.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.40% were not families; 12.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.75, and the average family size was 4.10.
In the county, the age distribution was 36.20% under 18, 11.40% from 18 to 24, 29.30% from 25 to 44, 15.60% from 45 to 64, and 7.60% who were 65 or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $28,100, and for a family was $29,394. Males had a median income of $23,618 versus $19,018 for females. The per capita income for the county was $10,759. About 26.70% of families and 31.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.40% of those under age 18 and 26.90% of those age 65 or over.
Given the overwhelming Democratic allegiance in Webb County, Republicans rarely offer candidates for county office. In the March 4, 2014, primary, 1,151 (4.6 percent) voted in the Republican primary in Webb County, compared to 23,958 (95.4 percent) in the Democratic contests.[11] Webb County elections administrator Carlos Villarreal reported a 24% turnout in the November 4, 2014, general election in Webb County. County officials have requested that Villarreal develop a plan to increase turnout for 2016. County Democratic Chairman Alberto Torres, Jr., suggested improvements in the election division website with clear maps of voter boundaries. Torres said that such better services might motivate persons to vote regularly.[12]
Three school districts serve Webb County:[13]
Prior to 1994, Webb CISD served only Bruni and Oilton. Mirando City Independent School District served the community of Mirando City from 1923 to 2005. Prior to 1994, all Mirando City children attended Mirando City ISD schools. After the spring of 1994, Mirando City High School closed. Therefore, from the fall of 1994 to July 1, 2005, WCISD served high schoolers from Mirando City, while Mirando Elementary School in the Mirando City ISD served pupils from kindergarten through eighth grade. On May 9, 2005, the Texas Education Agency ordered the closure of Mirando City ISD. The district closed on July 1, 2005, and all students were rezoned to Webb CISD schools.[14]
The private Holding Institute is a former United Methodist boarding school operating as a downtown Laredo community center.
All residents are zoned to Laredo College.[15]