Bexar County, Texas


Bexar County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. It is in South Texas and its county seat is San Antonio.
As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,009,324, making it the state's fourth-most populous county. Bexar County is included in the San Antonio–New Braunfels, TX metropolitan statistical area. It is the 16th-most populous county in the nation and the fourth-most populated in Texas. Bexar County has a large Hispanic population with a significant growing African American population. With a population that is 59.3% Hispanic as of 2020, it is Texas' most populous majority-Hispanic county and the third-largest such nationwide.

History

Bexar County was created on December 20, 1836, and encompassed almost the entire western portion of the Republic of Texas. This included the disputed areas of eastern New Mexico northward to Wyoming. After statehood, 128 counties were carved out of its area.
The county was named for San Antonio de Béxar, one of the 23 Mexican municipalities of Texas at the time of its independence. San Antonio de Béxar—originally Villa de San Fernando de Béxar—was the first civil government established by the Spanish in the province of Texas. Specifically, the municipality was created in 1731 when 55 Canary Islanders settled near the system of missions that had been established around the source of the San Antonio River. The new settlement was named after the Presidio San Antonio de Béjar, the Spanish military outpost that protected the missions. The presidio, located at the San Pedro Springs, was founded in 1718 and named for Viceroy Balthasar Manuel de Zúñiga y Guzmán Sotomayor y Sarmiento, second son of the Duke of Béjar. The modern city of San Antonio in the U.S. state of Texas also derived its name from San Antonio de Béjar.

Native Americans and the Texas-Indian Wars

Natives that lived in the county included the Lipan Apache, Payaya, Tonkawa, and Comanche. From the early 1700s to the late 1800s, the county was a target of several raids and attacks by Native Americans, mainly Comanches and Kiowas. In 1831, a presidial company exterminated a band of Comanches in the western part of the county.In 1840, Comanches and Texans fought at the Council House Fight in what was supposed to be a peaceful meeting. On March 5, 1856, six Comanches attacked and killed two settlers on Cibolo Creek.In 1869, Kickapoos stole horses and killed settlers in the county. In 1870, Comanches killed Helotes settlers and stole horses. Also, in 1871, Indians raided the Maverick Ranch in the northwestern part of the county. The last Indian raid in the county occurred on July 9, 1873, when a raiding party of Indians and Mexicans killed settlers, including a well known Indian fighter, John Frank Green, in the northwestern part of the county, also relatively close to Helotes.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which are covered by water. Bexar County is in south-central Texas, about west of Houston and from both the US-Mexican border to the southwest and the Gulf of Mexico to the southeast.
The Balcones Escarpment bisects the county from west to northeast; to the north of the escarpment are the rocky hills, springs and canyons of the Texas Hill Country. South of the escarpment are Blackland Prairie and the South Texas plains. The San Antonio River rises from springs north of Downtown San Antonio, and flows southward and southeastward through the county.

Major highways

Bexar County has a comprehensive "wagon wheel" highway system, with radial highways and beltways that encircle Downtown San Antonio, allowing for simplified countywide highway access, much like the highway around Houston or Dallas. San Antonio is unique, however, in that unlike Houston or Dallas, none of these highways are currently tolled.

Cities

Multiple counties

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 2,009,324. The median age was 34.9 years. 24.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 13.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.3 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 45.8% White, 8.0% Black or African American, 1.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.4% Asian, 0.2% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 15.3% from some other race, and 26.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 59.3% of the population.
95.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 4.7% lived in rural areas.
There were 726,886 households in the county, of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 44.5% were married-couple households, 19.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 794,173 housing units, of which 8.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 58.7% were owner-occupied and 41.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.5%.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 1,714,773 people living in the county. Of those, 72.9% were White, 7.5% Black or African American, 2.4% Asian, 0.8% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 12.7% of some other race and 3.5% of two or more races. 58.7% were Hispanic or Latino.
A Williams Institute analysis of 2010 census data found there were about 6.2 same-sex couples per 1,000 households in the county.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 1,392,931 people, 488,942 households, and 345,681 families were residing in the county. The population density was. There were 521,359 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 68.86% White, 7.18% Black or African American, 0.80% Native American, 1.61% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 17.80% from other races, and 3.64% from two or more races. About 54.35% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of 488,942 households, 36.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.50% were married couples living together, 15.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were not families. About 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.33.
In the county, the population was distributed as 28.50% under the age of 18, 10.70% from 18 to 24, 30.60% from 25 to 44, 19.90% from 45 to 64, and 10.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.20 males.
The median income for a household was $38,328, and for a family was $43,724. Males had a median income of $30,756 versus $24,920 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,363. About 12.70% of families and 15.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.40% of those under age 18 and 12.20% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Bexar County is governed by a Commissioners Court, composed of four Commissioners and one County Judge, who acts as the presiding officer. The Commissioners represent their respective precincts, which are roughly equal in population and geographic area. On July 12, 2011, the Commissioners Court established the Office of the County Manager to streamline "the functions, offices and departments that report to Commissioners Court."

Corrections

The Bexar County jail facilities are at 200 North Comal in downtown San Antonio, operated by the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. In late 2012, press reports noted an increase in the number of suicides at the facility. The issue was a topic of debate in the election for sheriff that year. The jail holds an average of about 3,800 prisoners in 2012, with a total capacity of 4,596, making it the fourth-largest in the state.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates the Dominguez Unit, a state jail for men, in an unincorporated section of Bexar County.