Karnes County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,710. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

Karnes City Karnes City is a city in and county seat of Karnes County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,111 at the 2020 census, up from 3,042 at the 2010 census. The town was named after Henry Karnes of the Texas Revolution. Karnes is sout ...

. The county is named for

Henry Karnes Henry Wax Karnes (September 8, 1812August 16, 1840) was notable as a soldier and figure of the Texas Revolution, as well as the commander of General Sam Houston's "Spy Squad" at the Battle of San Jacinto. Biography Henry Wax Karnes, a native of ...

, a soldier in the Texas Revolution. The former

San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway The San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway first began operation in the U.S. state of Texas in 1886. It was developed by Uriah Lott and businessmen of San Antonio as a direct route from the city to Aransas Bay on the Texas Gulf coast. It was eventual ...

passed through Karnes County in its connection linking

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...

with Corpus Christi.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.8%) is water.

Major highways

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

Adjacent counties

Gonzales County 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 a ...

(northeast) * DeWitt County (east) * Goliad County (southeast) * Bee County (south) * Live Oak County (southwest) * Atascosa County (west) *

Wilson County Wilson County is the name of four counties in the United States: *Wilson County, Kansas *Wilson County, North Carolina *Wilson County, Tennessee *Wilson County, Texas Wilson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 202 ...

(northwest)

Demographics

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

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

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 15,446 people, 4,454 households, and 3,246 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 21 people per square mile (8/km²). There were 5,479 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile (3/km²). The

racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

of the county was 68.55%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 10.79% Black or African American, 0.68% Native American, 0.43%

Asian American Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry (including naturalized Americans who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of such immigrants). Although this term had historically been used for all the indigenous people ...

, 0.06%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 17.23% of other races, and 2.26% of

two or more races 2 (two) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 1 and preceding 3. It is the smallest and only even prime number. Because it forms the basis of a duality, it has religious and spiritual significance in many cultur ...

. 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 Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $13,603. About 18.50% of families and 21.90% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, 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.

Communities

Cities

* Falls City *

(county seat) * Kenedy

Town

Runge Runge may refer to: Locations *Runge, Texas, a town, United States *Runge (crater), a lunar crater Mare Smythii Other uses *Runge Newspapers, a newspaper chain in Ontario, Canada *Inspector Heinrich Runge (though it is more often spelled a ...

Unincorporated communities

* Cestohowa *

Choate Choate may refer to: Places Canada * Choate, British Columbia, a locality in the Fraser Canyon of British Columbia, Canada * , a lake in the Cariboo region of British Columbia, Canada United States * Choate Mental Health and Development Center, a ...

* Ecleto * Gillett * Hobson * Panna Maria

Ghost towns

* Helena *

Wintergreen Wintergreen is a group of aromatic plants. The term "wintergreen" once commonly referred to plants that remain green (continue photosynthesis) throughout the winter. The term "evergreen" is now more commonly used for this characteristic. Mos ...

Politics

Education

School districts include: * Falls City Independent School District *

Karnes City Independent School District Karnes City Independent School District is a public school district based in Karnes City, Texas ( USA). Located in Karnes County, a small portion of the district extends into Atascosa County. In 2009, the school district was rated " recognized ...

* Kenedy Independent School District * Nixon-Smiley Consolidated Independent School District * Nordheim Independent School District * Pawnee Independent School District *

Pettus Independent School District Pettus Independent School District is a public school district based in the community of Pettus, Texas, Pettus, Texas (United States, USA). In addition to Pettus, the district serves the communities of Tuleta, Texas, Tuleta, Tulsita, Texas, Tuls ...

* Runge Independent School District

Coastal Bend College Coastal Bend College (CBC), formerly known as Bee County College (BCC), is a community college that has its main campus in Beeville, Texas, and which operates branch campuses in Alice, Kingsville, and Pleasanton, Texas. As defined by the Texas ...

(formerly Bee County College) is the designated community college for the county.Texas Education Code Sec. 130.167. BEE COUNTY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
The legislation calls it "Bee County College".

References

External links

The Karnes Countywide newspaper

Henry Karnes' entry
in Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas hosted by the Portal to Texas History]. *
Genealogy in Karnes County, Texas
{{authority control Karnes County, Texas, 1854 establishments in Texas Populated places established in 1854