Live Oak County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 11,335. Its county seat is George West. The county was named for the groves of live oak within its borders.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (3.6%) is water. It is home to the

Choke Canyon Reservoir Choke Canyon Reservoir is a reservoir in South Texas, United States. The lake and the dam that creates it are owned by the United States Bureau of Reclamation and managed by the City of Corpus Christi. Geography Choke Canyon Reservoir is 4 mi ...

Major highways

Interstate 37 Interstate 37 (I-37) is a Interstate Highway located within the southern portion of the US state of Texas. The highway was first designated in 1959 as a route between Corpus Christi and San Antonio. Construction in the urban areas of C ...

U.S. Highway 59 U.S. Route 59 (US 59) is a north–south United States highway (though it was signed east–west in parts of Texas). A latecomer to the U.S. numbered route system, US 59 is now a border-to-border route, part of the NAFTA superhighway, NAFTA ...

Interstate 69W Interstate 69W (I-69W) is a relatively short north–south Interstate Highway running through South Texas in the United States. The freeway begins northeast of the middle of World Trade International Bridge in Laredo and ends at I-35. In ...

is currently under construction and will follow the current route of U.S. 59 in most places. * US 281

U.S. Highway 281 U.S. Route 281 (US 281) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway. At it is the longest continuous three-digit U.S. Route. The highway's northern terminus is at the International Peace Garden, north of Dunseith, North Dakota, at t ...

Interstate 69C is currently under construction and will follow the current route of U.S. 281 in most places south of George West. * Texas 72

SH 72 *

FM 99 *

FM 624 *

FM 799 *

FM 833

Adjacent counties

Karnes County Karnes County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,710. Its county seat is Karnes City. The county is named for Henry Karnes, a soldier in the Texas Revolution. The former San Antonio and Arans ...

(northeast) * Bee County (east) *

San Patricio County San Patricio County is located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 68,755. Its county seat is Sinton, Texas, Sinton. San Patricio County is part of the Corpus Christi, Texas, Corpus C ...

(southeast) *

Jim Wells County Jim Wells County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, its population was 38,891. The county was founded in 1911 and is named for James B. Wells, Jr. (1850-1923), for t ...

(south) * Duval County (southwest) * McMullen County (west) *

Atascosa County Atascosa County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is in South Texas and its county seat is Jourdanton. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 48,981. Atascosa County is part of the San Antonio- New B ...

(northwest)

Demographics

''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.'' As of the census of 2000, there were 12,309 people, 4,230 households, and 3,070 families residing in the county. The population density was 12 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 6,196 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 87.28% White, 2.45% Black or African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 7.72% from other races, and 1.94% from two or more races. 38.05% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 4,230 households, out of which 30.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.10% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 23.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.00. In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.30% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 27.10% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64, and 16.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 122.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 129.80 males. The median income for a household in the county was $32,057, and the median income for a family was $38,235. Males had a median income of $30,061 versus $19,665 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,886. About 14.10% of families and 16.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.20% of those under age 18 and 11.70% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

The Federal Bureau of Prisons, Federal Correctional Institution, Three Rivers is located in unincorporated Live Oak County, near Three Rivers.

Politics

Live Oak County mostly voted Democratic for the first half of the 20th century. The Republicans became more successful in the county following the election of Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952. It last voted for the Democrats in 1976 when Jimmy Carter won the state of Texas and the presidency. It was won by

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

in his landslide victory against Carter in 1980 and has voted Republican ever since.

Communities

Cities

* George West (county seat) * Three Rivers

Village

* Pernitas Point (small part in

)

Unincorporated communities

* Dinero * Oakville * Ray Point * Swinney Switch * Whitsett

Ghost town

* Lebanon

Education

School districts include: *

George West Independent School District George West Independent School District is a public school district based in George West, Texas (USA The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental Un ...

Mathis Independent School District Mathis Independent School District is a public school district based in Mathis, Texas (USA). Located in San Patricio County, small portions of the district extend into Live Oak and Bee counties. Other communities served by the district include ...

Three Rivers Independent School District Three Rivers Independent School District is a public school district based in Three Rivers, Texas (USA). Located in Live Oak County, the district extends into a small portion of Bee County. In 2009, the school district was rated "academically ...

Coastal Bend College (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

Live Oak County government’s website
*
"Live Oak County Profile" from the Texas Association of Counties

{{authority control 1856 establishments in Texas Populated places established in 1856