Victoria County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 91,319. Its county seat is also named Victoria. Victoria County is included in the Victoria, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area, and comprises the entirety of the Victoria, TX media market.

History

Through colonial times

Paleo-Indians Hunter-gatherers, and later Tonkawa, Aranamas, Tamiques, Karankawa. Tawakoni, Lipan Apache and Comanche were the first inhabitants of modern-day Victoria County. In 1685, René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle established Fort St. Louis. In 1689, Alonso de Leon named the Guadalupe River in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In 1722, Nuestra Señora de Loreto Presidio and Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga became the first Spanish settlement in Victoria County. In 1824, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Jesús Victoria (the future city of Victoria) is established by Martín De León, who started his colony with 5,000 branded cattle and established the county's claim as the "Cradle of the Texas Cattle Industry." The only primarily Mexican colony in Texas. In 1835, Victoria's settlers supported the revolution against Antonio López de Santa Anna, but were ostracized by new incoming Americans, many of whom were adventurous soldiers or fortune hunters, who wrongly profiled them as Mexican sympathizers and forced them to flee after the revolution in 1836. Anglo-Americans resettle the area. In 1836, Victory County was formed by the Republic of Texas. It is named after Guadalupe Victoria, the first President of Mexico. Three thousand troops of the Texas army encamped near Spring Creek, Victoria County, under the command of Gen. Thomas J. Rusk, as the main defense against a threatened attack by Mexican general José de Urrea. In 1842, Rafael Vásquez and Adrián Woll led Mexican forces in an invasion into the county.

Post-Revolution through Civil War

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 91,319 people, 32,520 households, and 22,172 families residing in the county. As of the census of 2000, there were 84,088 people, 30,071 households, and 22,192 families residing in the county. The population density was 95 /mi2. There were 32,945 housing units at an average density of 37 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 74.22% White, 6.30% Black or African American, 0.53% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 15.92% from other races, and 2.22% from two or more races. 39.20% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 16.2% were of German, 6.2% American and 5.6% English ancestry according to Census 2000. 73.3% spoke English and 25.5% Spanish as their first language. There were 30,071 households, out of which 37.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% were married couples living together, 12.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.20% were non-families. 22.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.23. In the county, the population was spread out, with 29.10% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.70 males. The median income for a household in the county was $38,732, and the median income for a family was $44,443. Males had a median income of $35,484 versus $21,231 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,379. About 10.50% of families and 12.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.20% of those under age 18 and 11.70% of those age 65 or over.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 889 sqmi, of which 882 sqmi is land and 6.7 sqmi (0.8%) is water.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Politics

County government

Victoria County elected officials

Communities

City

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Education

School districts include: All of the county is in the service area of Victoria College. University of Houston-Victoria is in Victoria.