Nueces County (/njuˈeɪsɪs/ new-AY-siss) is located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 353,178,[1] making it the 16th-most populous county in the state. The county seat is Corpus Christi.[2] The county was formed in 1846 from portions of San Patricio County and organized the following year.[3] It is named for the Nueces River, which marks the county's northwestern boundary with San Patricio County before emptying into its mouth at Nueces Bay north of the port of Corpus Christi. Nueces County is part of the Corpus Christi metropolitan statistical area.
The Indian tribes that lived in and raided the county were the Lipan Apache, Karankawa, Coahuiltecan, Kickapoo, and the Seminole. The final recorded Indian raid in the county happened in April of 1878, when Lipan Apache, Kickapoo, Seminole, Mexicans, and a white man briefly entered the county and onto ranches, before returning west to Laredo. [4]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 1,166 square miles (3,020 km2), of which 838 square miles (2,170 km2) are land and 327 square miles (850 km2) (28%) are covered by water.[5] It borders the Gulf of Mexico.
As of the census[11] of 2000, 313,645 people, 110,365 households, and 79,683 families resided in the county. The population density was 375 people per square mile (145 people/km2). The 123,041 housing units averaged 147 units per square mile (57/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 72.03% White, 4.24% African American, 0.64% Native American, 1.16% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 18.74% from other races, and 3.13% from two or more races. About 55.78% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 110,365 households, 36.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.80% were married couples living together, 15.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.80% were not families. About 22.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the county, the age distribution was 28.40% under the age of 18, 10.50% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 21.10% from 45 to 64, and 11.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,959, and for a family was $41,066. Males had a median income of $31,571 versus $22,324 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,036. About 14.70% of families and 18.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.00% of those under age 18 and 15.80% of those age 65 or over.
In the 2000 U.S. Census, a portion of San Patricio was indicated as being in Nueces County.[12] As of the 1990 U.S. Census, the 2010 U.S. Census, and the 2020 U.S. Census, that particular area is indicated as being in San Patricio County.[13][14][15]
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