Real County, Texas
CountyReal County
Founded1913
StateTexas
Seat wlLeakey
Largest city wlCamp Wood
Area total700 sq mi
Area land699 sq mi
Area water0.9 sq mi
Census yr2020
Pop2758
Pop est as of2025
Population est2745
Ex imageReal courthouse.jpg
Ex image size250
Ex image capThe Real County Courthouse in Leakey, built in 1918 from local limestone, and renovated in 1978
Time zoneCentral
District21st
Named forJulius Real
Area total1813 km²

Real County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 2,758.[1] The county seat is Leakey.[2] The county is named for Julius Real (1860–1944), a former member of the Texas State Senate. The Alto Frio Baptist Encampment is located in an isolated area of Real County southeast of Leakey.

History

  • 1762–1771: Looking for protection from Comanches, Lipan Apache chief El Gran Cabezón persuades Franciscans and the Spanish military to establish San Lorenzo de la Santa Cruz Mission on the Nueces River. The mission was abandoned in 1771[3]
  • 1856: John and Nancy Leakey settle in Frio Canyon.[4]
  • 1857: The original Camp Wood is established on the Nueces River near the site of the former San Lorenzo mission.[5]
  • 1864: Lipan Apaches attack the family of George Schwander in the abandoned ruins of the San Lorenzo mission.[6]
  • 1868: Theophilus Watkins, F. Smith and Newman Patterson construct a gravity flow irrigation canal from the Frio River that operates for a century.[7][8]
  • 1879: Indians attack and kill Jennie Coalson, wife of Nic Coalson, and two children at Half Moon Prairie.[9]
  • 1881: Lipan Apaches strike the McLauren home at Buzzard's Roost in the Frio Canyon. Last Indian raid in southwest Texas.[10]
  • 1910: Crop farming declines in the county, livestock ranching gains prominence, in particular angora goats.[9]
  • 1913: On April 3,[11] the Texas state legislature establishes Real County from parts of Edwards, Bandera, and Kerr counties. Leakey is the county seat.[9]
  • 1920: Camp Wood township is founded and becomes a railroad terminus to transport heart cedar.[12]
  • 1924: Charles A. Lindbergh lands in Real County.[13][14]
  • 1948: Farm to Market Road 337 is completed.[9][15]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 700.1 square miles (1,813 km2), of which 699 square miles (1,810 km2) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2) (0.1%) is water.[16]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 2,758. The median age was 56.3 years, with 17.3% of residents under the age of 18 and 34.3% of residents 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 103.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 99.0 males age 18 and over.[17][18]

The racial makeup of the county was 80.2% White, 1.0% Black or African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 5.6% from some other race, and 11.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 25.1% of the population.[18]

<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[19]

There were 1,164 households in the county, of which 21.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.8% were married-couple households, 18.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[17]

There were 1,656 housing units, of which 29.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 80.7% were owner-occupied and 19.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.8%.[17]

Racial and ethnic composition

Real County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
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 may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980[20]Pop 1990[21]Pop 2000[22]Pop 2010[23]Pop 2020[24]% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)1,9011,8142,3062,398style='background: #ffffe6; |1,94076.99%75.21%75.68%72.47%style='background: #ffffe6; |70.34%
Black or African American alone (NH)10520style='background: #ffffe6; |220.04%0.00%0.16%0.60%style='background: #ffffe6; |0.80%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)13231223style='background: #ffffe6; |80.53%0.95%0.39%0.70%style='background: #ffffe6; |0.29%
Asian alone (NH)1062style='background: #ffffe6; |120.04%0.00%0.20%0.06%style='background: #ffffe6; |0.44%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x [25]x [26]112style='background: #ffffe6; |3xx0.03%0.36%style='background: #ffffe6; |0.11%
Other race alone (NH)1101style='background: #ffffe6; |20.04%0.04%0.00%0.03%style='background: #ffffe6; |0.07%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x [27]x [28]2939style='background: #ffffe6; |79xx0.95%1.18%style='background: #ffffe6; |2.86%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)552574688814style='background: #ffffe6; |69222.36%23.80%22.58%24.60%style='background: #ffffe6; |25.09%
Total2,4692,4123,0473,309style='background: #ffffe6; |2,758 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 3,047 people, 1,245 households, and 869 families resided in the county. The population density was 4 /mi2. The 2,007 housing units averaged 3 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 91.40% White, 0.20% Black or African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 6.01% from other races, and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were about 22.58% of the population.[29]

Of the 1,245 households, 26.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.40% were married couples living together, 7.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.20% were not families. About 28.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the county, the population was distributed as 23.40% under the age of 18, 5.40% from 18 to 24, 21.50% from 25 to 44, 28.80% from 45 to 64, and 20.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,118, and for a family was $29,839. Males had a median income of $21,076 versus $18,352 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,321. About 17.40% of families and 21.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.60% of those under age 18 and 15.00% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated community

Education

School districts include:[30]

The designated community college is Southwest Texas Junior College.[31]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Real County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Chipman, Donald E. "San Lorenzo de la Santa Cruz Mission". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  4. ^ "John Leakey". Texas State Historical Markers. William Nienke, Sam Morrow. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  5. ^ Minton, John. "Original Camp Wood". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  6. ^ Michno, Gregory and Susan (2007). A Fate Worse Than Death: Indian Captivities in the West 1830-1885. Caxton Press. p. 253. ISBN 978-0-87004-451-9.
  7. ^ Lewis, Sallie. "Theophilus Watkins". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  8. ^ Minton, John. "Rio Frio, Texas". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  9. ^ Minton, John. "Real County, Texas". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  10. ^ "Site of McLauren Massacre - Leakey, Real County, Texas". Texas State Historical Markers. William Nienke, Sam Morrow. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  11. ^ "The Formation of Real County" Archived December 7, 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ Minton, John. "Camp Wood Township". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  13. ^ Cox, Mike. "Lindbergh". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  14. ^ "Charles A. Lindbergh in Texas - Camp Wood, Real County, Texas". Texas State Historical Markers. William Nienke, Sam Morrow. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  15. ^ "FM337". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  16. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  17. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  18. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  19. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  20. ^ "1980 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics- Texas - Table 15. Persons by Race and Table 16. Total Persons and Spanish Origin Persons by Type of Spanish Origin and Race". United States Census Bureau. p. 21-46. Archived October 7, 2022 at the Wayback Machine.
  21. ^ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics- Texas - Table 3. Race and Hispanic Origin: 1990". United States Census Bureau. p. 29-138. Archived February 3, 2026 at the Wayback Machine.
  22. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Real County, Texas". United States Census Bureau
  23. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Real County, Texas". United States Census Bureau
  24. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Real County, Texas". United States Census Bureau
  25. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  26. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  27. ^ not an option in the 1980 Census
  28. ^ not an option in the 1990 Census
  29. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  30. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Real County, TX". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived May 25, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 30, 2022. - Text list
  31. ^ Texas Education Code: Sec. 130.200. SOUTHWEST TEXAS JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.