
Uvalde, Texas

Uvalde ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Uvalde County, Texas, United States. The population was 15,751 at the 2010 census.
Uvalde was founded by Reading Wood Black in 1853 as the town of Encina. In 1856, when the county was organized, the town was renamed Uvalde after Spanish governor Juan de Ugalde (Cádiz, Andalucía, 1729–1816) and was chosen as county seat. It is usually considered the southern limit of the Texas Hill Country or the most northerly part of South Texas. Historically, Uvalde is known for its production of "huajillo" (also spelled "guajillo") honey, a mild, light-colored honey, dating back to the 1870s.
Geography.
Uvalde is located at (29.214313, -99.789644) at the crossroads of U.S Hwy 90 and U.S. Hwy 83.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.
Uvalde is known as one of the best locations for soaring in the United States. It is the site of the 1991 and 2012 World Gliding Championships.
Climate.
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, dry summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Uvalde has a dry, semi-arid climate, "Cfa", on climate maps.
Demographics.
At the 2010 census, the population was 15,751 people
At the 2000 census, 14,929 people, 4,796 households and 3,716 families resided in the city. The population density was 2,220.2 per square mile (857.8/km). The 5,313 housing units averaged 790.1 per square mile (305.3/km). The racial makeup of the city was 78.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% White, 0.47% African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0% from other races, and 2.97% from two or more races.
Of the 4,796 households, 41.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were not families; 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.50.
About 32.4% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.
The median household income was $25,259 and for a family was $27,897. Males had a median income of $25,600 compared with $15,674 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,735. About 24.2% of families and 29.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.1% of those under age 18 and 23.8% of those age 65 or over.
Education.
The city is served by the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District which serves Uvalde, Real and Zavala Counties. The school district has 10 schools.
Southwest Texas Junior College has a campus near Uvalde, next to Garner Field.
Transportation.
Uvalde, along with San Antonio, Carrizo Springs, Crystal City, and Corpus Christi, was a major stop on the defunct San Antonio, Uvalde and Gulf Railroad, which operated from 1909 until it was merged into the Missouri Pacific Railroad in 1956. From 1909 to 1912, the SAU&G was known as the Crystal City and Uvalde Railroad. The San Antonio-to-Corpus Christi freight route is now within the Union Pacific system.
The City of Uvalde owns Garner Field, a general-aviation airport east of Uvalde.
Notable people.
Uvalde was the home of John Nance "Cactus Jack" Garner, former Speaker of the House and Vice President of the United States; Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey; actress Dale Evans, movie star and singer-songwriter and wife of Roy Rogers; and former Governor of Texas Dolph Briscoe (after whom the post office is named). The city is home to the Grammy Award-winning Tejano/Norteño group Los Palominos.