Starr

Starr County

Updated on: January 11, 2022
Coordinates
26 34' 12" N, 98 43' 48" W (26.57, -98.73)
State
Texas
Region
South
County Seat:
Rio Grande City
Year Organized:
1848
Total Square Miles:
1229.087
1,223 square miles (3,170 km2) land
5.9 square miles (15 km2) water
Population:
64454 (2017)
Population: 64,122 est. (2016) 60,968 (2010)
Persons/Square Mile:
52
Starr County Website
http://www.co.starr.tx.us/

Contiguous Counties

Jim Hogg (N)
Brooks (NE)
Hidalgo (E)
Zapata (W)
Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, Tamaulipas, Tamaulipas, Mexico (S)
Miguel Alemán Municipality, Tamaulipas, Mexico (SW)

County structure

Government Type:
County
Authority:
Dillon's Rule
Legislative Body:
Commisioners Court
Size of Legislative Body:
5

Demographics

2018 Population:
64454
25 to 64 Years of Age:
44.44%
65 Years of Age and Older:
11.33%

Economy, 2018

Gross Domestic Product (GDP):
$1.4 B
Labor Force:
25,217
Unemployment Rate:
10.10%

County Contact

401 N Britton Avenue
County Courthouse
Rio Grande City, TX

http://www.co.starr.tx.us

The southernmost part of Texas is home to the County of Starr. Four counties surround it: Hidalgo to the east, Brooks to the northeast, Jim Hogg to the north, and Zapata to the west.

The Rio Grande River separates Texas and Mexico. It flows through the southern part of the state. Border Pacific Railroad and US Highway 83 run through Rio Grande City. Located at 26°34′ north, 98°44′ west, this is the county seat.

Starr County Geography

You think of the Rio Grande Plain when you think of Starr County. It’s 1,226 square miles in size and is at an elevation of 200–400 feet above sea level. Sand or light-coloured loamy soils cover reddish or mottled clayey subsoils that are pretty hard in the northeastern region of the County.

There is pale, deep, and well-drained soil in the central part of the County. An example is clay soil that crumbles into a dark grey colour. Limestone is about 40 inches below the surface, broken clayey soils that aren’t remarkably smooth cover brown to red loam along the river.

South Texas Plains is the vegetation zone for Starr County residents. This ecosystem zone makes up this medium- and short-leaved grasses, prickly plants, mesquite, cacti, and live and post oak trees.

At the end of 1982, residents used 80 percent of the land for farming and ranching, 17 percent for cultivation, and 19 percent for irrigation. Only about 1% of the County’s total land area is suitable for agriculture. Sorghum and hay were the primary crops in the area.

Additionally, the County produced a variety of fruits and vegetables, placing it the second producer of onions, honeydew melons, cantaloupes, lettuce, and fourth overall in the state. Oranges and cattle were the most common fruits and livestock found in the area.

Other natural resources in the area were oil or gas and caliche clay and gravel. Gas and oil are being produced in large quantities. Subtropical and humid, with moderate winters and scorching summers, characterize the climate in Starr County.

The year’s temperature ranges widely, from a low of 44 degrees Fahrenheit in January to a high of 99 degrees Fahrenheit in July. Seventy-four degrees Fahrenheit is the year-round average temperature. The growing season lasts 305 days, and the annual rainfall is 22 inches.

Starr County Offices

The County consists of several departments that team up to contribute to the smooth running of the county government. Among the offices in question is the office of the County Auditor. Currently, the head of the department is Xavier Eli Perez. He is in charge of all matters concerning finance within the county offices and protects the county assets. Samuel Trevino and Leticia P. Alaniz work as his deputies. 

Another member of the county offices is the County Clerk who is Humberto Gonzalez. He is responsible for outlining the county agendas, taking the commissioners’ court minutes and issuing public notices concerning the public. You can contact him online through email at [email protected] or telephone at 956-716-4800 x8032.

The county treasurer is Romeo Gonzalez. He works with a group of staff members within his office. They include Anne Belle Garza-Alaniz as the Senior deputy treasurer, Elsa M. Benitez, and Aracely Salinas as the deputy treasurer. To get in touch with him, you can email him at [email protected] or call on the line 956-716-4800. You can also use fax at 956-716-8223.

In addition, there is the office of the County Tax Assessor. Almeida Salinas is the person in charge of the office currently. She is in charge of tax collection within the County and vehicle registration. For more inquiries, you can contact her through the official line at 956-716-4800 or fax at 956-487-8672.

Starr County Economy

Texans in Starr County have a median household income of $30,381. According to Census data from 2020, the median household income for Census Tract 9501.04 was $47,739, followed by that of Census Tract 9501.01 ($46,400) and Census Tract 9501.08 ($45,208).

Males in Texas earn an average of $57,435 compared to the $48,245 made by females, a difference of 1.4 times. People in Texas are poorer than those in other states. In Texas, the income gap is 0.48.

Starr County, Texas, employs 22.1k people. Many individuals work in health care, social assistance, retail, and education in Starr County, Texas. Mining, quarrying, oil and gas production, transportation, storage and distribution, and professional scientific and technical services are the highest-paying businesses in the region, with annual salaries exceeding $44,000.

Starr County Demographics

Among the County’s 64,100 residents, 79.7 percent are citizens of the United States. People in Starr County, Texas, born outside of the United States, make up 28.6 percent of the population (18,300  people).

In 2019, there were more white (Hispanic) residents in Starr County, Texas, than any other race or ethnicity. 3,440 Whites and 2,650 Others rounded out the top three most frequent racial or ethnic backgrounds (Non-Hispanic).

Starr County Housing

For the year 2020, the median value of a home in Starr County was $70,000. This rate was only 0.299 times as much as the average American household’s annual income of $240,500. There was an increase in home purchases from 5.27 percent in 2018 to $7.27 percent in 2019.

In Starr County, Texas, 75.1 percent of the population owns their own house, which is higher than the national average of 66.9 percent. Getting to work in Starr County, Texas, takes an average of 25.1 minutes, and the majority of people drive alone. A typical household in Starr County owns two cars, which is in line with the national average.

Starr County Climate

Starr County experiences its hottest month of the year in August, with an average high temperature of 99.7°F. Temperatures range from 70 to 85 degrees for most of the year. It would be best to visit the County throughout November, March, and February for the best weather (Starr County).

At 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit, the evening temperature in Starr County is the lowest in January. In comparison to the rest of Texas, this is noticeably warmer.

During the summer months, the humidity in Starr County can feel hectic, but it’s often comfortable. Because of the high humidity levels, July and June have been dubbed “suffocating months.” When it comes to the humid season, the optimum months are November through April.

Rainfall in Starr County averages 4.1 inches in September, while March is the driest month (0.8 inches). Precipitation distributes evenly throughout the year, with Winter receiving 34% of the total precipitation and Spring receiving just 14%. With an average yearly rainfall of 21.2 inches, Starr County is one of the driest areas in Texas.

Starr County is one of the least snowy places in Texas. In the County, a significant amount of snowfall is exceedingly rare.