Lavaca County, Texas

This article is about the county in Texas. For other places called Lavaca, see Lavaca.

Lavaca County (/ləˈvɑːkə/ ^ⓘ lə-VAH-kə) is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 20,337.^[1] Its county seat is Hallettsville.^[2] The county was created in 1846.^[3] It is named for the Lavaca River, which curves its way southeast through Moulton and Hallettsville before reaching the coast at Matagorda Bay.^[4]

Lavaca County
County
The Lavaca County Courthouse in Hallettsville
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 29°23′N 96°56′W
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1846
Named after	Lavaca River
Seat	Hallettsville
Largest city	Yoakum
Area
• Total	970 sq mi (2,500 km2)
• Land	970 sq mi (2,500 km2)
• Water	0.7 sq mi (2 km2)  0.08%
Population  (2020)
• Total	20,337
• Density	21/sq mi (8.1/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	27th
Website	www.co.lavaca.tx.us

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 970 square miles (2,500 km²), of which 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) (0.08%) is covered by water.^[5]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 77
• 
  U.S. Highway 77 Alternate
• 
  U.S. Highway 90 Alternate
• State Highway 95
• State Highway 111

Adjacent counties

• Fayette County (north)
• Colorado County (northeast)
• Jackson County (southeast)
• Victoria County (south)
• DeWitt County (southwest)
• Gonzales County (northwest)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	1,571		—
1860	5,945		278.4%
1870	9,168		54.2%
1880	13,641		48.8%
1890	21,887		60.5%
1900	28,121		28.5%
1910	26,418		−6.1%
1920	28,964		9.6%
1930	27,550		−4.9%
1940	25,485		−7.5%
1950	22,159		−13.1%
1960	20,174		−9.0%
1970	17,903		−11.3%
1980	19,004		6.1%
1990	18,690		−1.7%
2000	19,210		2.8%
2010	19,263		0.3%
2020	20,337		5.6%
2021 (est.)	20,544		1.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1850–2010[7] 2010[8] 2020[9]

Lavaca 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 2000[10]	Pop 2010[8]	Pop 2020[9]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	15,579	14,674	14,564	81.10%	76.18%	71.61%
Black or African American alone (NH)	1,287	1,255	1,173	6.70%	6.52%	5.77%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	28	30	30	0.15%	0.16%	0.15%
Asian alone (NH)	26	56	74	0.14%	0.29%	0.36%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	3	17	5	0.02%	0.09%	0.02%
Other race alone (NH)	18	18	31	0.09%	0.09%	0.15%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	86	136	524	0.45%	0.71%	2.58%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2,183	3,077	3,936	11.36%	15.97%	19.35%
Total	19,210	19,263	20,337	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the census^[11] of 2000, 19,210 people, 7,669 households, and 5,391 families were residing in the county. The population density was 20 people per square mile (7.7 people/km²). The 9,657 housing units had an average density of 10 units per square mile (3.9 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 86.86% White, 6.79% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 4.86% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. About 11.36% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race. Of descent, 27.0% were of Czech, 24.1% German, 9.1% American, and 5.1% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000; 86.3% spoke English, 7.7% Spanish, 4.6% Czech and 1.2% German as their first language. In terms of ancestry in 2016, 32.8% were of German, 30.7% were of Czech, 10.8% were of Irish, 5.4% were of English, 3.4% were of American, and 2.2% were French.

Of the 7,669 households, 30.0% had children under 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were not families. About 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.44, and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the age distribution was 24.2% under 18, 6.90% from 18 to 24, 23.50% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 21.80% who were 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.10 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 88.50 males.

The median income for a household was $29,132, and for a family was $36,760. Males had a median income of $26,988 versus $17,537 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,398. About 10.20% of families and 13.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.20% of those under age 18 and 18.40% of those age 65 or over.

Education

These K-12 school public school districts are located in Lavaca County:^[12]

• Ezzell Independent School District
• Hallettsville Independent School District (includes portions it covers for K-12, and portions in Vysehrad ISD that it covers only for secondary school)
• Moulton Independent School District
• Shiner Independent School District
• Sweet Home Independent School District
• Weimar Independent School District
• Yoakum Independent School District

Additionally, Vysehrad Independent School District is an elementary-only school district.^[12]

All of the county is in the service area of Victoria College.^[13]

Communities

Cities

• Hallettsville (county seat)
• Shiner
• Yoakum (partly in DeWitt County)

Town

• Moulton

Unincorporated communities

• Breslau
• Sweet Home
• Speaks
• Sublime

Politics

For all of its history, Lavaca County has had conservative roots and morals. It last voted for a Democrat in 1976 when Georgian Jimmy Carter was on the Democrat ticket. Each successive election thereafter, Lavaca County has continued to tilt more to the right.

All county level officials are Republicans.

United States presidential election results for Lavaca County, Texas^[14]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	9,215	87.79%	1,235	11.77%	47	0.45%
2020	8,804	86.27%	1,333	13.06%	68	0.67%
2016	7,347	84.79%	1,170	13.50%	148	1.71%
2012	6,796	81.74%	1,428	17.18%	90	1.08%
2008	6,293	76.30%	1,869	22.66%	86	1.04%
2004	5,974	73.06%	2,152	26.32%	51	0.62%
2000	5,288	70.08%	2,171	28.77%	87	1.15%
1996	3,697	53.93%	2,575	37.56%	583	8.50%
1992	3,362	43.24%	2,700	34.72%	1,714	22.04%
1988	4,377	54.97%	3,531	44.35%	54	0.68%
1984	5,058	67.15%	2,464	32.71%	10	0.13%
1980	3,254	54.24%	2,678	44.64%	67	1.12%
1976	2,466	41.35%	3,458	57.98%	40	0.67%
1972	3,288	69.65%	1,429	30.27%	4	0.08%
1968	1,698	31.95%	2,165	40.74%	1,451	27.31%
1964	1,480	26.83%	4,031	73.07%	6	0.11%
1960	1,507	27.29%	4,002	72.47%	13	0.24%
1956	2,509	50.78%	2,412	48.82%	20	0.40%
1952	3,599	56.58%	2,750	43.23%	12	0.19%
1948	1,165	25.83%	3,046	67.52%	300	6.65%
1944	960	19.37%	3,406	68.74%	589	11.89%
1940	1,412	36.81%	2,419	63.06%	5	0.13%
1936	403	15.38%	2,204	84.12%	13	0.50%
1932	224	4.86%	4,378	94.91%	11	0.24%
1928	911	24.27%	2,842	75.73%	0	0.00%
1924	746	14.15%	3,290	62.42%	1,235	23.43%
1920	100	3.13%	1,249	39.10%	1,845	57.76%
1916	936	31.55%	1,784	60.13%	247	8.32%
1912	265	12.30%	1,455	67.52%	435	20.19%

United States Senate election results for Lavaca County, Texas1^[15]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	8,915	85.56%	1,378	13.23%	126	1.21%

See also

• Texas portal

• List of museums in South Texas
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Lavaca County, Texas
• Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Lavaca County