Waelder, Texas

Waelder (/ˈwɛldər/ WEL-dər) is a city in Gonzales County, Texas, United States and is also part of the Texas-German belt. The population was 933 at the 2020 census.

Waelder, Texas
city
Site of a former community in Waelder
Location of Waelder, Texas
Coordinates: 29°41′40″N 97°17′50″W
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Gonzales
Area [1]
• Total	1.29 sq mi (3.33 km2)
• Land	1.28 sq mi (3.31 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2)
Elevation [2]	390 ft (120 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	933
• Density	885.85/sq mi (342.04/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	78959
Area code	830
FIPS code	48-76024[3]
GNIS feature ID	2412163[2]
Website	www.cityofwaelder.org

Geography

A cemetery near town

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²), of which 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) is land and 0.78% is water.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Waelder has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.^[4]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	388		—
1920	894		—
1930	1,048		17.2%
1940	1,018		−2.9%
1950	1,275		25.2%
1960	1,270		−0.4%
1970	1,138		−10.4%
1980	942		−17.2%
1990	745		−20.9%
2000	947		27.1%
2010	1,065		12.5%
2020	933		−12.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]

Waelder racial composition as of 2020^[6]
(NH = Non-Hispanic)^[a]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (NH)	119	12.75%
Black or African American (NH)	117	12.54%
Some Other Race (NH)	6	0.64%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)	11	1.18%
Hispanic or Latino	680	72.88%
Total	933

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 933 people, 391 households, and 290 families residing in the city.

As of the census^[3] of 2010, there were 1065 people, 362 households, and 255 families residing in the city. The population density was 819.2 inhabitants per square mile (316.3/km²). There were 443 housing units at an average density of 322.9/mi² (124.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 50.2% White, 13.3% African American, 1.2% Native American, 33.2% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 77.6% of the population.

There were 362 households, out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.4% were married couples living together, 19.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals living alone, and 8.9% were made up of individuals 65 years of age or older living alone. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.4.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.9% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 49, 19.4% from 50 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 120.1 males.

The median income for a household in the Waelder was $24,152, and the median income for a family was $39,792. Its per capita income was $11,417. Full-time, year-round working males had a median income of $28,487 versus $15,969 for full-time, year-round working females. About 13.4% of families and 23.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.2% of those under age 18 and 36.9% of those age 65 or over.

Business

Waelder is home to the J Bar B Foods factory, where meat products are produced and shipped to local stores. Waelder was recently^[when?] featured in a "My H-E-B" commercial.

Schools

See Waelder Independent School District.

Media

Two newspapers, The Gonzales Inquirer and The Gonzales Cannon, provide local news coverage for Waelder.