Escobares

Escobares is a city in Starr County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,188 at the 2010 census. The city was formed in 2005 from part of the deleted Escobares CDP, and parts of Garceno, and North Escobares CDPs, and additional area. Prior to its 2005 incorporation as a city,[5] it was a census-designated place (CDP). The population of the CDP was 1,954 at the 2000 census.

Escobares is located at 26°24′43″N 98°57′37″W  /  26.41194°N 98.96028°W  / 26.41194; -98.96028 (26.412009, –98.960138).

Escobares gained area when it became a city, giving it a total area of 2.7 square miles (7.0 km2), of which 2.6 square mile (6.7 km2) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.3 km2) (6.86%) is water.[6]

At the 2010 census the city of Escobares had a population of 1,188. The racial composition of the population was 98.3% white (7.2% non-Hispanic white), 1.6% from some other race and 0.1% from two or more races. 92.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino with 92.3% identifying as being ethnically Mexican.[8]

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 1,954 people, 516 households, and 464 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,044.8 people per square mile (785.9/km2). There were 598 housing units at an average density of 625.8 per square mile (240.5/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.33% White, 0.15% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 9.67% from other races, and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 98.72% of the population.

There were 516 households, out of which 58.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.1% were married couples living together, 20.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 9.9% were non-families. 9.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.79 and the average family size was 4.05.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 39.3% under the age of 18, 12.3% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 6.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.7 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $15,884, and the median income for a family was $16,677. Males had a median income of $16,167 versus $11,298 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $5,726. About 51.2% of the families and 50.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 50.8% of those under age 18 and 60.9% of those age 65 or over. In 2019 the BBC reported that 62% of residents lived below the poverty line, the highest rate of any US city with more than 1,000 people according to the 2016 US Census Bureau survey.[9]

Public education in the city of Escobares is provided by the Roma Independent School District. Zoned campuses include Anna S. Canavan Elementary School (pre-K), Ynes B. Elementary School (grades K–5), Ramiro Barrera Middle School (grades 6–8), and Roma High School [2] (grades 9–12).[10][11]

The city opened its first fire station, a $560,000 facility, on August 2, 2011. The Texas Department of Rural Affairs provided a $531,000 block grant to help build the station.[12]