Bay City, Texas

Introduction

Bay City is a city in the United States. It is the county seat of Matagorda County in the state of Texas.

Population

In 2010, the city had a population of 17,614 people. By 2020, the population had grown to 18,061 people.

Importance

The city is an important place for the area. It serves as the center for county government and community activities. It offers various services and amenities for its residents, making it a key location in Matagorda County.

History

Bay City became a city in 1894. It was the main town for Matagorda County because it was in the center of the county. The town was started by David Swickheimer and some partners.

Geography

Bay City, Texas, covers an area of 8.5 square miles (22.0 km²). Most of this area is land, with only a tiny part covered by water.

The area around Bay City used to be called "Bay Prairie" because it has many prairies and creeks that flow into a bay. The weather there is usually hot and humid in the summer and mild or cool in the winter. This type of weather is known as a humid subtropical climate.

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, Bay City had a population of 18,061 people. The median age was 34.7 years. About 27.3% of residents were under 18, and 15.0% were 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 94.6 males. Among those aged 18 and over, there were 90.6 males for every 100 females.

Almost all residents, 99.3%, lived in urban areas. A small part, 0.7%, lived in rural areas. There were 6,660 households. About 35.5% had children under 18. Of these households, 43.3% were married couples. 19.1% had a male householder without a spouse, and 31.5% had a female householder without a spouse. About 27.6% of households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 or older.

There were 8,165 housing units. 18.4% were vacant. Of the occupied units, 54.5% were owned by the residents and 45.5% were rented.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 18,667 people lived in Bay City. The city had a population density of 2,196.0 inhabitants per square mile (847.9/km²). The racial makeup included 61.62% White, 17.26% African American, 0.74% Native American, 0.88% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 16.84% from other races, and 2.59% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos made up 34.74% of the population.

Of the 6,912 households, 37.9% had children under 18. About 49.0% were married couples living together. 16.1% had a female householder without a husband, and 31.0% were not families. Some 27.1% of households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.66, and the average family size was 3.25.

The population was spread out, with 30.9% under 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% aged 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.0 males, and for every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.

The median income for a household was $30,446, and for a family, it was $39,281. Males earned a median income of $38,202, while females earned $23,058. The per capita income was $15,284. About 18.3% of families and 21.4% of the population were below the poverty line.

Economy

In 2017, Bay City got a big new factory worth $1.8 billion. The factory, owned by Tenaris, makes special pipes for oil drilling, like drill pipe and casing.

Bay City was once home to Stanley Stores, a shopping chain that helped support the local museum.

Attractions

Bay City has a special place called the Matagorda County Birding Nature Center. It is a large area with gardens and wildlife along the Colorado River in Texas.

Other fun places in Bay City include the Matagorda County Museum, Market Days every third Saturday, and many small shops downtown. The Bay City Art League brings new art to the area. The Bay City Community Theatre puts on shows in different places around town.

Bay City Regional Airport

Businesses in Bay City

Matagorda County Museum

Downtown Bay City

Education

Bay City has schools run by the Bay City Independent School District. This includes elementary, intermediate, junior high, and high schools, such as Bay City High School. The district used to have seven schools but now has five.

Students who want to continue their education after high school can go to Wharton County Junior College, which has a campus in Bay City. The college helps students learn skills for jobs.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Highways

Bay City has important roads such as Texas State Highway 35, Texas State Highway 60, and Farm to Market 2668.

Rail

The city is located on the Union Pacific Railroad main line near the Texas Gulf Coast that runs from Brownsville to near Houston. The BNSF Railway also uses this line and has a smaller track going to Wadsworth. These rail lines are used only for moving goods, not passengers.

Air

There is an airport named Bay City Regional Airport owned by the city. It is about five miles east of the main part of Bay City.

Health care

The area has a hospital called Matagorda Regional Medical Center and a group of doctors known as Matagorda Medical Group. There is also a health program called MEHOP that helps people with visits to family doctors, babies, children, mental health, and dental care. MEHOP works with most insurance to make sure everyone can get the care they need, even if they cannot pay.

Government

Bay City has important buildings like a courthouse, a city hall, and a water tower.

Media

Radio

Hot Z100 (KHVZ) is an internet radio station that plays popular music. It began broadcasting on December 5, 2020. The station is owned by ZPR Media through Typical Media Group. This group works together with a Black family-owned company.

Notable people

Bay City, Texas has been home to many famous people. Some of them include Olympic gold medalists like Charles Austin and Mal Whitfield. The city has also produced many professional athletes such as football players Robert Blackmon, David Caldwell, Joe DeLoach, Mark Dennard, Alex Dixon, Hart Lee Dykes, Simon Fletcher, Ronnie Heard, Quentin Jammer, Tracy Simien, and Cedric Woodard, as well as baseball player J. B. Cox and basketball players Chandi Jones and LaBradford Smith.

Other notable individuals from Bay City include artist Forrest Bess, U.S. Representative Greg Laughlin from Texas's 14th district, retired Provisional Bishop C. Wallis Ohl, Jr. of Fort Worth, Roman Catholic Bishop Ricardo Ramírez, and Mexican-American rapper That Mexican OT.

In popular culture

Part of the 1965 movie Baby the Rain Must Fall was filmed in Bay City.

Churches

Bay City has many historic churches. The First Baptist Church began in the 1850s, but a hurricane destroyed its building in 1909. The church we see today was built in 1947. The First United Methodist Church started in 1870. There is also a First Presbyterian Church in the city. The Cedarvale Bay City Cemetery opened in 1896.