Starr, Hidalgo and Willacy counties make 'Most Hispanic' list

McALLEN — New U.S. Census Bureau data once again shows Starr County is the most Hispanic county in the United States.

More than 97 percent of the 61,833 residents in Starr County are Hispanic, according to Census data gathered in July 2007.

The runner-up, Maverick County, home to Eagle Pass, counts 95 percent of its residents as self-described Hispanics.

In fact, all the 10 counties with the largest minority populations in the United States are in Texas, according to the Census, which found that nearly 10 percent of counties nationwide are now "majority minority" - that is, non-Hispanic white people make up less than 50 percent of their total populations.

Hidalgo and Willacy counties made the list at No. 5 and No. 10, respectively. Hidalgo's population is 89.5 percent Hispanic; Willacy is 86.4 percent. Cameron County, which is 84.3 percent Hispanic, barely missed making the top 10.

Of counties with more than 1 million residents, three Texas counties - those that are home to San Antonio, Dallas and Houston - were also among the 10 with the largest minority populations.

The numbers reveal little that Texans and Rio Grande Valley residents did not already know.

Starr County consistently ranks among the most Hispanic and the poorest counties in the country.

Average income information for U.S. counties was not released with the new data. Neither was legal residency status.

The numbers came from the Census's annual population estimates, which use official birth, death and migration data to approximate population data between each nationwide census - unlike its personal and mail-in surveys to U.S. homes every 10 years.

The new numbers also revealed that Webb County, which includes Laredo, has the youngest population in the country. Children under 5 comprised 12.8 percent of Webb County's population in 2007. The Valley's counties did not crack that list.

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Sara Perkins covers Mission, western Hidalgo County, Starr County and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4472.