Gonzales County population increased by 1.2 percent since 2020

Gonzales County has seen its estimated population grow by 1.2 percent since 2020, according to data released this month by the Texas Demographic Center at The University of Texas at San Antonio.

According to the 2020 census, the population of Gonzales County was 19,653, but the Population Estimates and Projections Program estimated that an additional 234 people are living in Gonzales County, bringing the total population estimate to 19,887 as of Jan. 1, 2023.
Among municipalities in the county, the city of Gonzales gained an estimated 24 people, growing from the 2020 census total of 7,165 to an estimated 7,189 people as of Jan. 1, 2023, according to the Texas Demographic Center. That represents a 0.3 percent increase in population in a little over two years.

Meanwhile, Nixon’s population grew by an estimated 36 people, going from 2,341 in the 2020 census to an estimated 2,377 people as of Jan. 1, 2023, or approximately 1.5 percent. Waelder’s population has grown by an estimated 2.7 percent, or 25 people, from 933 in the 2020 census to an estimate of 958 from the Texas Demographic Center.

Finally, Smiley has grown by an estimated 4.0 percent, or 19 people, from 475 reported by the 2020 census to an estimated 494 residents as of Jan. 1, 2023.

Among neighboring cities, Shiner has grown by an estimated 2.7 percent, or 57 people, from the 2,127 reported in the 2020 census to a January 2023 estimate of 2,184 people by the Texas Demographic Center. Cuero, meanwhile, has seen an estimated population decrease of 2.2 percent, or 176 individuals, from the 8,128 people reported in 2020 to 7,952 as of Jan. 1, 2023.

Yoakum has seen an estimated population decrease of 0.5 percent, from a 2020 census total of 5,908 to an estimated January 2023 population of 5,880, a loss of 28 residents. Luling reportedly has an estimated population decrease of 3.7 percent with a loss of 208 residents as of Jan. 1, 2023, going from 5,599 as of the 2020 census to an estimated 5,391.

Hallettsville has an estimated population decrease of 0.5 percent, or 13 individuals, since the 2020 census, which showed the city’s population at 2,731. The estimate by the Texas Demographic Center shows a population of 2,718 as of Jan. 1, 2023.

Moulton’s population has decreased by an estimated 0.7 percent, or just 6 residents, from 854 in the 2020 census to an estimated 848 people as of Jan. 1, 2023. Flatonia has seen a population increase of 30 people, or 2.3 percent, as the 2020 census showed a population of 1,308, while the estimate for January 2023 is 1,338.

Kingsbury saw its population grow by 12.1 percent, or 16 people, going from a 2020 census amount of 132 to an estimated 148 residents as of January 2023.

Lockhart, the biggest city and county seat in Caldwell County, has seen a population boom of an estimated 4.5 percent, or 642 people. The 2020 census showed a population of 14,379, while the Texas Demographic Center is showing an estimated population of 15,021 as of Jan. 1, 2023.

The largest gain in the area is by Seguin as the county seat for Guadalupe County has grown by 6,833 people, or 23.2 percent, since 2020, according to the Texas Demographic Center. Seguin’s 2020 population was 29,433 and it is now estimated to be 36,266.

Gonzales County is considered to be a part of the Golden Crescent Council of Governments, which is comprised of six other counties — Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Jackson, Lavaca and Victoria.

The total population of Golden Crescent has decreased by an estimated 0.2 percent, or 344 people. The 2020 census total shows a population of 193,239 while the Texas Demographic Center has a January 2023 estimate of 192,895.

The Golden Crescent COG is the third-smallest such region in Texas in population, ahead of just Concho Valley (157,983 population as of January 2023) and Middle Rio Grande (162,166 as of January 2023). Every other COG in the state has at least 218,000 residents.

Calhoun County has an estimated population decrease of 401 residents, or 2.0 percent, from the 2020 census amount of 20,106 to an estimated 19,705 as of January 2023. DeWitt County has an estimated population decrease of 1.6 percent, or 318 people, dropping from 19,824 in the 2020 census to an estimated 19,506 as of January 2023.

Goliad County has seen an increase of 0.4 percent, or 30 people, from the 2020 census amount of 7,012 to an estimated January 2023 population of 7,042. Lavaca County has had an estimated population increase of 1.0 percent, going from a 2020 census amount of 20,337 to a Jan. 1, 2023, estimate of 20,532, an increase of 195 people.

Finally, Victoria County has seen an estimated population decrease of 0.1 percent, or 91 people, from a 2020 census amount of 91,319 to a January 2023 estimate of 91,228.