Raymondville, Texas

Raymondville is located at 26°28′53″N 97°46′59″W (26.481464, -97.783013)[6] and is known as the "Gateway to the Rio Grande Valley." According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²), all of it land.

Soils are mostly clay or sandy clay loams which are well drained or moderately well drained. Some fine sandy loams underlie the eastern part of town. These have near neutral pH. Other parts of town have moderately alkaline, somewhat saline soils. Around the southern edge of town is an area of strong salinity which imposes limitations on farmers and gardeners.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 9,733 people, 2,514 households, and 2,016 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,564.4 people per square mile (988.9/km²). There were 2,842 housing units at an average density of 748.8 per square mile (288.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.91% White, 3.91% African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 23.29% from other races, and 2.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 86.63% of the population.

There were 2,514 households, out of which 41.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.6% were married couples living together, 18.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.8% were non-families. 18.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.45 and the average family size was 3.97.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.9% under the age of 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 117.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $19,729, and the median income for a family was $23,799. Males had a median income of $20,034 versus $14,502 for females. The per capita income for the city was $8,910. About 32.7% of families and 36.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 45.0% of those under age 18 and 30.7% of those age 65 or over.

In 2010, Raymondville was 77% Catholic, 10.5% Southern Baptist, and 4% United Methodist.[10]

Raymondville is the location of three private prisons, all adjacent to each other:[11]

• the Willacy County Correctional Center (26.469897°N 97.762176°W / 26.469897; -97.762176), owned and operated by the Management and Training Corporation under contract with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement located on the east side of Interstate 69E/U.S. Route 77.[12] Constructed in 45 days, opened in 2006 and closed in March 2015 after destructive riots, the center was a large "tent city" federal holding center for illegal immigrants.[13]

• the Willacy County Regional Detention Center aka the Willacy Detention Center (26.470818°N 97.758837°W / 26.470818; -97.758837) opened in 2003. It's operated by Management and Training Corporation housing federal prisoners for the U.S. Marshal Service.
• the Willacy County State Jail (26.467076°N 97.767420°W / 26.467076; -97.767420), operated by the Corrections Corporation of America under contract with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, is a medium-security facility with a capacity of 1069.[14] CCA has managed this facility since 2004. This facility was opened by Wackenhut, now GEO Group, in 1996. On April 26, 2001 inmate Gregorio De La Rosa, Jr. was beaten to death by other prisoners. This incident caused a $42.5 million civil settlement against Wackenhut.[15]

The United States Postal Service operates the Raymondville Post Office.[16]

The Raymondville Independent School District serves the city.

The Reber Memorial Library is located in Raymondville.[17]

The Raymondville Chronicle and Willacy County News, a weekly newspaper, is published in Raymondville.

• Singer Angela Via (1981-) was born and raised in Raymondville.[18]
• Businessman Clinton Manges (1923-2010) lived in Raymondville, married a native belle, built and owned a bowling alley.[19]
• Popular radio personality Daniel De Hoyos was born in Raymondville June 27, 1963. De Hoyos is heard nationally on iHeartRadio.

The most memorable natural disaster to occur in Raymondville was 1967's Hurricane Beulah, a category 5 hurricane at peak intensity. Beulah made landfall in southern Texas as a category 3 storm.

Raymondville's history was the subject of the film, Valley of Tears. The movie visits the Mexican-American community that had worked the onion fields of rural south Texas in three different eras, observing how the seeds of change planted 20 years ago seem ready to bear fruit today. Politicians, and officials interviewed in the film include Larry Spence, former District Attorney Juan Angel Guerra, Paul Whitworth, Wetegrove families, Dr. Allan Spence and school board and city council members.[20]

• Handbook of Texas Online