Kenedy County, Texas
Kenedy County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 350. It is the third-least populous county in Texas and fourth-least populous in the United States. Its county seat is Sarita. The county was created in 1921 from parts of Hidalgo and Willacy counties and is named for Mifflin Kenedy, an early area rancher and steamboat operator.
Kenedy County | |
|---|---|
The Kenedy County Courthouse in Sarita | |
Location within the U.S. state of Texas | |
Texas's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 26°56′N 97°37′W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| Founded | 1921 |
| Named for | Mifflin Kenedy |
| Seat | Sarita |
| Largest community | Sarita |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,946 sq mi (5,040 km2) |
| • Land | 1,458 sq mi (3,780 km2) |
| • Water | 487 sq mi (1,260 km2) 25% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 350 |
| • Estimate (2022) | 358 |
| • Density | 0.18/sq mi (0.069/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 34th |
| Website | www |
Kenedy County is included in the Kingsville, TX Kingsville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX Combined Statistical Area. There are no incorporated municipalities in Kenedy County.
In 1999, Hurricane Bret struck the county, but damage was minimal due to the sparse population. The Peñascal Wind Power Project was built near Sarita in the early 21st Century and is expected to slightly raise the population of the area.
The King Ranch, of which Mifflin Kenedy had been a partner prior to 1868, covers a large part of the county.