Bee County is a county in Texas, United States, in the coastal plain of South Texas between San Antonio and Corpus Christi. It had a population of 31,047 at the 2020 census and covers 880 square miles (2,300 km2) centred near 28°25′N 97°44′W.
Beeville is the county seat and only incorporated city; its postal code is 78102. The county has eight census-designated places and roughly a dozen unincorporated communities and colonias, no civil townships, sits in the Central time zone, and carries FIPS code 48025.
Towns & Villages in Bee County
Bee County has one incorporated city, eight census-designated places, and a scatter of unincorporated communities and colonias — small, largely unregulated residential subdivisions common in South Texas border counties. CDP = census-designated place (unincorporated but tracked by the Census Bureau); Unincorp. = unincorporated community or colonia with no formal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beeville | City · seat | — | 78102 |
| Blue Berry Hill | CDP | — | — |
| Normanna | CDP | — | — |
| Pawnee | CDP | — | — |
| Pettus | CDP | — | — |
| Skidmore | CDP | — | — |
| Tuleta | CDP | — | — |
| Tulsita | CDP | — | — |
| Tynan | CDP | — | — |
| Blanconia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cadiz | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Caesar | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Clareville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mineral | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Monteola | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oaks | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Olmos | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Orangedale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Papalote | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Yougeen | Unincorp. | — | — |
| 1st 2nd and 3rd Street Area Colonia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hidden Acres Colonia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Old Airport Road Colonia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Old Houston Highway Colonia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| River Oaks Number 2 Colonia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Salazar Heights Colonia | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 78102 — Beeville (also serves the surrounding rural area and most colonias)
The CDPs and smaller communities generally share Beeville’s ZIP or route through nearby post offices in neighboring counties; individual ZIP assignments for Skidmore, Tynan, Pettus, and Pawnee are not confirmed here and are omitted rather than guessed.
Geography
Bee County lies on the South Texas coastal plain, gently rolling brush country crossed by the Aransas River, which rises in the county southwest of Beeville and north of Skidmore. The terrain is mostly blackland and sandy loam, given over to ranching, row crops, and oil and gas production. Only about 0.01% of the county’s area is water. The county borders Karnes County to the north, Goliad County to the northeast, Refugio County to the east, San Patricio County to the southeast, and Live Oak County to the west.
Demographics
Bee County’s population was 31,047 at the 2020 census, a density of about 35 people per square mile. Beeville, the county seat, is by far the largest community; Skidmore and Pettus are the next-largest named places. Median household income in the county trails the Texas median of $75,780 — the local economy leans on corrections work, agriculture, and oil-field services rather than higher-wage sectors.
Economy & Local Life
Texas state and federal corrections facilities are the county’s largest employers: the Texas Department of Criminal Justice runs its Correctional Institutions Division Region IV office in Beeville alongside the Garza East, Garza West, and McConnell prison units, plus the federal Beeville Distribution Center. Cattle ranching, cotton and grain farming, and oil and gas extraction round out the economic base. Coastal Bend College, based in Beeville, is the county’s main higher-education institution.
History
Bee County was established on December 8, 1857, and organized the following year, carved from Refugio, Goliad, San Patricio, and Live Oak counties. It was named for Colonel Barnard E. Bee Sr., who served the Republic of Texas as Sam Houston’s secretary of war and later as Mirabeau B. Lamar’s secretary of state. Beeville grew as a ranching and rail town on the New Orleans, Texas and Mexico Railway, and the county’s economy shifted toward oil and gas after mid-20th-century discoveries in the region.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 59 (being upgraded toward Interstate 69W) and U.S. Highway 181 cross the county, along with State Highways 72, 202, and 359 and several farm-to-market roads.
- Corpus Christi — about 50 miles southeast
- San Antonio — about 90 miles northwest
- Victoria — about 45 miles east
- Kingsville — about 45 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is Corpus Christi International Airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Bee County?
It is in the South Texas coastal plain, between San Antonio and Corpus Christi, centred near 28°25′N 97°44′W.
What is the population of Bee County?
31,047 at the 2020 census.
How big is Bee County?
880 square miles (2,300 km2), almost all of it land.
What is the county seat of Bee County?
Beeville is the county seat.
How many towns are in Bee County?
One incorporated city (Beeville), eight census-designated places, and about a dozen unincorporated communities and colonias.
What ZIP codes are in Bee County?
Beeville’s postal code is 78102; most of the surrounding communities are served by it or by post offices in adjoining counties.
What is Bee County’s economy built on?
Corrections facilities (state and federal), ranching and farming, and oil and gas services.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.