Kenedy County is a county in Texas, United States, on the Gulf Coast between Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande Valley. It had a population of 350 at the 2020 census and covers 1,946 square miles (5,040 km2), of which 1,458 square miles are land and 487 square miles are water, centred near 26°56′N 97°37′W.
Sarita is the county seat and its postal code is 78385. The county has no incorporated cities or towns — it is home to one census-designated place and a handful of unincorporated communities, most of them working headquarters of the King Ranch and Kenedy Ranch cattle operations. The county sits in the Central time zone and carries FIPS code 48261.
Towns & Villages in Kenedy County
Kenedy County has no self-governing cities or towns. Everything on the list below is either a census-designated place or an unincorporated ranch community — there is no “CDP vs. Unincorp.” legend needed beyond that, since the county contains exactly one CDP.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarita | CDP · seat | 109 | 78385 |
| Armstrong | Unincorp. | 36 | 78338 |
| Norias | Unincorp. | — | 78385 |
| Rudolph | Unincorp. | — | 78385 |
| La Parra Landing | Unincorp. | — | — |
Three names from older lists of the county — Julian, Turcotte and Yarborough — could not be independently verified as current place names and are omitted here rather than republished unverified.
ZIP Codes
- 78385 — Sarita (also serves Norias and Rudolph)
- 78338 — Armstrong
Both ZIP codes are post-office-box-only delivery areas; there is no residential mail carrier route inside the county.
Geography
Kenedy County is flat coastal prairie and brushland, split by the Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay from the barrier sands of Padre Island. The Gulf of Mexico forms the entire eastern boundary, and part of the Padre Island National Seashore lies within the county. Nearly a quarter of the county’s area is open water. The land is almost entirely working ranchland, dominated by the King Ranch’s Norias Division in the south and the Kenedy Ranch to the north.
Kenedy County borders Kleberg County to the north, Brooks County to the west, and Willacy County to the south.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 350 residents, the third-fewest of any Texas county. Sarita and Armstrong are the only two named population centers, together accounting for most residents. Kenedy County’s population is 74.6% Hispanic or Latino. Median household income data at the county level is not reliably available given the small population base; the Texas median household income is $75,780. Population density is well under 1 person per square mile of land, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Ranching is the county’s economic backbone. The King Ranch’s Norias Division and the Kenedy Ranch (heir to the historic operation founded by Mifflin Kenedy) between them own most of the county’s land and employ most of its residents. Oil and gas production and wind power supplement ranching income — the Peñascal Wind Power Project operates turbines near Sarita. There is no incorporated retail center; residents drive to Kingsville or Raymondville for shopping and services.
History
Kenedy County was organized in 1921 out of parts of Hidalgo and Willacy counties. It is named for Mifflin Kenedy, a 19th-century steamboat operator and rancher who partnered with Richard King in south Texas cattle operations before building his own ranch in the area. The county’s population has always been small and land-concentrated in a few large ranching families, a pattern that has changed little in a century.
Getting There
U.S. Route 77 is the only highway through the county, running north-south along the eastern edge of the ranchlands; Interstate 69E is under construction along the same corridor.
- Kingsville — 20 miles north
- Raymondville — 25 miles south
- Corpus Christi — 60 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Corpus Christi International Airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Kenedy County?
It is on the Texas Gulf Coast between Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande Valley, bordered by the Gulf of Mexico to the east.
What is the population of Kenedy County?
350 people, per the 2020 census — the third-least populous county in Texas.
How big is Kenedy County?
1,946 square miles (5,040 km2), of which 487 square miles is water.
What is the Kenedy County seat?
Sarita is the county seat.
How many towns are in Kenedy County?
None are incorporated. The county has one census-designated place, Sarita, and a few unincorporated ranch communities.
What ZIP codes are in Kenedy County?
78385 (Sarita) and 78338 (Armstrong).
Why is Kenedy County named that?
It honors Mifflin Kenedy, a 19th-century rancher and steamboat operator whose ranching heirs still hold much of the county’s land.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.