Counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Texas
Counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Texas
In certain corners of the U.S., the only way you’ll ever be considered a local is if you were born there. Elsewhere, particularly in major metropolitan centers, the constant influx of new businesses, college students, and families can transform neighborhoods every few years and certainly decade over decade.
Americans change their addresses at higher rates than most other countries, but that “move, move, move” mentality may be shifting. In 2016, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that only 11.2% of respondents had moved within the last year. Additionally, 72% of Americans reported living in or close to the city they grew up in. To learn more about where people are staying put, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Texas using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest percentage of residents that were born in the state as of 2019.
Keep reading to discover which counties in your state have the most born-and-bred residents.
#30. San Saba County
- Born in Texas: 4,858 (81.1% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 583 (9.7% of population)
--- Midwest (2.6%), Northeast (0.9%), South (3.1%), West (3.1%)
- Born in another country: 532 (8.9% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.2%), Europe (0.1%), Latin America (8.6%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#29. La Salle County
- Born in Texas: 6,014 (81.1% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 775 (10.5% of population)
--- Midwest (4.1%), Northeast (0.8%), South (1.4%), West (4.2%)
- Born in another country: 580 (7.8% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.0%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (7.8%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#28. Houston County
- Born in Texas: 18,652 (81.3% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 3,463 (15.1% of population)
--- Midwest (2.9%), Northeast (1.3%), South (7.0%), West (3.9%)
- Born in another country: 746 (3.2% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.4%), Europe (0.2%), Latin America (2.4%), North America (0.1%), Oceania (0.1%)
#27. Wharton County
- Born in Texas: 33,798 (81.3% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 3,493 (8.4% of population)
--- Midwest (1.7%), Northeast (1.5%), South (3.8%), West (1.4%)
- Born in another country: 4,100 (9.9% of population)
--- Africa (0.1%), Asia (0.2%), Europe (0.2%), Latin America (9.4%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#26. Red River County
- Born in Texas: 9,938 (81.7% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 1,724 (14.2% of population)
--- Midwest (2.2%), Northeast (1.0%), South (7.8%), West (3.0%)
- Born in another country: 317 (2.6% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.1%), Europe (0.1%), Latin America (2.4%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#25. Dickens County
- Born in Texas: 1,799 (81.7% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 286 (13.0% of population)
--- Midwest (3.2%), Northeast (0.6%), South (4.2%), West (5.0%)
- Born in another country: 112 (5.1% of population)
--- Africa (0.5%), Asia (0.0%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (4.5%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#24. Floyd County
- Born in Texas: 4,739 (81.7% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 524 (9.0% of population)
--- Midwest (0.8%), Northeast (0.4%), South (2.3%), West (5.3%)
- Born in another country: 501 (8.6% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.2%), Europe (0.1%), Latin America (8.3%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#23. Kenedy County
- Born in Texas: 464 (81.7% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 11 (1.9% of population)
--- Midwest (1.6%), Northeast (0.2%), South (0.0%), West (0.2%)
- Born in another country: 93 (16.4% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.0%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (16.4%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#22. Fisher County
- Born in Texas: 3,160 (82.0% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 509 (13.2% of population)
--- Midwest (2.7%), Northeast (0.6%), South (5.6%), West (4.1%)
- Born in another country: 174 (4.5% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.3%), Europe (0.2%), Latin America (4.0%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#21. Bee County
- Born in Texas: 26,740 (82.0% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 4,539 (13.9% of population)
--- Midwest (4.3%), Northeast (0.9%), South (4.4%), West (4.1%)
- Born in another country: 1,082 (3.3% of population)
--- Africa (0.2%), Asia (0.6%), Europe (0.3%), Latin America (2.3%), North America (0.1%), Oceania (0.0%)
#20. Runnels County
- Born in Texas: 8,445 (82.2% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 1,372 (13.4% of population)
--- Midwest (3.2%), Northeast (1.4%), South (3.0%), West (5.7%)
- Born in another country: 418 (4.1% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.1%), Europe (0.1%), Latin America (3.9%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#19. Foard County
- Born in Texas: 1,048 (82.2% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 166 (13.0% of population)
--- Midwest (1.6%), Northeast (1.1%), South (3.9%), West (6.2%)
- Born in another country: 50 (3.9% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.0%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (3.9%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#18. Motley County
- Born in Texas: 1,030 (82.3% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 222 (17.7% of population)
--- Midwest (5.0%), Northeast (2.1%), South (4.1%), West (6.5%)
- Born in another country: (0.0% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.0%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (0.0%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#17. Goliad County
- Born in Texas: 6,232 (82.4% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 954 (12.6% of population)
--- Midwest (4.2%), Northeast (2.6%), South (3.1%), West (2.7%)
- Born in another country: 337 (4.5% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.4%), Europe (0.5%), Latin America (3.5%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#16. Jasper County
- Born in Texas: 29,377 (82.7% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 5,035 (14.2% of population)
--- Midwest (2.2%), Northeast (0.9%), South (8.1%), West (3.0%)
- Born in another country: 983 (2.8% of population)
--- Africa (0.2%), Asia (0.5%), Europe (0.3%), Latin America (1.7%), North America (0.1%), Oceania (0.0%)
#15. Cottle County
- Born in Texas: 1,363 (83.0% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 236 (14.4% of population)
--- Midwest (1.7%), Northeast (1.4%), South (5.8%), West (5.4%)
- Born in another country: 41 (2.5% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.0%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (2.5%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#14. Dawson County
- Born in Texas: 10,718 (83.6% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 1,379 (10.8% of population)
--- Midwest (2.5%), Northeast (1.1%), South (3.7%), West (3.5%)
- Born in another country: 680 (5.3% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.1%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (5.2%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#13. Crosby County
- Born in Texas: 4,901 (84.0% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 607 (10.4% of population)
--- Midwest (1.1%), Northeast (0.8%), South (5.4%), West (3.1%)
- Born in another country: 248 (4.2% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.6%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (3.5%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.2%)
#12. Lavaca County
- Born in Texas: 16,931 (84.6% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 2,045 (10.2% of population)
--- Midwest (3.8%), Northeast (1.1%), South (2.8%), West (2.3%)
- Born in another country: 1,010 (5.0% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.3%), Europe (0.1%), Latin America (4.4%), North America (0.1%), Oceania (0.0%)
#11. Refugio County
- Born in Texas: 6,048 (84.6% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 928 (13.0% of population)
--- Midwest (4.4%), Northeast (0.5%), South (5.5%), West (2.5%)
- Born in another country: 130 (1.8% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.3%), Europe (0.3%), Latin America (1.3%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#10. Martin County
- Born in Texas: 4,825 (85.4% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 595 (10.5% of population)
--- Midwest (1.4%), Northeast (1.0%), South (6.9%), West (1.3%)
- Born in another country: 229 (4.1% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.1%), Europe (0.5%), Latin America (3.4%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#9. DeWitt County
- Born in Texas: 17,429 (85.7% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 2,106 (10.4% of population)
--- Midwest (2.2%), Northeast (1.4%), South (3.7%), West (2.6%)
- Born in another country: 748 (3.7% of population)
--- Africa (0.1%), Asia (0.0%), Europe (0.1%), Latin America (3.3%), North America (0.1%), Oceania (0.0%)
#8. Shackelford County
- Born in Texas: 2,855 (86.6% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 332 (10.1% of population)
--- Midwest (1.2%), Northeast (0.7%), South (5.0%), West (3.2%)
- Born in another country: 101 (3.1% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.2%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (2.8%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#7. Stonewall County
- Born in Texas: 1,287 (87.2% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 161 (10.9% of population)
--- Midwest (1.9%), Northeast (0.0%), South (3.7%), West (5.3%)
- Born in another country: 28 (1.9% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.0%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (1.9%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#6. Brooks County
- Born in Texas: 6,248 (87.5% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 187 (2.6% of population)
--- Midwest (1.2%), Northeast (0.1%), South (0.5%), West (0.8%)
- Born in another country: 698 (9.8% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.4%), Europe (0.1%), Latin America (9.3%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#5. Jim Wells County
- Born in Texas: 36,675 (89.5% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 1,859 (4.5% of population)
--- Midwest (0.9%), Northeast (0.6%), South (1.5%), West (1.5%)
- Born in another country: 2,313 (5.6% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.6%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (4.8%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.1%)
#4. Kent County
- Born in Texas: 582 (90.0% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 53 (8.2% of population)
--- Midwest (2.6%), Northeast (0.2%), South (2.8%), West (2.6%)
- Born in another country: 12 (1.9% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.0%), Europe (1.9%), Latin America (0.0%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#3. McMullen County
- Born in Texas: 698 (90.2% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 49 (6.3% of population)
--- Midwest (3.4%), Northeast (0.0%), South (2.7%), West (0.3%)
- Born in another country: 24 (3.1% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.0%), Europe (1.0%), Latin America (2.1%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#2. Duval County
- Born in Texas: 10,251 (91.0% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 394 (3.5% of population)
--- Midwest (0.2%), Northeast (0.0%), South (1.5%), West (1.7%)
- Born in another country: 610 (5.4% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.0%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (5.4%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#1. Jim Hogg County
- Born in Texas: 4,803 (91.8% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 226 (4.3% of population)
--- Midwest (2.8%), Northeast (0.3%), South (0.6%), West (0.6%)
- Born in another country: 199 (3.8% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.0%), Europe (0.0%), Latin America (3.8%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)


