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Corpus Christi, Texas

Corpus Christi (/ˌkɔːrpəs ˈkrɪsti/ KOR-pəs KRIS-tee; Latin for 'Body of Christ') is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County[5] with portions extending into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. It is 130 miles (210 km) southeast of San Antonio and 208 miles (335 km) southwest of Houston. Its political boundaries encompass Nueces Bay and Corpus Christi Bay. Its zoned boundaries include small land parcels or water inlets of three neighboring counties.

Corpus Christi

United States

Mayor Paulette Guajardo (D)
Michael Hunter
John Martinez
Mike Pusley
Billy A. Lerma
Ben Molina
Roland Barrera
Greg Smith
Gil Hernandez

Peter Zanoni

488.73 sq mi (1,265.80 km2)

160.63 sq mi (416.03 km2)

328.10 sq mi (849.77 km2)

7 ft (2 m)

317,863

316,239

US: 59th

2,033.17/sq mi (785.01/km2)

339,066 (US: 119th)

2,622.9/sq mi (1,012.7/km2)

421,933 (US: 121st)

525,875 (86th)

78401, 78402, 78404–78419

48-17000[3]

2410234[4]

The city's population was 316,239 in 2022, making it the eighth-most populous city in Texas. The Corpus Christi metropolitan area had an estimated population of 442,600.[1] It is also the hub of the six-county Corpus Christi–Kingsville combined statistical area, with a 2013 estimated population of 516,793. The Port of Corpus Christi is the fifth-largest in the United States. The region is served by the Corpus Christi International Airport.


The city's name means body of Christ in Ecclesiastical Latin, in reference to the Christian sacrament of Holy Communion. The name was given to the settlement and surrounding bay by Spanish explorer Alonso Álvarez de Pineda in 1519, as he discovered the lush semitropical bay on the Western Christian feast day of Corpus Christi.


Corpus Christi is home to Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, one of two locations training primary student pilots and advanced multiengine pilots of the US Navy, US Marine Corps, and US Coast Guard.

Economy[edit]

The majority of the population is employed in the services, wholesale and retail trades, and government sectors. Corpus Christi has an unemployment rate of 4.5% as of July 2019.[30]


The Port of Corpus Christi, which is the fifth-largest U.S. port[31] and deepest inshore port on the Gulf of Mexico, handles mostly oil and agricultural products. Much of the local economy is driven by tourism and the oil and petrochemicals industry.[32] In 2005, the port was ranked as the 47th-largest in the world by cargo tonnage.


Corpus Christi is home to Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, providing 6,200 civilian jobs to the local economy, making it the single largest employer in the city. Corpus Christi Army Depot, located on NAS Corpus Christi, is the largest helicopter repair facility in the world.[9] Additionally located on NAS Corpus Christi is the United States Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi.


Corpus Christi is the original home of the headquarters of Whataburger, a fast-food restaurant operator and franchiser with 650 stores in 10 states and Mexico; the company relocated its headquarters to San Antonio in 2009. Other large employers include CHRISTUS Spohn Health System at 5,400 local employees, the Corpus Christi Independent School District with 5,178, H-E-B at 5,000, and Bay Ltd. at 2,100.[33] Other companies based in Corpus Christi include Stripes Convenience Stores and AEP Texas.[34][35]


Corpus Christi became the first major city to offer citywide free wi-fi in April 2005 [36] to allow remote meter reading after a meter reader was attacked by a dog. In 2007, the network was purchased by Earthlink for $5.5 million, and stopped being a free service on May 31, 2007.[37]

Government[edit]

Municipal government[edit]

In 1852, the City of Corpus Christi was incorporated. Texas' 31st Legislature chartered the city as a political and corporate municipal entity in 1909. By ordinance, the city possesses power to "fix, alter and extend its boundaries."[44]


Corpus Christi is under a council-manager municipal government. The elected city council is the primary authority in municipal matters such as enacting local legislation, determining policies, and appointing the city manager. Together, the city council and city manager execute laws and administer the municipal government.[44] Organized by governmental sectors of city council, city management, city secretary, and several city departments, Corpus Christi is seated in Nueces County. The city council currently consists of these elected members:

Education[edit]

Colleges and universities[edit]

Corpus Christi is home to several institutions of higher learning: Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Del Mar College, Saint Leo University-Corpus Christi,[56] and numerous vocational schools, including Southern Careers Institute, South Texas Vo-Tech, Career Centers of Texas-Corpus Christi, and Vogue Cosmetology School. The city is also home to Stark College and Seminary (formerly known as the South Texas School of Christian Studies), located on Ward Island alongside Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.


Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is a component of the Texas A&M University System. It was formerly known as Corpus Christi State University, Texas A&I University at Corpus Christi, and the University of Corpus Christi.


Saint Leo University-Corpus Christi Education Center[56] is located at Corpus Christi's Naval Air Station.


Del Mar College is a local community college designated for the entire Corpus Christi city limits.[57] It began in the 1940s at a location behind Wynn Seale Jr. High School. The main campus began with the administration building, which was constructed after World War II on Del Mar. The college grew to encompass a good portion of a residential addition called Southmoreland built from the Bohemian farmlands in the late 1930s. Del Mar now includes a west campus located in the area of Corpus Christi that once was Cliff Maus Airport. Del Mar College is expanding their footprint with the unveiling of their new Southside Campus near Oso Creek. The new Southern branch campus will serve the recent growing Southside area.


Southern Careers Institute offers career training at two Corpus Christi locations, primarily in the medical, business, and cosmetology fields.


In 2015, WalletHub ranked Corpus Christi near the bottom, 138 out of 150 cities in America, for its low educational level and low-income opportunities. To improve literacy levels in the city, a multiyear effort has been made to promote reading through annual literacy festivals. Started by First Lady Laura Bush and the Texas Book Festival, a series of book festivals is held each spring.

Schools[edit]

Seven school districts provide primary and secondary education for residents of the city limits, within Nueces County:[58]

Infrastructure[edit]

Transportation[edit]

Corpus Christi is served by Corpus Christi International Airport and Interstate 37. Interstate 69E/U.S. Highway 77 connects the city to Brownsville and Victoria. Texas State Highway 44 is a main thoroughfare that connects Corpus Christi to Laredo and the western part of South Texas by way of Interstate 69W/U.S. Highway 59, Interstate 35, and U.S. Highway 83. The inner-city public transportation is provided by Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority with its 28 bus routes. Corpus Christi had a streetcar system functioning from 1910 to 1931 and a railway station (passenger service ended in 1965). Despite the convenience of a large harbor, the city does not have a passenger port. The city of Corpus Christi has a lower than average percentage of households without a car. In 2015, 8.5% of Corpus Christi households lacked a car, which decreased to 7.9% in 2016. The national average was 8.7% in 2016. Corpus Christi averaged 1.77 cars per household in 2016, compared to a national average of 1.8.[63]


The city is accessed by two major bridges, the Harbor Bridge (US 181) and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Causeway (PR 22). Both bridges are maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation.

Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History

List of mayors of Corpus Christi, Texas

Mirador de la Flor

Nueces Hotel

Old Bayview Cemetery

Oso Creek (Texas)

Parkdale Plaza

Port of Corpus Christi

South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center

Texas State Aquarium

CHRISTUS Spohn Health System

Lessoff, Alan. Where Texas Meets the Sea: Corpus Christi and Its History (University of Texas Press, 2015) 360 pp.

Givens, Murphy. Corpus Christi: A History

City of Corpus Christi

features local history photographs and materials

Corpus Christi Public Library Digital Archive