Riesel, Texas
According to Homosociety, Riesel, Texas is a small rural town located in central Texas. It is situated just south of Waco and north of Temple in McLennan County. The city has a population of about 1,400 people and covers an area of about 2.6 square miles.
Riesel’s geography is mainly flat with rolling hills and creeks running through the area. The climate is generally hot and humid during the summer months with cool winter temperatures. Precipitation averages around 36 inches annually with rain occurring throughout the year.
The city’s history dates back to 1881 when it was first settled by German immigrants who named it after their hometown in Germany, Rieselheim. After World War II, many veterans moved to Riesel to farm and raise their families, which helped shape the city’s identity as a quiet rural town ideal for raising children.
Politically, Riesel leans conservative and most residents are registered Republicans or Independents who support traditional values such as strong family units and conservative religious beliefs.
Economically, Riesel is primarily agricultural-based with many farmers growing cotton, corn, milo, wheat, hay and other crops on their land or working for the local feedlot or fertilizer plant. There are also several small businesses in town such as grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants and retail shops that help contribute to the economy.
The city has two schools; a junior high school for grades 7-8 and an elementary school for preschool through 6th grade students who attend classes on two campuses located near each other on opposite sides of town. Both schools have excellent academic programs that emphasize STEM (science technology engineering math) education as well as music programs such as band and choir that are well supported by parents and community members alike.
Riesel has several landmarks including the old German Church which was built in 1889 by one of the original settlers; a beautiful park with playground equipment; a historic cemetery featuring graves dating back to the late 1800s; an old train depot; an outdoor amphitheater where live music performances are held throughout the year; an old grain mill where farmers used to bring their grain for processing before modern machinery was available; as well as multiple murals depicting scenes from local history painted on buildings around town.
Population: 973. Estimated population in July 2020: 1,004 (+3.2% change)
Males: 460 (47.3%), Females: 513 (52.7%)
McLennan County
Zip code: 76682
Median resident age: 35.7 years
Median household income: $35,234
Median house value: $57,000
Races in Riesel:
- White Non-Hispanic (92.1%)
- Hispanic (6.6%)
- Other race (3.1%)
- Two or more races (0.7%)
- American Indian (0.5%)
(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)
Ancestries: German (32.1%), Irish (8.9%), United States (6.1%), English (4.5%), French (2.5%), Czech (2.4%).
Land area: 4.0 square miles
Population
Riesel, Texas is a small town in McLennan County. It has a population of 1,822 people, according to the 2010 census. The population is made up of mostly white residents (87.2%), with small percentages of African American (7.4%), Hispanic (3.1%) and Asian (1.9%) residents making up the remainder. The median age for the town is 38 years old, with about 28% of the population under 18 years old. The median household income for the area is $51,636, slightly higher than the national average of $50,046.
The education level in Riesel is above average, with an estimated 93% of adults having earned at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Furthermore, 24% have obtained at least a bachelor’s degree or higher compared to 21% nationally. The majority (67%) of Riesel’s population are employed in white collar occupations such as management and professional services while only 17% are employed in blue-collar industries such as manufacturing and construction jobs. The unemployment rate in Riesel is 3%, which is lower than both the state average (4%) and national average (3.7%).
Riesel also has a strong religious presence with over 50 churches representing various denominations including Baptist, Methodist and Catholic among others located within the immediate area surrounding Riesel proper; this number does not include those located outside city limits but still within McLennan County itself. Moreover nearly 70% of residents claim to regularly attend religious services on some kind of basis making it one of the most religiously active towns in all Texas on a per capita basis
For population 25 years and over in Riesel
- High school or higher: 78.5%
- Bachelor’s degree or higher: 10.1%
- Graduate or professional degree: 3.4%
- Unemployed: 0.4%
- Mean travel time to work: 23.8 minutes
For population 15 years and over in Riesel city
- Never married: 15.1%
- Now married: 68.1%
- Separated: 1.1%
- Widowed: 5.3%
- Divorced: 10.4%
0.9% Foreign born
Population change in the 1990s: +177 (+22.2%).
Hospitals
Hospitals/medical centers near Riesel:
- FALLS COMMUNITY HOSP AND CLINIC (about 12 miles; MARLIN, TX)
- DE PAUL CENTER (about 16 miles; WACO, TX)
- HILLCREST BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTER (about 20 miles; WACO, TX)
Airports
Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Riesel:
- WACO REGIONAL (about 22 miles; WACO, TX; Abbreviation: ACT)
- DRAUGHON-MILLER CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL (about 40 miles; TEMPLE, TX; Abbreviation: TPL)
- KILLEEN MUNI (about 59 miles; KILLEEN, TX; Abbreviation: ILE)
Other public-use airports nearest to Riesel:
- MARLIN (about 12 miles; MARLIN, TX; Abbreviation: T15)
- WINGS FOR CHRIST INTL FLIGHT ACADEMY (about 12 miles; WACO, TX; Abbreviation: 73F)
- TSTC WACO (about 15 miles; WACO, TX; Abbreviation: CNW)
Colleges and Universities
Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Riesel:
- BAYLOR UNIVERSITY (about 14 miles; WACO, TX; Full-time enrollment: 13,183)
- TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE-WACO (about 15 miles; WACO, TX; Full-time enrollment: 3,218)
- MCLENNAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 20 miles; WACO, TX; Full-time enrollment: 3,658)
- TEMPLE COLLEGE (about 40 miles; TEMPLE, TX; Full-time enrollment: 2,054)
- UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR (about 48 miles; BELTON, TX; Full-time enrollment: 2,257)
- NAVARRO COLLEGE (about 54 miles; CORSICANA, TX; Full-time enrollment: 2,842)
- CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE (about 66 miles; KILLEEN, TX; Full-time enrollment: 6,777)
Schools
Public high school in Riesel:
- RIESEL SCHOOL (Students: 284; Location: 600 FREDERICK; Grades: 07 – 12)
Public primary/middle school in Riesel:
- FOSTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 313; Location: 200 N WILLIAMS ST; Grades: PK – 06)