Web Design in Refugio, Texas

Small business website advice, Refugio edition

Mining, oil and gas matter in Refugio County: 18 establishments with employees in the 2023 count, far more than the national share. Crews from out of town look for services from a phone, on short notice. Safety credentials and certifications belong on a contractor’s website, not just mentioned on the phone.

As the county seat of Refugio County, Refugio draws people from all over the county for court dates, permits and records. That is a county of 6,657 people and 4 cities and towns. Visitors who come in for county business usually need something else while they are here: lunch, a copy shop, a notary, a mechanic. Put the address, where to park and the hours near the top of the page; a visitor from out of town wants to plan the trip.

Seasons in Refugio, and what they do to your website

By the 1991-2020 normals of the Refugio weather station (1.9 miles from Refugio), August highs average 95°F and January lows average 45°F. Precipitation totals about 35 inches a year, with October the wettest month. Freezing nights (32°F or below) come about 10 times a year. Long, hot summers keep air-conditioning contractors, pool services and pest control busy, and customers search urgently when something breaks. Give seasonal work its own page, so the right page is there when the weather turns.

Who your website talks to in Refugio

About 28.9% of the town speaks Spanish at home. Short sentences and obvious service names work for every visitor, whatever language they grew up with. Residents 65 and older account for 20.2% of the population, against 13.4% in Texas. A website for this audience should be easy to read on a tablet, with large buttons and a clear way to get in touch.

Most of Refugio is homegrown: 88.7% of residents were born in Texas. When a neighbor recommends you, the website is where they confirm it.

Walking to work is common in Refugio: 6.3% of workers do it. Walk-in customers decide on the spot, often after checking hours on a phone at the door.

Refugio on the map

Nearby incorporated places: Woodsboro (5.7 miles), Bayside (15 miles) and Fulton (22 miles). For big-city shopping and services, Corpus Christi (317,247 residents) is 39 miles away. Aransas County Airport (RKP) is 21 miles southeast of Refugio in a straight line. A 25-mile radius around Refugio takes in 6 other municipalities. Naming Rockport, Bayside and the other places you cover on a service area page tells customers outside Refugio that you work there too.

Refugio is one of 4 municipalities in Refugio County, a county of 6,657 people.

Refugio’s population, year by year

Census estimates put Refugio at 2,722 in 2020 and 2,752 in 2025, a stable town. The high point was 2024, with 2,788 residents. For Texas, the five-year change was +8.8%. A steady town rewards the business people can find and trust quickly.

Small business websites in Refugio: the local business mix

The Census counted 95 establishments with employees in 2023 in ZIP code 78377, which includes Refugio and its surroundings. Some of the local businesses in that count:

• Hotels and motels (3): rooms, photos, location and a contact form, so travelers can compare you outside the booking apps.
• Quick-service restaurants (6): the menu with prices, hours and the closest cross streets.
• Child care centers (3): programs by age, daily routine, your hours and a form for families who want to visit.

County-wide, Refugio County counts 136 businesses with employees and 569 self-employed or nonemployer businesses (2023). By number of employer establishments, accommodation and food services leads in Refugio County (16.9%), followed by retail trade (16.2%) and mining and oil and gas (13.2%). 12.7% of employed residents work in arts, entertainment, recreation, lodging and food service, and 9.9% in retail trade.

What the Census counts in Refugio

What Texas asks of a business with a website

Some homework before launch:

• Out-of-state sellers have to collect Texas sales tax once they reach the state threshold: $500,000 or more in total Texas revenue in the preceding twelve calendar months (sellers below that stay inside the safe harbor). 34 Tex. Admin. Code Section 3.286
• Texas charges a 6.25% state sales and use tax, and local jurisdictions may add up to 2%, for a maximum combined rate of 8.25%. Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
• Check with both Refugio County and the Town of Refugio about local business tax receipts before opening. Official source

This is general information, not legal advice. Your county, your town hall or an attorney can confirm what applies to you.

From sign-up to a live website

Aria is a web design company based in Curitiba, Brazil, building websites, online stores and business email since 2008. Everything is done online, so businesses in Refugio get exactly the same plan as anyone else.

1. You sign up in about 5 minutes and email us your logo, photos and anything you want on the site.
2. Within 5 business days the website is ready on a temporary link, and you review it and ask for changes.
3. Ask for adjustments by email, approve, and after the first monthly fee the site goes live on your domain.

Hosting, the SSL certificate, daily backups and security updates are on us, and content changes you send by email are included.