Outdoor Advertising Billboards for Rent in San Antonio, TX

San Antonio was named for the Portuguese St. Anthony, whose feast day is on June 13, when a Spanish expedition stopped in the area in 1691. The city has a strong military presence—it is home to Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, Randolph Air Force Base, and Brooks City-Base, with Camp Bullis and Camp Stanley right outside the city. Furthermore, Kelly Air Force Base (now Port San Antonio) operated out of San Antonio until 2001, when the airfield was transferred over to Lackland AFB and the remaining portions of the base became an industrial/business park. The decision to close Kelly and consolidate its resources came from the 1995 BRAC. San Antonio is also home to the South Texas Medical Center, the only medical research and care provider in the South Texas region.

Famous for the River Walk, the Alamo, and home to the SeaWorld San Antonio and Six Flags Fiesta Texas theme parks, the city is visited by approximately 26 million tourists per year according to the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau. San Antonio is also home to the first museum of modern art in Texas, known as the McNay Art Museum.

Demographics

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 1,144,646, ranking it the ninth-most populated city in the country. Due to San Antonio's low density rate and lack of significant population surrounding the city limits, the metropolitan area ranked just 30th in the U.S. with a population of 1,592,383.

Subsequent population estimates indicate continued growth in the area. The July 1, 2007, population estimate for the city was 1,328,984, making it the second-most populous city and the third-most populous metro area in Texas, as well as the seventh-most populous city in the U.S. The 2008 U.S. Census estimate for the eight-county (Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall, Medina, and Wilson Counties) San Antonio metropolitan statistical area (MSA) placed its population at 2,031,445, making it the third-most populous metro area in Texas and the 28th-most populous metro area in the U.S. San Antonio's MSA is bordered to the northeast by the Austin-Round Rock metropolitan statistical area (MSA), and the two metros together combine to form a region of almost 3.7 million people.

There are 405,474 households, and 280,993 families residing in San Antonio. The population density is 2,808.5 people per square mile (1,084.4 km). There are 433,122 housing units at an average density of 1,062.7 per square mile (410.3 km).

The age of the city's population is spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. In San Antonio, 48% of the population are males, and 52% of the population are females. For every 100 females there are 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 89.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $36,214, and the median income for a family is $53,100. Males have a median income of $30,061 versus $24,444 for females. The per capita income for the city is $17,487. 17.3% of the population and 14.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 24.3% of those under the age of 18 and 13.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

At the 2007 U.S. Census estimates, the city population's racial groupings were:

• 63.5% White (including White Hispanics)
• 24.5% some other race
• 6.9% Black or African American
• 2.1% Asian
• 2.3% two or more races
• 0.7% Native American
• 0.1% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

Grouped by ethnicity, the population was:

• 60.7% Hispanic (primarily Mexican-American) of any race
• 39.3% non-Hispanic of any race

Transportation

Air

A VIA bus stopped at a downtown intersection

The San Antonio International Airport is located in north central San Antonio, approximately eight miles from downtown. It has two terminals and is served by 21 airlines serving 43 destinations including three in Mexico.

Mass Transit

An extensive bus and streetcar system is provided by the city's metropolitan transit system, VIA Metropolitan Transit. VIA's full fare monthly unlimited Big Pass is only $30 per month making VIA the most economical large transit authority in the nation. VIA offers 93 regular bus routes and 4 downtown streetcar routes including express service from downtown to the South, West, Northwest, North Central and Northeast areas of the city including UTSA, Six Flags Fiesta Texas and SeaWorld. Express service to the Far West area of the city is scheduled to begin in late 2009. VIA also offers a special service to city events including Spurs games and city parades from its Park and Ride locations. VIA has among its many routes, one of the longest transit routes in the nation. Route 550/551(LOOPER/SKIP SERVICE) travels 48 miles one way as it loops around the city. San Antonio does not have any type of local rail service. It is the largest such city in the United States.

Rail

Amtrak, the national passenger rail service, provides service to San Antonio at San Antonio Amtrak Station, operating its Texas Eagle daily between San Antonio and Chicago's Union Station. Amtrak also operates its Sunset Limited three times a week in each direction through San Antonio between Los Angeles and Orlando, Florida (currently truncated to New Orleans due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina). The Texas Eagle section travels between San Antonio and Los Angeles as part of the Sunset Limited. The old Sunset Station is now an entertainment venue owned by VIA and neighbored by the current station and the Alamodome.

San Antonio does not have any type of local rail service. It is the largest such city in the United States.

Road

San Antonio is served by these major freeways:

• Interstate 10 – McDermott Freeway (Northwest) runs west toward El Paso, Phoenix and Los Angeles. Jose Lopez Freeway (East) runs east toward Houston, New Orleans and Jacksonville
• Interstate 35 – Pan Am Expressway (Northeast/Southwest) - runs south toward Laredo and runs north toward Austin, Dallas–Fort Worth, Oklahoma City, Kansas City and Minneapolis
• Interstate 37 - Lucian Adams Freeway (Southeast) - runs from San Antonio through its junction with U.S. Highway 281 south (Edinburg and McAllen) near Three Rivers and into Corpus Christi through its junction with U.S. Highway 77 south (Kingsville, Harlingen and Brownsville) to its southern terminus at Corpus Christi Bay.
• Interstate 410 - Connally Loop - simply called Loop 410 (four-ten) by locals is a 53-mile inner beltway around the city.
• U.S. Highway 90 - Cleto Rodriguez Freeway (West) through Uvalde and Del Rio to its western terminus at I-10 in Van Horn. Prior to I-10 East and US 90 West expressway being built US 90 traveled through the west side via West Commerce St. (westbound) and Buena Vista St. (eastbound) as well as along Old Hwy 90. On the east side it traveled along East Commerce St. to its current alignment which runs concurrent with I-10 East to Seguin.
• U.S. Highway 281 - McAllister Freeway (North) to Johnson City and Wichita Falls. Southbound, it runs concurrent with I-37, then I-410 for 4 miles (6 km), then heads south to Pleasanton. Prior to I-37 and McAllister Fwy. being built US 281 traveled through the north side via San Pedro Ave. and the south side via Roosevelt Ave.
• State Highway 151 - Stotzer Freeway runs from US Hwy 90 West through Westover Hills which includes SeaWorld to its western terminus at State Loop 1604.
• State Loop 1604 – Charles W. Anderson Loop—simply called 1604 (sixteen-oh-four) by locals—is a 96-mile outer beltway around San Antonio

Other highways include:

• U.S. Highway 87 - Southbound to Victoria along Roland Avenue then Rigsby Avenue. It runs concurrent with I-10 for 52 miles (84 km) where it goes to San Angelo northbound.
• U.S. Highway 181 - Starts 0.5 miles (0.8 km) south of I-410/I-37/US 281 junction and goes to Corpus Christi via Beeville. Prior to I-37 being built US 181 traveled along Presa St. from downtown to its current alignment.
• State Highway 16 - From Freer, it runs concurrent with I-410 for 17 miles (27 km) along southwest San Antonio, over to Bandera Road to Bandera.
• State Loop 345 - Fredericksburg Road is the Business Loop for I-10 West/US-87 North.
• State Loop 368 - Broadway and Austin Highway is the Business Loop for I-35 North.
• State Loop 353 - Nogalitos Street and New Laredo Highway is the Business Loop for I-35 South.
• State Loop 13 - Is the city's inner loop on the south side serving Lackland AFB, Port San Antonio, South Park Mall and Brooks CityBase traveling along Military Dr. on the south side and WW White Rd. on the east side. The northern arc of the loop is now I-410.