Runaway Bay, Texas
# Runaway Bay, Texas

Runaway Bay is a city in Wise County, Texas, lying at the Southern end of Lake Bridgeport. The population was 1,546 in 2020.

## Geography

Runaway Bay is located at 33°10′31″N 97°52′29″W﻿ / ﻿33.17528°N 97.87472°W﻿ / 33.17528; -97.87472 (33.175379, −97.874794). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.8 square miles (18 $km^2),$ of which, 2.5 square miles (6.5 $km^2)$ of it is land and 4.3 square miles (11 $km^2)$ is water.

The city is built around an 18-hole golf course and the city's main water tower resembles a golf ball on a tee.

## Demographics

Runaway Bay racial composition as of 2020 (NH = Non-Hispanic) :

| Race | Number | Percentage |
| - | - | - |
| White (NH) | 1,314 | 84.99% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 13 | 0.84% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 13 | 0.84% |
| Asian (NH) | 8 | 0.52% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 1 | 0.06% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 44 | 2.85% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 153 | 9.9% |
| Total | 1,546 | |

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,546 people, 734 households, and 501 families residing in the city.

## Golf course

The Club at Runaway Bay is an 18-hole golf course and club house designed by Leon Howard and established in 1969. It is Par 72, length 7032 yards and has a course rating of 73.1. It was featured in the 2008–09 edition of Golf Digest as one of the "Best Places to Play."

## Alleged chupacabra sighting

On January 17, 2010, the golf course was the subject of a chupacabra sighting in which the unidentified dead animal was described as a "brown, earth-colored creature is hairless with oversized canines and elongated padded feet with inch-long toes tapered with sharp, curved claws. The creature also had long hind legs." Upon investigation, a biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department identified the animal as a hairless raccoon.

## Education

The City of Runaway Bay is served by the Bridgeport Independent School District.

## Highways

* US 380
* SH 114
