Inez is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Victoria County, Texas, within the Victoria metropolitan area. The community was named for the daughter of a railroad developer, a reflection of the rail era that helped open the coastal prairie to settlement. At the 2020 census, Inez had a population of 2,641. The surrounding area holds some of the earliest European history in Texas, including the site of Fort Saint Louis, a French colony established in the late 1600s, and a later Spanish presidio built nearby. The community sits amid the flat farmland and coastal prairie of the Texas Gulf Coast region, between the county seat of Victoria and the coast. Agriculture and the oil and gas industry anchor the local economy, with ranching and row crops spread across the surrounding countryside. Many residents commute to Victoria for work, shopping, and services, while the community itself retains a quiet, rural character. Public education is provided by the Industrial Independent School District, which serves Inez and the surrounding area and has been recognized for strong performance by the Texas Education Agency. The district is a central institution in community life and a key draw for families seeking a rural setting with strong schools. Today Inez functions as a rural residential community with deep historical roots and an economy tied to the land and energy production. Ranching and row-crop farming remain visible across the landscape, and the community's position between Victoria and the coast gives it a distinctly rural character within a growing region. Its location within the Victoria metropolitan area gives residents access to regional amenities while preserving the open, agricultural character that defines life on the coastal prairie.