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Dickens County, Texas

Coordinates: 33°37′N 100°47′W / 33.62°N 100.78°W / 33.62; -100.78
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dickens County
County
The Dickens County Courthouse in Dickens
The Dickens County Courthouse in Dickens
Map of Texas highlighting Dickens County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°37′N 100°47′W / 33.62°N 100.78°W / 33.62; -100.78
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1891
SeatDickens
Largest citySpur
Area
 • Total905 sq mi (2,340 km2)
 • Land902 sq mi (2,340 km2)
 • Water3.5 sq mi (9 km2)  0.4%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total1,770
 • Density2.0/sq mi (0.76/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district13th
Websitewww.co.dickens.tx.us

Dickens County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 1,770.[1] Its county seat is Dickens.[2] The county was created in 1876 and later organized in 1891.[3] Both the county and its seat are named for J. Dickens, who died at the Battle of the Alamo.[4]

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 905 square miles (2,340 km2), of which 902 square miles (2,340 km2) are land and 3.5 square miles (9.1 km2) (0.4%) are covered by water.[5]

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
188028—
1890295953.6%
19001,151290.2%
19103,092168.6%
19205,87690.0%
19308,60146.4%
19407,847−8.8%
19507,177−8.5%
19604,963−30.8%
19703,737−24.7%
19803,539−5.3%
19902,571−27.4%
20002,7627.4%
20102,444−11.5%
20201,770−27.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1850–2010[7] 2010[8] 2020[9]
Dickens County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[10] Pop 2010[8] Pop 2020[9] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
  White alone (NH) 1,857 1,590 1,178 67.23% 65.06% 66.55%
  Black or African American alone (NH) 223 92 18 8.07% 3.76% 1.02%
  Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 3 21 0 0.11% 0.86% 0.00%
Asian alone (NH) 3 18 1 0.11% 0.74% 0.06%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 1 0 2 0.04% 0.00% 0.11%
Other race alone (NH) 3 0 7 0.11% 0.00% 0.40%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 12 15 52 0.43% 0.61% 2.94%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 660 708 512 23.90% 28.97% 28.93%
Total 2,762 2,444 1,770 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the census[11] of 2000, 2,762 people, 980 households, and 638 families resided in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile (1.2 people/km2). The 1,368 housing units averaged 2 per square mile (0.77/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 77.62% White, 8.18% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.25% Pacific Islander, 12.35% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. About 23.90% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 980 households, 23.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were married couples living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.80% were not families. About 32.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the county, the population was distributed as 18.50% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 29.70% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 19.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 130.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 141.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,898, and for a family was $32,500. Males had a median income of $25,000 versus $18,571 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,156. About 14.10% of families and 17.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.30% of those under age 18 and 18.20% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

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Cities

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Unincorporated communities

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Notable people

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  • Charles Weldon Cannon, rancher and boot and saddle manufacturer
  • Marshall Formby, attorney, newspaper publisher, radio executive, and politician

Education

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There are two school districts in the county: Patton Springs Independent School District and Spur Independent School District.[12]

The Texas Legislature designated the county as being in the Western Texas College District.[13]

Elected leadership

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[14]

Legislative Representation Name Service
United States Congress, District 13 Ronny Jackson 2021 – Present
State Senator, District 28 Charles Perry 2014 – Present
State Representative, District 68 David Spiller February 2021 – January 1, 2023
State Representative, District 83 Dustin Burrows January 1, 2023 – Present
County Elected Leadership Name Service
County Judge Kevin Brendle 2015 – present
County Commissioner Pct 1 Dennis Wyatt 2017 – present
County Commissioner Pct 2 Mike Smith 2015 – present
County Commissioner Pct 3 Charles Morris 2013 – present
County Commissioner Pct 4 Greg Arnold 2023 – present
110th District Attorney Emily Teegardin (Silverton) 2023 – present
District & County Clerk Danay Carnes 2022 – present
County Sheriff Terry Braly 2013 – present
County Attorney Aaron Clements 2018 – present
County Tax Assessor-collector Rebecca Haney 2015 – present
County Treasurer Brandi Abbott 2023 – present
Justice of the Peace Stella Carter 2023 – present

Politics

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Following redistricting after the 2020 census, effective January 1, 2023, Dickens County is in Texas House of Representatives District 83, represented by Republican Dustin Burrows, an attorney from Lubbock. Dickens County was previously in House District 68. In the Texas Senate, Dickens County is presently in District 28, represented by Republican Charles Perry.

Like much of West Texas, Dickens now leans heavily Republican, giving less than 15% of the vote to Hillary Clinton in 2016, though it did support her husband, Bill Clinton, in both 1992 and 1996, in the former election supporting him by double digits over Texas resident George H.W. Bush. However, the county historically leaned heavily Democratic, having previously even voted against Ronald Reagan in both his 1980 and 1984 landslides, and against native son Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952 and 1956.

United States presidential election results for Dickens County, Texas[15]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 853 86.34% 130 13.16% 5 0.51%
2016 755 83.06% 128 14.08% 26 2.86%
2012 793 77.82% 216 21.20% 10 0.98%
2008 730 75.10% 234 24.07% 8 0.82%
2004 815 76.67% 245 23.05% 3 0.28%
2000 589 66.86% 284 32.24% 8 0.91%
1996 421 39.98% 509 48.34% 123 11.68%
1992 373 32.16% 536 46.21% 251 21.64%
1988 435 38.12% 696 61.00% 10 0.88%
1984 594 45.90% 692 53.48% 8 0.62%
1980 554 37.41% 912 61.58% 15 1.01%
1976 343 21.83% 1,222 77.78% 6 0.38%
1972 708 56.87% 534 42.89% 3 0.24%
1968 428 27.90% 811 52.87% 295 19.23%
1964 339 20.34% 1,324 79.42% 4 0.24%
1960 521 32.42% 1,075 66.89% 11 0.68%
1956 565 31.25% 1,243 68.75% 0 0.00%
1952 782 38.43% 1,249 61.38% 4 0.20%
1948 115 6.76% 1,492 87.76% 93 5.47%
1944 141 7.50% 1,617 86.06% 121 6.44%
1940 246 12.43% 1,728 87.32% 5 0.25%
1936 115 7.37% 1,445 92.57% 1 0.06%
1932 63 4.03% 1,491 95.45% 8 0.51%
1928 741 64.10% 415 35.90% 0 0.00%
1924 161 15.78% 849 83.24% 10 0.98%
1920 109 18.83% 433 74.78% 37 6.39%
1916 15 3.39% 389 87.81% 39 8.80%
1912 11 3.34% 277 84.19% 41 12.46%

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Dickens County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Archived from the original on May 13, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  4. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 106.
  5. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  6. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decade". US Census Bureau.
  7. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  8. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Dickens County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  9. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Dickens County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  10. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Dickens County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  11. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  12. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Dickens County, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 22, 2024. - Text list
  13. ^ "Sec. 130.210. WESTERN TEXAS COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA". Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  14. ^ "Counties: Dickens - Texas State Directory Online".
  15. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
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