Dickens County, Texas

County in Texas, United States

County in Texas

Dickens County

County

The Dickens County Courthouse in Dickens

Location within the U.S. state of 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
Founded| 1891
Seat| Dickens
Largest city| Spur
Area

• Total

| 905 sq mi (2,340 km2)
• Land| 902 sq mi (2,340 km2)
• Water| 3.5 sq mi (9 km2)  0.4%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 1,770
• Density| 2.0/sq mi (0.76/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district| 13th
Website| www.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

[edit]

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

[edit]

* U.S. Highway 82 / State Highway 114
* State Highway 70
* State Highway 208

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Motley County (north)
* King County (east)
* Kent County (south)
* Crosby County (west)
* Garza County (southwest)
* Floyd County (northwest)
* Cottle County (northeast)
* Stonewall County (southeast)

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1880| 28| | —
1890| 295| | 953.6%
1900| 1,151| | 290.2%
1910| 3,092| | 168.6%
1920| 5,876| | 90.0%
1930| 8,601| | 46.4%
1940| 7,847| | −8.8%
1950| 7,177| | −8.5%
1960| 4,963| | −30.8%
1970| 3,737| | −24.7%
1980| 3,539| | −5.3%
1990| 2,571| | −27.4%
2000| 2,762| | 7.4%
2010| 2,444| | −11.5%
2020| 1,770| | −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

[edit]

### Cities

[edit]

* Dickens (county seat)
* Spur

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Afton
* McAdoo

## Notable people

[edit]

* Charles Weldon Cannon, rancher and boot and saddle manufacturer
* Marshall Formby, attorney, newspaper publisher, radio executive, and politician
* Red McCombs, businessman and sports franchise owner

## Education

[edit]

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

[edit]

[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 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  | Chris Horn  | 2025 – 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  | Jay Allen  | 2025 – present
County Attorney  | Aaron Clements  | 2018 – present
County Tax Assessor-collector  | Rhonda Brendle  | 2025 – present
County Treasurer  | Brandi Abbott  | 2023 – present
Justice of the Peace  | Stella Carter  | 2023 – present

## Politics

[edit]

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. | %
2024 | 844  | 84.99% | 146  | 14.70%  | 3  | 0.30%
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%
United States Senate election results for Dickens County, Texas1[16] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2024 | 817  | 83.11% | 148  | 15.06%  | 18  | 1.83%

## See also

[edit]

* Texas portal

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Dickens County, Texas
* Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Dickens County

## References

[edit]

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.
16. ^ "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)". Commonwealth of Texas by county. November 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dickens County, Texas.

* Dickens County in Handbook of Texas Online at the University of Texas
* Historic Dickens County materials, hosted by the Portal to Texas History.
* Dickens County History at HistoricTexas.net
* Dickens County Profile from the Texas Association of Counties Archived August 1, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
* Dickens County website

* v
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Places adjacent to Dickens County, Texas

|  | Motley County |

|
|

|  |
Crosby County |

Dickens County, Texas

| King County
|  |
| Kent County |

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Dickens County, Texas, United States

County seat: Dickens

Cities|

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* Spur

Dickens County map

Unincorporated
communities|

* Afton
* McAdoo

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33°37′N 100°47′W﻿ / ﻿33.62°N 100.78°W﻿ / 33.62; -100.78

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