Ector County, Texas

County in Texas, United States

Not to be confused with Ector, Texas.

County in Texas

Ector County

County

Ector County Courthouse in Odessa

Location within the U.S. state of Texas

Texas's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 31°52′N 102°32′W﻿ / ﻿31.87°N 102.54°W﻿ / 31.87; -102.54
Country|  United States
State|  Texas
Founded| 1891
Named after| Matthew Ector
Seat| Odessa
Largest city| Odessa
Area

• Total

| 902 sq mi (2,340 km2)
• Land| 898 sq mi (2,330 km2)
• Water| 4.1 sq mi (11 km2)  0.5%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 165,171
• Density| 180/sq mi (71/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district| 11th
Website| www.co.ector.tx.us
Ector County Coliseum Ector County Courthouse Administration annex building

Ector County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In the 2020 census, its population was 165,171.[1] Its county seat is Odessa.[2] The county was founded in 1887 and organized in 1891.[3] It is named for Matthew Ector,[4] a Confederate general in the American Civil War.

Ector County comprises the Odessa, Texas, metropolitan statistical area, which is included in the Midland–Odessa combined statistical area.

## Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 902 sq mi (2,340 km2), of which 898 sq mi (2,330 km2) are land and 4.1 sq mi (11 km2) (0.5%) are covered by water.[5] Ector County has an average rainfall of about 14 in per year and a warm, sunny, semiarid climate. Most of the county is relatively flat, with small areas of slightly rolling terrain. The area is known for its stark landscape. The few naturally occurring trees are mostly mesquite trees, which more resemble large bushes.

### Major highways

[edit]

* I-20
* I-20 BL
* US 385
* SH 158
* SH 181
* SH 191
* SH 302
* Spur 450
* Spur 588
* Loop 338
* FM 554
* FM 1053
* FM 1601
* FM 1787
* FM 1788
* FM 1882
* FM 1936
* FM 2019
* FM 2020
* FM 3472
* FM 3503

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Andrews County (north)
* Midland County (east)
* Upton County (southeast)
* Crane County (south)
* Ward County (southwest)
* Winkler County (west)

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1890| 224| | —
1900| 381| | 70.1%
1910| 1,178| | 209.2%
1920| 760| | −35.5%
1930| 3,958| | 420.8%
1940| 15,051| | 280.3%
1950| 42,102| | 179.7%
1960| 90,995| | 116.1%
1970| 91,805| | 0.9%
1980| 115,374| | 25.7%
1990| 118,934| | 3.1%
2000| 121,123| | 1.8%
2010| 137,130| | 13.2%
2020| 165,171| | 20.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1850–2010[7] 2010[8] 2020[9]
Ector 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)  | 61,168  | 56,306  | 51,023  | 51.33%  | 41.06%  | 30.89%
Black or African American alone (NH)  | 5,370  | 5,596  | 7,430  | 4.43%  | 4.08%  | 4.50%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)  | 526  | 623  | 568  | 0.43%  | 0.45%  | 0.34%
Asian alone (NH)  | 744  | 1,004  | 2,257  | 0.61%  | 0.73%  | 1.37%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)  | 31  | 106  | 327  | 0.03%  | 0.08%  | 0.20%
Other race alone (NH)  | 29  | 68  | 492  | 0.02%  | 0.05%  | 0.30%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)  | 949  | 1,096  | 3,023  | 0.78%  | 0.80%  | 1.83%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)  | 51,306  | 72,331  | 100,051  | 42.36%  | 52.75%  | 60.57%
Total | 121,123 | 137,130 | 165,171 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00%

As of the census[11] of 2000, 121,123 people, 43,846 households, and 31,700 families resided in the county. The population density was 134 people per square mile (52 people/km2). The 49,500 housing units averaged 55 units per square mile (21/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 73.69% White, 4.61% African American, 0.83% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 17.38% from other races, and 2.81% from two or more races. About 42.36% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 43,846 households, 38.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.10% were married couples living together, 13.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were not families. About 24.00% of all households was made up of individuals, and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the county, the population was distributed as 30.40% under the age of 18, 10.50% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 20.20% from 45 to 64, and 10.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,152, and for a family was $36,369. Males had a median income of $30,632 versus $21,317 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,031. About 16.10% of families and 18.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.90% of those under age 18 and 14.30% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities

[edit]

### Cities

[edit]

* Goldsmith
* Odessa (county seat)

### Census-designated places

[edit]

* Gardendale
* West Odessa

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Notrees
* Penwell
* Pleasant Farms

### Ghost town

[edit]

* Arcade

## Politics

[edit]

Ector County is overwhelmingly Republican. It voted against Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson, a Texas native, in his 1964 landslide. The last time Democrats carried the county was in 1948.

United States presidential election results for Ector County, Texas[12] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2024 | 32,429  | 75.96% | 9,881  | 23.15%  | 380  | 0.89%
2020 | 32,697  | 73.33% | 11,367  | 25.49%  | 527  | 1.18%
2016 | 25,020  | 68.49% | 10,249  | 28.06%  | 1,261  | 3.45%
2012 | 24,010  | 73.85% | 8,118  | 24.97%  | 385  | 1.18%
2008 | 26,199  | 73.49% | 9,123  | 25.59%  | 329  | 0.92%
2004 | 27,502  | 75.74% | 8,579  | 23.63%  | 229  | 0.63%
2000 | 22,893  | 69.58% | 9,425  | 28.65%  | 583  | 1.77%
1996 | 17,746  | 54.29% | 12,017  | 36.76%  | 2,923  | 8.94%
1992 | 18,161  | 50.35% | 11,130  | 30.85%  | 6,782  | 18.80%
1988 | 23,155  | 67.80% | 10,825  | 31.70%  | 172  | 0.50%
1984 | 31,228  | 77.41% | 8,913  | 22.09%  | 201  | 0.50%
1980 | 26,188  | 72.38% | 9,069  | 25.07%  | 922  | 2.55%
1976 | 18,973  | 62.56% | 10,802  | 35.62%  | 553  | 1.82%
1972 | 21,386  | 79.32% | 5,449  | 20.21%  | 125  | 0.46%
1968 | 10,557  | 43.02% | 5,312  | 21.65%  | 8,671  | 35.33%
1964 | 11,497  | 51.36% | 10,826  | 48.36%  | 63  | 0.28%
1960 | 11,145  | 53.91% | 8,996  | 43.52%  | 531  | 2.57%
1956 | 8,805  | 62.41% | 5,109  | 36.21%  | 194  | 1.38%
1952 | 8,259  | 61.01% | 5,270  | 38.93%  | 8  | 0.06%
1948 | 1,145  | 20.11%  | 4,305  | 75.61% | 244  | 4.29%
1944 | 432  | 13.98%  | 2,265  | 73.28% | 394  | 12.75%
1940 | 451  | 13.92%  | 2,783  | 85.92% | 5  | 0.15%
1936 | 81  | 8.92%  | 816  | 89.87% | 11  | 1.21%
1932 | 37  | 6.22%  | 530  | 89.08% | 28  | 4.71%
1928 | 168  | 52.66% | 151  | 47.34%  | 0  | 0.00%
1924 | 12  | 7.74%  | 138  | 89.03% | 5  | 3.23%
1920 | 23  | 18.40%  | 100  | 80.00% | 2  | 1.60%
1916 | 2  | 1.64%  | 120  | 98.36% | 0  | 0.00%
1912 | 3  | 3.13%  | 89  | 92.71% | 4  | 4.17%
United States Senate election results for Ector County, Texas1[13] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2024 | 30,729  | 72.70% | 10,620  | 25.13%  | 919  | 2.17%

## See also

[edit]

* Texas portal

* List of museums in West Texas
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Ector County, Texas
* Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Ector County
* Odessa College
* Presidential Museum and Leadership Library
* University of Texas of the Permian Basin
* Odessa Meteor Crater

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Ector County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. 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 23, 2015.
4. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 114.
5. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
6. ^ "Decennial Census 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 26, 2015.
8. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Ector 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) – Ector County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
10. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Ector County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
11. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
12. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
13. ^ "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)". Commonwealth of Texas by county. November 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Ector County government’s website
* Ector County in Handbook of Texas Online at the University of Texas
* Inventory of county records, Ector County courthouse, hosted by the Portal to Texas History
* Ector County Profile from the Texas Association of Counties

* v
* t
* e

Places adjacent to Ector County, Texas

|  | Andrews County |

|
|

|  |
Winkler County |

Ector County, Texas

| Midland County
|  |
Ward County | Crane County | Upton County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Ector County, Texas, United States

County seat: Odessa

Cities|

* Goldsmith
* Odessa‡

Ector County map

CDPs|

* Gardendale
* West Odessa

Other
communities|

* Arcade
* Notrees
* Penwell
* Pleasant Farms

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

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31°52′N 102°32′W﻿ / ﻿31.87°N 102.54°W﻿ / 31.87; -102.54

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