Wheeler County, Texas

Last updated

Wheeler County
Wheeler County courthouse May 2020.jpg
Wheeler County Courthouse
Map of Texas highlighting Wheeler County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas in United States.svg
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°24′N100°16′W / 35.4°N 100.27°W / 35.4; -100.27
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Texas.svg Texas
Founded1879
Named after Royall T. Wheeler
Seat Wheeler
Largest city Shamrock
Area
  Total
915 sq mi (2,370 km2)
  Land915 sq mi (2,370 km2)
  Water1.0 sq mi (3 km2)  0.1%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
4,990
  Density5.5/sq mi (2.1/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
  Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 13th
Website www.co.wheeler.tx.us
Wheeler County Veterans Memorial Wheeler County, TX, Veterans Memorial IMG 6129.JPG
Wheeler County Veterans Memorial
John 14:6 sign along U.S. Route 66 in Wheeler County Religious sign in Shamrock, TX IMG 6137.JPG
John 14:6 sign along U.S. Route 66 in Wheeler County

Wheeler County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 4,990. [1] Its county seat is Wheeler. [2] The county was formed in 1876 and organized in 1879. [3] It is named for Royall Tyler Wheeler, a chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court.

Contents

Wheeler County was formerly one of 30 entirely dry counties in the state of Texas. [4] However, circa 2010, the community of Shamrock, located in Wheeler County at the intersection of Interstate 40 and U.S. Highway 83, voted to allow liquor sales. Within the city limits of Shamrock is the only place to purchase liquor in Wheeler County.

The Pioneer West Museum, the Wheeler County historical museum, is located in Shamrock off U.S. Highway 83.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 915 square miles (2,370 km2), of which 915 square miles (2,370 km2) are land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km2) (0.1%) is covered by water. [5]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1880 512
1890 77852.0%
1900 636−18.3%
1910 5,258726.7%
1920 7,39740.7%
1930 15,555110.3%
1940 12,411−20.2%
1950 10,317−16.9%
1960 7,947−23.0%
1970 6,434−19.0%
1980 7,13710.9%
1990 5,879−17.6%
2000 5,284−10.1%
2010 5,4102.4%
2020 4,990−7.8%
U.S. Decennial Census [6]
1850–1900 [7] 1910 [8]
1920 [9] 1930 [10] 1940 [11]
1950 [12] 1960 [13] 1970 [14]
1980 [15] 1990 [16] 2000 [17]
2010 [18] 2020 [19]
Wheeler 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 [20] Pop 2010 [21] Pop 2020 [19] % 2000% 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)4,3863,8473,46983.01%71.11%69.52%
Black or African American alone (NH)137112812.59%2.07%1.62%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)2920330.55%0.37%0.66%
Asian alone (NH)2923240.55%0.43%0.48%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)4020.08%0.00%0.04%
Other race alone (NH)03120.00%0.06%0.24%
Mixed or multiracial (NH)35611420.66%1.13%2.85%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)6641,3441,22712.57%24.84%24.59%
Total5,2845,4104,990100.00%100.00%100.00%

As of the census [22] of 2000, 5,284 people, 2,152 households, and 1,487 families resided in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile (2.3 people/km2). The 2,687 housing units had an average density of 3 units per square mile (1.2 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 87.83% White, 2.78% Black or African American, 0.78% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 6.64% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. About 12.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 2,152 households, 29.6% had children under 18 living with them, 58.0% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were not families. About 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county, the age distribution was 24.9% under 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 22.50% from 25 to 44, 25.20% from 45 to 64, and 20.90% who were 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 87.4 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,029, and for a family was $36,989. Males had a median income of $26,790 versus $19,091 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,083. About 11.6% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.3% of those under 18 and 16.8% of those 65 or over.

Politics

Wheeler County is located in Texas House of Representatives District 88. The county was previously in District 68 from 2013 to 2023. Republican Ken King, a businessman from Canadian in Hemphill County, has represented Wheeler County in the Texas House of Representatives since the redistricting. [23] [24]

The representative from 1971 to 1979 was the Democrat Phil Cates, later a lobbyist in Austin. [25]

United States presidential election results for Wheeler County, Texas [26]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.%No.%No.%
1912 356.31%40272.43%11821.26%
1916 568.00%55479.14%9012.86%
1920 19826.33%51668.62%385.05%
1924 19717.12%90878.89%464.00%
1928 1,03857.86%75041.81%60.33%
1932 1656.75%2,26392.56%170.70%
1936 27710.24%2,41589.31%120.44%
1940 51716.55%2,60083.23%70.22%
1944 51119.54%1,86971.47%2358.99%
1948 37015.04%2,01081.71%803.25%
1952 1,64551.37%1,55148.44%60.19%
1956 1,17848.22%1,25251.25%130.53%
1960 1,42858.43%1,01141.37%50.20%
1964 1,13844.11%1,44055.81%20.08%
1968 1,17645.97%81231.74%57022.28%
1972 1,76677.87%50222.13%00.00%
1976 1,27344.08%1,59855.33%170.59%
1980 1,62659.28%1,09039.74%270.98%
1984 2,25173.51%80526.29%60.20%
1988 1,70361.33%1,06738.42%70.25%
1992 1,45852.69%93833.90%37113.41%
1996 1,35559.20%75032.77%1848.04%
2000 1,78774.80%57924.24%230.96%
2004 1,96081.87%42017.54%140.58%
2008 1,91885.43%31413.99%130.58%
2012 1,87888.25%23210.90%180.85%
2016 2,08790.50%1948.41%251.08%
2020 2,15992.38%1687.19%100.43%
2024 2,09392.04%1697.43%120.53%
United States Senate election results for Wheeler County, Texas1 [27]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.%No.%No.%
2024 2,02589.88%1928.52%361.60%

Communities

Cities

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

See also

References

  1. "Wheeler County, Texas". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. 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 27, 2015.
  4. "Local Option Elections | TABC". Archived from the original on May 16, 2014. Retrieved March 28, 2010.
  5. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  6. "Decennial Census by Decade". US Census Bureau.
  7. "1900 Census of Population - Population of Texas By Counties And Minor Civil Divisions" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
  8. "1910 Census of Population - Supplement for Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau . Archived from the original (PDF) on March 30, 2025. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  9. "1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
  10. "1930 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
  11. "1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
  12. "1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
  13. "1960 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
  14. "1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
  15. "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
  16. "1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
  17. "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
  18. "2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
  19. 1 2 "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wheeler County, Texas". United States Census Bureau .
  20. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Wheeler County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  21. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wheeler County, Texas". United States Census Bureau .
  22. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  23. "Amarillo House Districts Could Grow in Redistricting Proposal". Amarillo Pioneer, September 30, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  24. "Redistricting Maps Finalized for 2022 Elections". Amarillo Pioneer, October 19, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  25. "Phil Cates". Texas Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  26. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  27. "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)". Commonwealth of Texas by county. November 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.

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35°24′N100°16′W / 35.40°N 100.27°W / 35.40; -100.27