Dawson County, Texas


Dawson County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 12,456. The county seat is Lamesa. The county was created in 1876 and later organized in 1905. It is named for Nicholas Mosby Dawson, a soldier of the Texas Revolution. Dawson County comprises the Lamesa, Texas micropolitan statistical area, and by population is the smallest μSA in the United States.
WWW co.dawson.tx.us

History

A Dawson County was founded in 1856 from Kinney County, Maverick County, and Uvalde County, but was divided in 1866 between Kinney and Uvalde Counties. The current Dawson County was founded in 1876.
In 1943, the discovery well for the Spraberry Trend, the third-largest oil field in the United States by remaining reserves, was drilled in Dawson County on land owned by farmer Abner Spraberry, for whom the geological formation and associated field were named. While most of the oil fields are in the counties to the south, a small portion of the Spraberry Trend is in Dawson County. Production on the field did not begin until 1949, and by 1951, an oil boom was underway in the area, with Midland at its center.
Like all Texas counties as stipulated in the Texas Constitution of 1876, Dawson County has four commissioners chosen by single-member district and a countywide-elected county judge, the chief administrator of the county.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of, of which are covered by water.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Race / Ethnicity Pop 2000Pop 2010% 2000% 2010
White alone 6,4395,4024,59042.37%39.05%36.85%
Black or African American alone 1,2858608478.58%6.22%6.80%
Native American or Alaska Native alone 2328230.15%0.20%0.18%
Asian alone 3246560.21%0.33%0.45%
Pacific Islander alone 0240.00%0.01%0.03%
Other race alone 1013170.07%0.09%0.14%
Multiracial 64951520.43%0.69%1.22%
Hispanic or Latino 7,2227,3876,76748.19%53.40%54.33%
Total14,98513,83312,456100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 12,456, with a median age of 37.3 years; 24.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.8% were 65 years of age or older, and for every 100 females there were 120.7 males while 128.3 males were present for every 100 females age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 61.1% White, 7.2% Black or African American, 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 14.6% from some other race, and 15.8% from two or more races, while Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 54.3% of the population.
Seventy.1 percent of residents lived in urban areas and 29.9% lived in rural areas.
There were 4,079 households, of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18. Of all households, 49.0% were married-couple households, 18.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present; about 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 4,859 housing units, 16.1% of which were vacant; among occupied units, 72.4% were owner-occupied and 27.6% were renter-occupied, with a homeowner vacancy rate of 1.8% and a rental vacancy rate of 15.6%.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 14,985 people, 4,726 households, and 3,501 families lived in the county. The population density was. There were 5,500 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 72.47% White, 8.66% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 16.56% from other races, and 1.77% from two or more races, while about 48.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 4,726 households, 35.1% had children under 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were not families. About 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the county, the population was distributed as 25.6% under 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 124.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 129.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $28,211, and for a family was $32,745. Males had a median income of $27,259 versus $16,739 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,011. About 16.40% of families and 19.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.20% of those under age 18 and 12.80% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

Education

School districts serving the county include:
The county is in the service area of Howard County Junior College.