Lubbock County, Texas


Lubbock County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 census placed the population at 310,639. Its county seat and largest city is Lubbock. The county was created in 1876 and organized in 1891. It is named for Thomas Saltus Lubbock, a Confederate colonel and Texas Ranger.
Lubbock County, along with Crosby County, and Lynn County, is part of the Lubbock Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Lubbock MSA and Levelland Micropolitan Statistical Area, encompassing only Hockley County, form the larger Lubbock–Levelland Combined Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which are land and are covered by water.

Major highways

Racial and ethnic composition

Race / EthnicityPop 2000Pop 2010% 2000% 2010
White alone151,705159,815191,71762.53%57.32%51.72%
Black or African American alone18,18419,95727,2797.49%7.16%8.78%
Native American or Alaska Native alone8151,0263,2060.34%0.37%1.03%
Asian alone3,0815,6509,7011.27%2.03%3.12%
Pacific Islander alone491612480.02%0.06%0.08%
Other race alone14628435,1800.06%0.10%11.33%
Mixed race or Multiracial2,0393,01443,3080.84%1.08%13.94%
Hispanic or Latino 66,60988,924109,17027.45%31.89%35.14%
Total242,628278,831310,639100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 310,639. The median age was 33.0 years. 23.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 13.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.5 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 61.7% White, 8.8% Black or African American, 1.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.1% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 11.3% from some other race, and 13.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 35.1% of the population.
89.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 10.5% lived in rural areas.
There were 119,463 households in the county, of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 42.8% were married-couple households, 20.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 132,209 housing units, of which 9.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 54.9% were owner-occupied and 45.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.8%.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 242,628 people, 92,516 households, and 60,135 families resided in the county. The population density was. The 100,595 housing units averaged. The racial makeup of the county was 74.30% White, 7.67% Black or African American, 0.59% Native American, 1.31% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 14.15% from other races, and 1.96% from two or more races. About 27.45% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 92,516 households, 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.20% were married couples living together, 12.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.00% were not families. About 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the county, the population was distributed as 25.70% under the age of 18, 16.30% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 19.20% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,198, and for a family was $41,067. Males had a median income of $29,961 versus $21,591 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,323. About 12.00% of families and 17.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.60% of those under age 18 and 10.70% of those age 65 or over.

Elected leadership

County Elected LeadershipNameService
County JudgeCurtis Parrish2019 – present
County Commissioner Pct 1Mike Dalby2025 – present
County Commissioner Pct 2Jason Corley2019 – present
County Commissioner Pct 3Cary Shaw2025 - present
County Commissioner Pct 4Jordan Rackler2023 – present
District AttorneyK. Sunshine Stanek2018 – present
District ClerkSara Smith2022 – present
County ClerkKelly Pinon2007 – present
County SheriffKelly Rowe2009 – present
County Tax Assessor-collectorRonnie Keister2009 – present
County TreasurerChris Winn2015 – present

Politics

At the presidential level, Lubbock County votes predominantly Republican, having voted Democratic for president only once in the past 70 years, a trend which began with native son Dwight D. Eisenhower heading the ticket in 1952 and 1956, reversing a trend typical of the Solid South. In the 2020 Presidential election, Joe Biden's percentage, was due to Biden winning precincts within the city highway loop in Lubbock. The heavy Republican lean of the county is mostly due to Republican landslide victories in precincts located outside the city highway loop in the county.
In October 2023, Lubbock County Commissioners passed a "Sanctuary County for the Unborn" ordinance. The ordinance outlaws "the act of transporting another person along their roads for an abortion." The ordinance is of questionable constitutionality, given the right to interstate travel under the U.S. Constitution.

Communities

Cities

School districts serving the county include:
The county is in the service area of South Plains College.
Texas Tech University is in Lubbock.