Lamb County, Texas
Lamb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 13,045.[1] Its county seat is Littlefield.[2] The county was created in 1876, but not organized until 1908.[3] It is named for George A. Lamb, who died in the Battle of San Jacinto.
Lamb County | |
|---|---|
Lamb County Courthouse in Littlefield | |
Location within the U.S. state of Texas | |
Texas's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 34°04′N 102°21′W / 34.07°N 102.35°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| Founded | 1908 |
| Named for | George A. Lamb |
| Seat | Littlefield |
| Largest city | Littlefield |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,018 sq mi (2,640 km2) |
| • Land | 1,016 sq mi (2,630 km2) |
| • Water | 1.5 sq mi (4 km2) 0.2% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 13,045 |
| • Density | 13/sq mi (4.9/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 19th |
| Website | co |
Lamb County was the home of the Texas House Speaker Bill W. Clayton, who served from 1975 until 1983. It is also the birthplace of country music singer Waylon Jennings. As of August, 2022, Lamb County had the highest COVID-19 death rate of any county in the United States. [4]
History
Lamb County was formed in 1876 from portions of Bexar County. It was named after George A. Lamb, a soldier in the Battle of San Jacinto.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,018 square miles (2,640 km2), of which 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2) (0.2%) are covered by water.[5]
Adjacent counties
- Castro County (north)
- Hale County (east)
- Hockley County (south)
- Bailey County (west)
- Parmer County (northwest)
- Lubbock County (southeast)
- Cochran County (southwest)
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 4 | — | |
| 1900 | 31 | 675.0% | |
| 1910 | 540 | 1,641.9% | |
| 1920 | 1,175 | 117.6% | |
| 1930 | 17,452 | 1,385.3% | |
| 1940 | 17,606 | 0.9% | |
| 1950 | 20,015 | 13.7% | |
| 1960 | 21,896 | 9.4% | |
| 1970 | 17,770 | −18.8% | |
| 1980 | 18,669 | 5.1% | |
| 1990 | 15,072 | −19.3% | |
| 2000 | 14,709 | −2.4% | |
| 2010 | 13,977 | −5.0% | |
| 2020 | 13,045 | −6.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1850–2010[7] 2010[8] 2020[9] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010[8] | Pop 2020[9] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 6,020 | 4,981 | 43.07% | 38.18% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 555 | 392 | 3.97% | 3.00% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 39 | 15 | 0.28% | 0.11% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 17 | 4 | 0.12% | 0.03% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 4 | 5 | 0.03% | 0.04% |
| Some other race alone (NH) | 16 | 24 | 0.11% | 0.18% |
| Mixed race/multiracial (NH) | 95 | 175 | 0.68% | 1.34% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7,231 | 7,449 | 51.73% | 57.10% |
| Total | 13,977 | 13,045 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
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 can be of any race.
As of the census[10] of 2000, 14,709 people, 5,360 households, and 3,991 families resided in the county. The population density was 14 people per square mile (6/km2). The 6,294 housing units averaged 6 per square mile (2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 76.1% White, 4.3% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.1% Asian, less than 0.05% Pacific Islander, 16.9% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. About 43.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 5,360 households, 35.4% had children under 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were not families. About 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the county, the population was distributed as 29.6% under 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,898, and for a family was $31,833. Males had a median income of $36,434 versus $30,342 for females. The per capita income for the county was $30,169. About 18.0% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.3% of those under age 18 and 15.3% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Major highways
Airports
Littlefield Municipal Airport is located in Lamb County, 3 nautical miles (6 km) west of the central business district of Littlefield, Texas.
Communities
Cities
- Amherst
- Earth
- Littlefield (county seat)
- Olton
- Sudan
Town
Census-designated place
Unincorporated community
Education
School districts serving the county include:[11]
- Amherst Independent School District
- Anton Independent School District
- Littlefield Independent School District
- Muleshoe Independent School District
- Olton Independent School District
- Springlake-Earth Independent School District
- Sudan Independent School District
- Whiteface Consolidated Independent School District
The county is in the service area of South Plains College.[12]
Gallery
Littlefield claims the world's tallest windmill.
Lamb County Library in downtown Littlefield across from the First Baptist Church
Lamb County Leader-News in Littlefield
Lamb County Veterans Memorial
Littlefield Farmers Co-op grain elevator
Politics
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 3,521 | 79.84% | 840 | 19.05% | 49 | 1.11% |
| 2016 | 3,111 | 77.87% | 771 | 19.30% | 113 | 2.83% |
| 2012 | 3,058 | 74.75% | 998 | 24.40% | 35 | 0.86% |
| 2008 | 3,344 | 73.90% | 1,156 | 25.55% | 25 | 0.55% |
| 2004 | 3,410 | 79.84% | 857 | 20.07% | 4 | 0.09% |
| 2000 | 3,451 | 75.05% | 1,114 | 24.23% | 33 | 0.72% |
| 1996 | 2,593 | 56.69% | 1,683 | 36.79% | 298 | 6.52% |
| 1992 | 2,998 | 55.01% | 1,737 | 31.87% | 715 | 13.12% |
| 1988 | 3,064 | 57.64% | 2,230 | 41.95% | 22 | 0.41% |
| 1984 | 3,892 | 66.78% | 1,919 | 32.93% | 17 | 0.29% |
| 1980 | 3,723 | 62.75% | 2,132 | 35.93% | 78 | 1.31% |
| 1976 | 2,413 | 41.50% | 3,374 | 58.02% | 28 | 0.48% |
| 1972 | 3,981 | 74.19% | 1,350 | 25.16% | 35 | 0.65% |
| 1968 | 2,595 | 41.05% | 2,267 | 35.86% | 1,460 | 23.09% |
| 1964 | 2,022 | 31.85% | 4,318 | 68.01% | 9 | 0.14% |
| 1960 | 2,764 | 46.01% | 3,089 | 51.42% | 154 | 2.56% |
| 1956 | 1,840 | 35.54% | 3,325 | 64.23% | 12 | 0.23% |
| 1952 | 2,913 | 51.36% | 2,748 | 48.45% | 11 | 0.19% |
| 1948 | 475 | 12.03% | 3,286 | 83.25% | 186 | 4.71% |
| 1944 | 616 | 17.89% | 2,407 | 69.89% | 421 | 12.22% |
| 1940 | 513 | 13.56% | 3,259 | 86.15% | 11 | 0.29% |
| 1936 | 300 | 11.41% | 2,320 | 88.21% | 10 | 0.38% |
| 1932 | 271 | 8.24% | 2,978 | 90.57% | 39 | 1.19% |
| 1928 | 1,266 | 74.21% | 440 | 25.79% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 121 | 23.87% | 356 | 70.22% | 30 | 5.92% |
| 1920 | 136 | 32.46% | 264 | 63.01% | 19 | 4.53% |
| 1916 | 14 | 8.14% | 150 | 87.21% | 8 | 4.65% |
| 1912 | 6 | 7.14% | 53 | 63.10% | 25 | 29.76% |
See also
References
- ^ "Lamb County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
- ^ US COVID-19 cases and deaths by state
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
- ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decade". US Census Bureau.
- ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
- ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Lamb County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Lamb County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lamb County, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved June 29, 2022. - Text list
- ^ Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.198. SOUTH PLAINS COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
External links
- Lamb County from the Handbook of Texas Online