Midland County, Texas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Midland County
U.S. county
The Midland County Courthouse in Midland
The Midland County Courthouse in Midland
Official seal of Midland County
Seal
Map of Texas highlighting Midland County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°53′N 102°01′W / 31.89°N 102.02°W / 31.89; -102.02
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1885
SeatMidland
Largest cityMidland
Area
 • Total902 sq mi (2,340 km2)
 • Land900 sq mi (2,000 km2)
 • Water1.8 sq mi (5 km2)  0.2%%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total136,872
 • Density152/sq mi (59/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district11th
Websitewww.co.midland.tx.us
Former Midland County courthouse marked for razing
Midland County Public Library in Midland

Midland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2019, the population was 176,832.[1] The county seat is Midland.[2] The county is so named for being halfway (midway) between Fort Worth and El Paso on the Texas and Pacific Railway. Midland County is included in the Midland, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Midland–Odessa Combined Statistical Area.

History[]

In 1968, the county lost before the Supreme Court in Avery v. Midland County which required local districts to be nearly equal. The city of Midland had most of the county's population but only elected one of the five county commissioners, which was found to violate the Fourteenth Amendment.

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 902 square miles (2,340 km2), of which 900 square miles (2,300 km2) is land and 1.8 square miles (4.7 km2) (0.2%) is water.[3] The Spraberry Trend, the third-largest oil field in the United States by remaining reserves, underlies much of the county.[4]

Major highways[]

Adjacent counties[]

Demographics[]

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18901,033—
19001,74168.5%
19103,46499.0%
19202,449−29.3%
19308,005226.9%
194011,72146.4%
195025,785120.0%
196067,717162.6%
197065,433−3.4%
198082,63626.3%
1990106,61129.0%
2000116,0098.8%
2010136,87218.0%
2019 (est.)176,832[5]29.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1850–2010[7] 2010–2019[1]

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 116,009 people, 42,745 households, and 30,947 families residing in the county. The population density was 129 people per square mile (50/km2). There were 48,060 housing units at an average density of 53 per square mile (21/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 77.32% White, 6.98% Black or African American, 0.64% Native American, 0.93% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 12.17% from other races, and 1.92% from two or more races. 29.03% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 42,745 households, out of which 38.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.40% were married couples living together, 11.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 24.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 30.20% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 28.40% from 25 to 44, 20.90% from 45 to 64, and 11.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,082, and the median income for a family was $47,269. Males had a median income of $36,924 versus $24,708 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,369. 12.90% of the population and 10.30% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 16.20% are under the age of 18 and 7.90% are 65 or older.

Oil & Gas Activity Summary[]

Midland County ranks #1 in the state of Texas for total oil production and #2 for total gas production. [9] Oil and gas data from the Texas Railroad Commission reports 6,602 currently producing wells as of September 2020. [10]

Politics[]

Midland County was one of the first areas of Texas to break away from its Democratic roots. it has been Republican in presidential elections since 1952. The last Democratic presidential candidate to win the county was Harry Truman in 1948.[11] Even in the presidential election of 1964 in which the incumbent president, Texan Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson, won a national landslide victory, it gave 57.8% of its ballots to Republican presidential candidate and Arizona native Barry Goldwater.[12] Midland County is in the 11th Congressional District in Texas and it is represented by August Pfluger, a Republican. The 11th Congressional District gave George W. Bush 78% of its votes in 2004, higher than any other congressional district in the nation. In Midland County in 2004, Republican George W. Bush received 82% of the vote while Democrat John Kerry received 18%.

Presidential elections results

Communities[]

Cities[]

  • Midland (county seat) (small part in Martin County)
  • Odessa (partly in Ector County)

Unincorporated communities[]

  • Chub
  • Cotton Flat
  • Greenwood
  • Spraberry
  • Terminal
  • Valley View
  • Warfield

Ghost towns[]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "State & County QuickFacts". The County Information Program, Texas Association of Counties. Archived from the original on September 15, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  4. ^ Top 100 Oil and Gas Fields Archived 2009-05-15 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  6. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  7. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  8. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  9. ^ "Texas Monthly Oil & Gas Production by County Ranking". Texas RRC. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Well Distribution by County - Well Counts". Texas RRC. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  11. ^ Geographie Electorale
  12. ^ http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/datagraph.php?year=1964&fips=48&f=1&off=0&elect=0
  13. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-07-27.

External links[]

Coordinates: 31°53′N 102°01′W / 31.89°N 102.02°W / 31.89; -102.02

Retrieved from ""