Childress County

Childress County, Texas
Childress County, on the eastern edge of the Panhandle, is bounded on the east by Oklahoma, on the south by Cottle County, on the West by Hall County, and on the north by Collingsworth County. The county is named for George C. Childress, author of the Texas Declaration of Independence. The county seat, Childress, is located 116 miles southeast of Amarillo, on the Fort Worth and Denver Railway and U.S. Highway 287. The center of the county lies at approximately 34°35' north latitude and 100°13' west longitude. The county comprises 699 square miles of rolling prairies and rough riverbottoms. Its soils are a mix, usually a sandy loam mixed with alluvial sands from the county's many creeks and rivers. These soils support a variety of native grasses as well as cotton, wheat, and sorghum. Shin oak, mesquite, salt cedar, and hackberry grow in the bottoms. The county has a small yearly production of oil and gas, but minerals do not play a major role in the local economy. The elevation of the county ranges from 1,600 to 1,900 feet above sea level; the annual growing season averages 217 days, and annual precipitation averages 20.67 inches. The average minimum temperature is 26° F in January, and the average maximum is 99° in July. The major water feature of the county is the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River, which bisects the county as it flows eastward towards the main channel of the Red River. This stream and its tributary creeks (Dry Salt Creek, East Salt Creek, and Spiller, or Buck, Creek) render much of the central and northern part of the county unfit for farming. Thus ranching retains a significant role in the local economy. Baylor Lake and Lake Childress, two small bodies of water, lie to the northwest of Childress and provide recreation.
Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.
Donald R. Abbe | © Texas State Historical Association
Childress County at a Glance
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County Map of Texas
Childress County
- Childress County
Currently Exists
Yes
Place type
Childress County is classified as a County
Altitude Range
1560 ft – 2060 ft
Places of Childress County
Noteworthy | Place | Type |
---|---|---|
Abbington | Town | |
Arlie | Town | |
Baylor Lake | Town | |
Baylor Lake | Lake | |
Blair | Town | |
Buck Creek | Town | |
Carey | Town | |
Childress | Town | |
Childress | Town | |
Curtis | Town | |
Deer | Town | |
Foster's | Town | |
Garden Valley | Town | |
Gilpin | Town | |
Henry | Town | |
Highpoint | Town | |
Kirkland | Town | |
Kola | Town | |
Latona | Town | |
Lee | Town | |
Loco | Town | |
Lonnie | Town | |
Moyer | Town | |
Myrtle | Town | |
Olympus | Town | |
Paulina | Town | |
Poverty Flat | Town | |
Ruby | Town | |
Smithdale | Town | |
Sparksville | Town | |
Talulah | Town | |
Tell | Town | |
Terry | Town | |
Union Flat | Town |
Photos of Childress County and surrounding areas

Childress County, Texas
Veterans Memorial and backdrop of the Childress County Courthouse in Childress, Texas. Photograph by Billy Hathorne.

Childress County, Texas
Map of Childress County, Texas. Map Credit: Robert Plocheck.

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Childress County by the Numbers
Population & Civilian Labor Counts
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Population Counts
Childress County
Pop. | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
7,306 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |
Civilian Labor Counts
Childress County
People | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
2,722 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Per Capita Income
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Per Capita Income (USD) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
$30,084 | 2019 | U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis |
Property Values, Retail Sales, and Wages
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Property Values
Childress County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
770,587,929 | 2019 | State Property Tax Board |
Retail Sales
Childress County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
117,500,129 | 2019 | State Comptroller of Public Accounts |
Wages
Childress County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
27,884,247 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Unemployment
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Unemployment Percentage | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
4.5 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Rainfall
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Rainfall (inches) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
26.4 | 2019 | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Temperature Ranges
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Min. (January Average, °F) | Max. (July Average, °F) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|---|
26.8 | 95.7 | 2019 | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Land Area & Total Area
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Land Area
Childress County
Area (square miles) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
696.4 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |
Total Area
Childress County
Area (square miles) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
713.7 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |