Dawson County
Dawson County, Texas
Dawson County lies on the eastern edge of the Llano Estacado on the southern High Plains. The center point of the county is at 32°45' north latitude and 101°57' west longitude, sixty miles south of Lubbock. The county comprises 902 square miles of rolling prairie, broken on the east. The land, surfaced with sandy and loam soils, drains to playas. The altitude ranges from 2,600 to 3,200 feet above mean sea level. The average annual rainfall is 16.09 inches. The average minimum temperature in January is 28° F; the maximum average in July is 94°. The growing season averages 212 days. The county is crossed by Sulphur Springs Draw, a natural trail used by the Indians since prehistoric times and by the first White men who entered the South Plains. The area was the summer home of Comanches and Kiowas, who moved from waterhole to waterhole in a region that White men supposed waterless. A portion of the future county was included in a Mexican grant issued to Dr. John Cameron on May 21, 1827. Cameron contracted to settle 100 families, but there is no record of any attempt to carry out the contract.
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.
Leona M. Gelin, Mark Odintz | © Texas State Historical Association
Dawson County at a Glance
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County Map of Texas
Dawson County
- Dawson County
Currently Exists
Yes
Place type
Dawson County is classified as a County
Altitude Range
2580 ft – 3220 ft
Places of Dawson County
Noteworthy | Place | Type |
---|---|---|
Ackerly | Town | |
Arvana | Town | |
Central | Town | |
Chicago | Town | |
Evelena | Town | |
Fivemile | Town | |
Friendship | Town | |
Grandview | Town | |
Hancock | Town | |
Hindman | Town | |
Idaho | Town | |
Key | Town | |
Klondike | Town | |
Lamesa | Town | |
Los Ybanez | Town | |
Lou | Town | |
Michies | Town | |
Midway | Town | |
Mungerville | Town | |
Natalie | Town | |
Nueve | Town | |
O'Donnell | Town | |
Patricia | Town | |
Pride | Town | |
Punkin Center | Town | |
Red | Town | |
Sand | Town | |
Shack Town | Town | |
Sparenberg | Town | |
Stemmons | Town | |
Sunset | Town | |
Tenmile | Town | |
Union | Town | |
Wayside | Town | |
Welch | Town |
Photos of Dawson County and surrounding areas
Dawson County, Texas
Dawson County Courhouse located in the City of Lamesa, Texas. Photograph by Billy Hathorn.

Dawson County, Texas
Map of Dawson County, Texas. Map Credit: Robert Plocheck.
O'Donnell, Texas
O'Donnell is a small city in west Texas that lies in both Lynn and Dawson counties. Photograph by Billy Hathorn. O'Donnell

The City of Los Ybañez, Texas
The City of Los Ybañez in Dawson County, Texas. Photograph by Unknown author, Texas Almanac. Los Ybanez
City of Lamesa, Texas
The City of Lamesa is the seat of Dawson County. Photograph byBilly Hathorn. Lamesa

Ackerly, Texas
Ackerly City Hall, Ackerly, Texas. Photography by Larry D. Moore CC BY-SA 4.0. Ackerly

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Dawson County by the Numbers
Population & Civilian Labor Counts
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Population Counts
Dawson County
Pop. | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
12,728 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |
Civilian Labor Counts
Dawson County
People | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
4,608 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Per Capita Income
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Per Capita Income (USD) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
$37,111 | 2019 | U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis |
Property Values, Retail Sales, and Wages
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Property Values
Dawson County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
1,263,512,450 | 2019 | State Property Tax Board |
Retail Sales
Dawson County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
222,427,746 | 2019 | State Comptroller of Public Accounts |
Wages
Dawson County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
47,257,167 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Unemployment
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Unemployment Percentage | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
9.9 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Rainfall
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Rainfall (inches) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
19.1 | 2019 | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Temperature Ranges
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Min. (January Average, °F) | Max. (July Average, °F) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|---|
26.0 | 93.1 | 2019 | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Land Area & Total Area
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Land Area
Dawson County
Area (square miles) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
900.3 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |
Total Area
Dawson County
Area (square miles) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
902.1 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |