Ector County
Ector County, Texas
Photograph Credit: Robert Plocheck.
Ector County is in West Texas on the lower shelf of the Great Plains and on the northern border of the Edwards Plateau, bounded on the north by Andrews County, on the west by Winkler County, on the east by Midland County, and on the south by Crane and Ward counties. The county's midpoint is 30°53' north latitude and 102°33' west longitude, about thirty miles southwest of Midland. The county was named for Mathew D. Ector, a Confederate general and Texas jurist. It covers 907 square miles of level to rolling land with elevations that vary from 2,500 to 3,300 feet above sea level. The annual rainfall is 13.77 inches. The average minimum temperature in January is 30° F; the average maximum in July is 96°. The county has a growing season of 217 days, though less than 1 per cent of the land is considered prime farmland. Ector County's geology is significant since the county is a major producer of petroleum products. Oil in the Permian Basin was formed in comparatively shallow reservoirs bound by Permian Age limestone. Above the oil a large gas cap formed, which in modern times provides the energy for producing the oil underneath, making the Permian Basin nearly ideal for oil and gas production. Over 35,897,000 barrels of oil were taken from Ector County lands in 1990; between 1926, when oil was first discovered in the county, and 1990 the county produced 2,726,524,140 barrels of petroleum, making it the second most productive oil county in Texas.
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.
Ector County at a Glance
Adopt a Town
The Texas Almanac's Land Rush program lets you adopt the town, county, or lake of your choice and share your message with the world. 100% of the proceeds benefit education in Texas.

- Adoption Status: ✅
- This place is available for adoption!
- Adopted by:
- Your name goes here
- Dedication Message:
- Your message goes here
County Map of Texas
Ector County
- Ector County
Currently Exists
Yes
Place type
Ector County is classified as a County
Altitude Range
2780 ft – 3360 ft
Places of Ector County
Noteworthy | Place | Type |
---|---|---|
Arcade | Town | |
Badger | Town | |
Caprock | Town | |
Douro | Town | |
Gardendale | Town | |
Goldsmith | Town | |
Judkins | Town | |
Metz | Town | |
North Cowden | Town | |
Notrees | Town | |
Odessa | Town | |
Penwell | Town | |
Pleasant Farms | Town | |
Prairie Home | Town | |
Scharbauer City | Town | |
Sid Richardson | Town | |
Turnbaugh Corner | Town | |
West Odessa | Town |
Photos of Ector County and surrounding areas
Ector County, Texas
Landscape view of oil fields across Ector County, Texas.
Photograph Credit: Robert Plocheck.
Ector County, Texas
Ector County Coliseum in the City of Odessa, Texas. Photograph by Billy Hathorn.

Ector County, Texas
Map of Ector County, Texas. Map Credit: Robert Plocheck.
Odessa, Texas
View of the Odessa Presidential Museum.
Photograph Credit: Robert Plocheck.
Odessa
Goldsmith, Texas
View of the downtown area of Goldsmith, Texas in Ector County.
Photograph Credit: Robert Plocheck.
Goldsmith
Penwell, Texas
View of the local post office in the incorporated town of Penwell, Texas.
Photograph Credit: Robert Plocheck.
Penwell

Notrees, Texas
View of the sign leading to the incorporated community of Notrees, Texas.
Photograph Credit: Robert Plocheck.
Notrees

Proud to call Texas home?
Put your name on the town, county, or lake of your choice.
Search Places »
Ector County by the Numbers
Population & Civilian Labor Counts
This is some placeholder text that we should either remove or replace with a brief summary about this particular metric. For example, "We update population counts once per year..."
Population Counts
Ector County
Pop. | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
166,223 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |
Civilian Labor Counts
Ector County
People | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
85,961 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Per Capita Income
This is some placeholder text that we should either remove or replace with a brief summary about this particular metric. For example, "We update population counts once per year..."
Per Capita Income (USD) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
$47,271 | 2019 | U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis |
Property Values, Retail Sales, and Wages
This is some placeholder text that we should either remove or replace with a brief summary about this particular metric. For example, "We update population counts once per year..."
Property Values
Ector County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
13,657,911,921 | 2019 | State Property Tax Board |
Retail Sales
Ector County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
4,121,972,221 | 2019 | State Comptroller of Public Accounts |
Wages
Ector County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
1,332,179,998 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Unemployment
This is some placeholder text that we should either remove or replace with a brief summary about this particular metric. For example, "We update population counts once per year..."
Unemployment Percentage | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
13.0 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Rainfall
This is some placeholder text that we should either remove or replace with a brief summary about this particular metric. For example, "We update population counts once per year..."
Rainfall (inches) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
13.5 | 2019 | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Temperature Ranges
This is some placeholder text that we should either remove or replace with a brief summary about this particular metric. For example, "We update population counts once per year..."
Min. (January Average, °F) | Max. (July Average, °F) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|---|
31.8 | 94.8 | 2019 | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Land Area & Total Area
This is some placeholder text that we should either remove or replace with a brief summary about this particular metric. For example, "We update population counts once per year..."
Land Area
Ector County
Area (square miles) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
897.7 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |
Total Area
Ector County
Area (square miles) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
901.8 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |