Hudspeth County

Hudspeth County, Texas
Hudspeth County, in the Trans-Pecos region of far-western Texas, is bordered by New Mexico to the north, the Mexican state of Chihuahua to the south, El Paso County to the west, and Culberson and Jeff Davis counties to the east. Sierra Blanca, the county seat, is seventy miles southeast of El Paso in south central Hudspeth County. The county's center lies at approximately 31°32' north latitude and 105°28' west longitude, about twenty-four miles northwest of Sierra Blanca. Interstate Highway 10 and U.S. Highway 80 cross southern Hudspeth County from east to west, and U.S. highways 62 and 180 cross northern Hudspeth County from east to west. The Missouri Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads both enter southeastern Hudspeth County and meet at Sierra Blanca, from which point the latter line continues west to El Paso. The county covers 4,566 square miles of terrain in the Rio Grande basin that varies from mountainous to nearly level, with elevations ranging from 3,200 to 7,500 feet above sea level. Soils in the lower elevations are alkaline and loamy with clayey subsoils that overlie limestone in some areas; thin and stony soils predominate in the mountains, and along the Rio Grande clay and sandy loams predominate. Vegetation includes short, sparse grasses, creosote bush, scrub brush, mesquite, and cacti, with juniper, live oak, and piñon at the higher elevations. Among the minerals found in Hudspeth County are barite, beryllium, coal, copper, fluorspar, gold, gypsum, lead, limestone, mica, clay, salt, silver, talc, and zinc. The climate is subtropical, arid, warm, and dry, with an average minimum temperature of 29° in January and an average high temperature of 94° in July. The growing season averages 230 days a year, and the average annual precipitation is less than ten inches. Less than 1 percent of the land in Hudspeth County is considered prime farmland.
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.
Martin Donell Kohout | © Texas State Historical Association
Hudspeth County at a Glance
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County Map of Texas
Hudspeth County
- Hudspeth County
Currently Exists
Yes
Place type
Hudspeth County is classified as a County
Altitude Range
3117 ft – 7484 ft
Places of Hudspeth County
Noteworthy | Place | Type |
---|---|---|
Ables | Town | |
Ables Springs | Town | |
Acala | Town | |
Acme | Town | |
Allamoore | Town | |
Arispe | Town | |
Birchville | Town | |
Bola | Town | |
Camp Rice | Town | |
Carrizo | Town | |
Cornudas | Town | |
Crusher | Town | |
Dalberg | Town | |
Dell City | Town | |
Eagle Flat | Town | |
Esperanza | Town | |
Etholen | Town | |
Finlay | Town | |
Fort Hancock | Town | |
Fort Quitman | Town | |
Grayton | Town | |
Gypsum | Town | |
Hardwick | Town | |
Harris | Town | |
Hot Wells | Town | |
Indian Hot Springs | Town | |
Iser | Town | |
La Valley | Town | |
Lasca | Town | |
Madden | Town | |
Mallie | Town | |
McNary | Town | |
Mica | Town | |
Mile High | Town | |
Nulo | Town | |
Salt Flat | Town | |
Sierra Blanca | Town | |
Small | Town | |
Smith's Ranch | Town | |
Stevenson | Town | |
Taza | Town | |
Torbert | Town | |
Torcer | Town | |
Villa | Town |
Photos of Hudspeth County and surrounding areas

Hudspeth County, Texas
View of the Hudspeth County Courthouse in Sierra Blanca, Texas, the county seat. Photograph by Larry D. Moore.

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

Salt Flat, Texas
Salt Flat, Texas. Photo by Eric Dekker on Unsplash. Salt Flat

Sierra Blanca, Texas
View of the downtown area of Sierra Blanca, Texas, the seat of Hudspeth County, Texas. Photograph by Ricraider. Sierra Blanca

Acala, Texas
Downtown Acala, Texas Acala

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Hudspeth County by the Numbers
Population & Civilian Labor Counts
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Population Counts
Hudspeth County
Pop. | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
4,886 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |
Civilian Labor Counts
Hudspeth County
People | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
1,766 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Per Capita Income
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Per Capita Income (USD) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
$32,472 | 2019 | U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis |
Property Values, Retail Sales, and Wages
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Property Values
Hudspeth County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
843,239,991 | 2019 | State Property Tax Board |
Retail Sales
Hudspeth County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
12,161,493 | 2019 | State Comptroller of Public Accounts |
Wages
Hudspeth County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
24,414,999 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Unemployment
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Unemployment Percentage | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
9.5 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Rainfall
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Rainfall (inches) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
11.2 | 2019 | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Temperature Ranges
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Min. (January Average, °F) | Max. (July Average, °F) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|---|
25.7 | 92.5 | 2019 | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Land Area & Total Area
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Land Area
Hudspeth County
Area (square miles) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
4,571.0 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |
Total Area
Hudspeth County
Area (square miles) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
4,571.8 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |