Ochiltree County

Ochiltree, Texas

Ochiltree, Texas

Cattle Grazing in Ochiltree County, south of Perryton, off US Highway 83. Cattle, swine, corn, wheat, and grain sorghum have been the area's chief agricultural staples. Photograph by Billy Hathorn.

Ochiltree County is in the far northern Panhandle, bordered on the north by Oklahoma, on the east by Lipscomb County, on the south by Roberts County, and on the west by Hansford County. The county is in the heart of the High Plains, with its center at 36°17' north latitude and 100°49' west longitude. Perryton, the county seat, is in the north central part of the county, 120 miles northeast of Amarillo. The area was named for William Beck Ochiltree, a Republic of Texas judge, secretary of treasury, and an officer in the army of the Confederacy. The county occupies 907 square miles of level prairies cut by Wolf Creek, which runs eastward from the center of the county; by South Wolf Creek, which runs northward into Wolf Creek from the south central part of the county; and by Palo Duro and Chiquita creeks, which flow northward into Oklahoma from the northwestern corner of the county. These streams are all intermittent. The rich clay and loam soils support abundant native grasses as well as wheat, grain sorghum, corn, and alfalfa. Oil and gas are produced in substantial quantities. Elevations range from 2,600 to 3,100 feet above sea level, and the county's annual average rainfall is 20.48 inches. Temperatures range from an average minimum of 18° F in January to an average maximum of 93° F in July. The average growing season lasts 191 days. A modern highway system focusing on Perryton developed between the 1930s and the 1950s. U.S. Highway 83 runs from Liberal, Kansas, to Perryton, then on to Canadian, and U.S. Highway 70 runs from Perryton south to Pampa. State Highway 15 runs east to west across the county, parallel to the Santa Fe Railroad, and various farm-to-market roads link the major routes to the rural area.

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.

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County Map of Texas

Ochiltree County

Highlighted:
  • Ochiltree County

Currently Exists

Yes

Place type

Ochiltree County is classified as a County

Altitude Range

2550 ft – 3120 ft

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Ochiltree County by the Numbers

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Population Counts

Ochiltree County
Pop. Year Source
9,836 2019 United States Census Bureau

Civilian Labor Counts

Ochiltree County
People Year Source
3,982 2019 Texas Workforce Commission

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Per Capita Income (USD) Year Source
$57,287 2019 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

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Property Values

Ochiltree County
USD ($) Year Source
2,013,724,258 2019 State Property Tax Board

Retail Sales

Ochiltree County
USD ($) Year Source
92,938,558 2019 State Comptroller of Public Accounts

Wages

Ochiltree County
USD ($) Year Source
57,938,798 2019 Texas Workforce Commission

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Unemployment Percentage Year Source
6.9 2019 Texas Workforce Commission

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Rainfall (inches) Year Source
22.1 2019 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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Min. (January Average, °F) Max. (July Average, °F) Year Source
19.0 92.4 2019 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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Land Area

Ochiltree County
Area (square miles) Year Source
917.6 2019 United States Census Bureau

Total Area

Ochiltree County
Area (square miles) Year Source
918.1 2019 United States Census Bureau