Sutton County

Sutton County, Texas

Sutton County, Texas

The Sutton County Courthouse is located in Sonora, the county seat. Photograph by Aualliso.

Sutton County is in west central Texas. Its geographic center is at 30°31' north latitude and 100°38' west longitude, 135 miles northwest of San Antonio and seventy miles south of San Angelo. Sutton County covers 1,455 square miles on the western edge of the Edwards Plateau; elevations range from 1,900 to 2,300 feet. Soils are generally shallow and stony, though deep loams are found along watercourses and irregular outcrops of limestone. The most important of the county's natural resources are moderate-sized oil and gas reserves, which came into significant production in the late 1960s and 1970s. Though range grasses constitute the most common form of vegetation, the area is distinguished from a true grassland by the existence of isolated stands of shin oak, juniper, and mesquite. The region was originally home to a wide variety of game animals and predators, most significantly deer, quail, dove, wild turkey, plover, coyotes, timber wolves, and bobcats. Periodically herds of antelope and buffalo wandered onto the Edwards Plateau, though they were not native to the region. The single most significant factor in the development of Sutton County has been the scarcity of water. Precipitation averages just twenty inches annually, and severe droughts occur regularly. Meager rainfall is further depleted by rapid evaporation due to the plateau's constant, dry winds. Consequently, the county is completely dependent for its water supply upon deep wells that tap the Edwards Trinity Aquifer. Sutton County's climate is that of a subtropical steppe, characterized by wide daily temperature fluctuations. The January average low is 32° F, and the July average high is 96°. The growing season is 235 days long. Generally, the county receives about two inches of snow each year.

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

Sutton County

Highlighted:
  • Sutton County

Currently Exists

Yes

Place type

Sutton County is classified as a County

Altitude Range

1840 ft – 2487 ft

Noteworthy Place Type
Camp Allison Town
Owenville Town
Sonora Town
Wentworth Town
Winkler's Well Town

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Sutton County by the Numbers

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Population Counts

Sutton County
Pop. Year Source
3,776 2019 United States Census Bureau

Civilian Labor Counts

Sutton County
People Year Source
1,284 2019 Texas Workforce Commission

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Per Capita Income (USD) Year Source
$61,478 2019 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

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Property Values

Sutton County
USD ($) Year Source
1,596,005,108 2019 State Property Tax Board

Retail Sales

Sutton County
USD ($) Year Source
78,991,472 2019 State Comptroller of Public Accounts

Wages

Sutton County
USD ($) Year Source
25,961,463 2019 Texas Workforce Commission

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Unemployment Percentage Year Source
10.8 2019 Texas Workforce Commission

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Rainfall (inches) Year Source
23.0 2019 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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Min. (January Average, °F) Max. (July Average, °F) Year Source
29.2 94.4 2019 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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Land Area

Sutton County
Area (square miles) Year Source
1,453.9 2019 United States Census Bureau

Total Area

Sutton County
Area (square miles) Year Source
1,454.4 2019 United States Census Bureau