Editing Childress, Texas

{{short description|City in and county seat of Childress County, Texas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}

{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Childress, Texas
| settlement_type    = City
| motto              = Gateway to the Panhandle
<!-- Images -->| image_skyline      = Veterans Memorial at the Childress County Courthouse.jpg
| image_caption      = Veterans Memorial at the Childress County Courthouse (built 1939)
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = <!-- Maps -->
| image_map          = Childress County Childress.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Childress, Texas
<!-- Location -->| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Texas]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Texas|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Childress County, Texas|Childress]]

<!-- Government -->| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Cary Preston<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cityofchildress.com/government|title=City of Childress, Texas {{!}} Your Government|website=City of Childress, Texas {{!}} Official Website|language=en|access-date=2019-01-08}}</ref>
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = 
| established_title  = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date   = 1890

<!-- Area -->| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 21.53
| area_land_km2      = 21.39
| area_water_km2     = 0.14
| area_total_sq_mi   = 8.31
| area_land_sq_mi    = 8.26
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.05
<!-- Population -->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 5,737
| population_density_km2 = 282.71
| population_density_sq_mi = 732.20
<!-- General information -->| timezone           = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset         = &minus;6
| timezone_DST       = CDT
| utc_offset_DST     = &minus;5
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 1949
| coordinates        = {{coord|34|25|41|N|100|12|54|W|region:US-TX|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 79201
| area_code          = [[Area code 940|940]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 48-14668<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2409449<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2409449}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|http://childresstexas.com/}}
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''Childress''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|tʃ|ɪ|l|d|r|ᵻ|s}} {{respell|CHIL|driss}}) (established 1887; [[Municipal corporation|incorporated]] 1890) is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Childress County, Texas]], United States. Its population was 5,737 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150509170006/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2015-05-09 }}</ref>

The city and county were named after [[George Campbell Childress]], a native of [[Nashville, Tennessee]], who was the principal author of the [[Texas Declaration of Independence]]. The county and city were incorporated more than four decades after Childress' death.<ref>[[H. W. Brands]], ''Lone Star Nation'' (Anchor Books, 2005), {{ISBN|1-4000-3070-6}}</ref>


[[Image:Old map-Childress-1890.jpg|thumb|left|Map of the city in 1890]]
<!--<ref name="handbook">[https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hfc07 Handbook of Texas Online - CHILDRESS, TX]</ref>-->

==Demographics==

===2020 U.S. Census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Childress racial composition'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4814668&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=2022-05-19 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref><br> (''NH = Non-Hispanic''){{efn|Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.<ref>{{cite web |title=About the Hispanic Population and its Origin |url=https://www.census.gov/topics/population/hispanic-origin/about.html |website=www.census.gov |access-date=18 May 2022}}</ref>}}
!Race
!Number
!Percentage
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|3,023
|52.69%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|560
|9.76%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|20
|0.35%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|51
|0.89%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|2
|0.03%
|-
|Some other race (NH)
|14
|0.24%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed/multiracial]] (NH)
|173
|3.02%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|1,894
|33.01%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''5,737'''
|
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 5,737 people, 1,936 households, and 1,316 families residing in the city.

===2000 U.S. Census===
{{US Census population|align=left
| 1900 = 692
| 1910 = 3818
| 1920 = 5003
| 1930 = 7163
| 1940 = 6464
| 1950 = 7619
| 1960 = 6399
| 1970 = 5408
| 1980 = 5817
| 1990 = 5055
| 2000 = 6778
| 2010 = 6105
| 2020 = 5737
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000,  6,778 people, 2,116 households, and 1,369 families wereresiding in the city. The population density was {{convert|821.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The 2,554 housing units had an average density of {{convert|309.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race (U.S. Census)|racial makeup]] of the city was 64.52% White, 15.65% African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 17.13% from other races, and 1.96% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 22.37% of the population.

Of the 2,116 households, 31.3% had children under 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were not families. About 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.37, and the average family size was 3.01.

In the city, the age distribution was 21.7% under 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 147.7 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 157.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,536, and for a family was $33,323. Males had a median income of $25,365 versus $19,442 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $11,708. About 14.6% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 29.5% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|8.3|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|0.04|sqmi|km2}} is covered by water.

Childress is bordered on the west by [[Hall County, Texas|Hall County]], on the southeast by [[Hardeman County, Texas|Hardeman County]], on the northeast by [[Harmon County, Oklahoma]], on the north by [[Collingsworth County, Texas|Collingsworth County]], and on the south by [[Cottle County, Texas|Cottle County]].<ref name="tstg">Texas Department of Transportation, ''Texas State Travel Guide, 2007'', pp. 114–115</ref>

==Climate==
According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Childress has a [[humid subtropical climate]], abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Childress was {{convert|117|F|C|1}} on June 27, 1994 and June 26, 2011, while the coldest temperature recorded was {{convert|-13|F|C|1}} on January 17, 1930.<ref name = NOWData/>

{{Weather box
|location = Childress, Texas, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present
|single line = Yes

|Jan record high F = 87
|Feb record high F = 95
|Mar record high F = 100
|Apr record high F = 106
|May record high F = 111
|Jun record high F = 117
|Jul record high F = 114
|Aug record high F = 115
|Sep record high F = 108
|Oct record high F = 103
|Nov record high F = 94
|Dec record high F = 88

|Jan avg record high F = 78.2
|Feb avg record high F = 82.3
|Mar avg record high F = 89.9
|Apr avg record high F = 95.7
|May avg record high F = 99.5
|Jun avg record high F = 103.0
|Jul avg record high F = 104.9
|Aug avg record high F = 103.4
|Sep avg record high F = 98.1
|Oct avg record high F = 93.3
|Nov avg record high F = 83.9
|Dec avg record high F = 77.5
|year avg record high F = 107.0

|Jan high F = 54.4
|Feb high F = 57.6
|Mar high F = 67.0
|Apr high F = 75.6
|May high F = 83.6
|Jun high F = 91.7
|Jul high F = 96.0
|Aug high F = 95.1
|Sep high F = 87.3
|Oct high F = 76.6
|Nov high F = 64.4
|Dec high F = 54.8
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 40.8
|Feb mean F = 43.8
|Mar mean F = 52.5
|Apr mean F = 61.0
|May mean F = 70.2
|Jun mean F = 78.8
|Jul mean F = 83.3
|Aug mean F = 82.2
|Sep mean F = 74.4
|Oct mean F = 62.7
|Nov mean F = 51.0
|Dec mean F = 41.9
|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 27.2
|Feb low F = 30.1
|Mar low F = 38.0
|Apr low F = 46.4
|May low F = 56.8
|Jun low F = 65.9
|Jul low F = 70.5
|Aug low F = 69.2
|Sep low F = 61.4
|Oct low F = 48.8
|Nov low F = 37.6
|Dec low F = 29.0
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = 14.7
|Feb avg record low F = 17.6
|Mar avg record low F = 23.4
|Apr avg record low F = 32.9
|May avg record low F = 44.4
|Jun avg record low F = 58.4
|Jul avg record low F = 64.0
|Aug avg record low F = 61.8
|Sep avg record low F = 48.8
|Oct avg record low F = 33.4
|Nov avg record low F = 22.0
|Dec avg record low F = 15.7
|year avg record low F = 9.8

|Jan record low F = -13
|Feb record low F = -10
|Mar record low F = 2
|Apr record low F = 22
|May record low F = 27
|Jun record low F = 44
|Jul record low F = 53
|Aug record low F = 52
|Sep record low F = 34
|Oct record low F = 19
|Nov record low F = 6
|Dec record low F = -5

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.84
|Feb precipitation inch = 1.03
|Mar precipitation inch = 1.52
|Apr precipitation inch = 2.72
|May precipitation inch = 3.91
|Jun precipitation inch = 4.04
|Jul precipitation inch = 2.32
|Aug precipitation inch = 2.92
|Sep precipitation inch = 2.49
|Oct precipitation inch = 1.93
|Nov precipitation inch = 1.40
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.98
|year precipitation inch = 26.10

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 3.4
|Feb precipitation days = 4.8
|Mar precipitation days = 5.5
|Apr precipitation days = 5.6
|May precipitation days = 7.9
|Jun precipitation days = 7.0
|Jul precipitation days = 5.8
|Aug precipitation days = 7.0
|Sep precipitation days = 6.0
|Oct precipitation days = 5.8
|Nov precipitation days = 3.9
|Dec precipitation days = 4.1

|Jan snow inch = 0.4
|Feb snow inch = 1.6
|Mar snow inch = 0.4
|Apr snow inch = 0.1
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.1
|Nov snow inch = 0.7
|Dec snow inch = 1.3
|year snow inch =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 0.5
|Feb snow days = 0.9
|Mar snow days = 0.2
|Apr snow days = 0.1
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.1
|Nov snow days = 0.4
|Dec snow days = 1.0

|Jan snow depth inch = 
|Feb snow depth inch = 
|Mar snow depth inch = 
|Apr snow depth inch = 
|May snow depth inch = 
|Jun snow depth inch = 
|Jul snow depth inch = 
|Aug snow depth inch = 
|Sep snow depth inch = 
|Oct snow depth inch = 
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|year snow depth inch =

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00411694&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Childress 2, TX
|access-date = November 29, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=lub
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Lubbock
|access-date = November 29, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

==Government and politics==

The [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]] (TDCJ) operates the Childress Distribution Center and the [[T.L. Roach, Jr. Unit|Roach prison]] in Childress.<ref>"[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/manufacturing-logistics/transport/transport-childress-warehs.htm Childress Distribution Center] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100711065247/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/manufacturing-logistics/transport/transport-childress-warehs.htm |date=2010-07-11 }}." [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]]. Retrieved on May 22, 2010.</ref><ref>"[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/rh.htm Roach Unit] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725201411/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/rh.htm |date=2010-07-25 }}." [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]]. Retrieved on May 22, 2010.</ref>

In December 2015, the ''[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]'' voted Childress ninth among the 10 "most conservative" cities in the United States in regard to political contributions.<ref>{{cite news |author=Daniel DeMay |date=December 17, 2015 |title=The most liberal and most conservative cities in the US |url=http://www.ctpost.com/national/article/The-most-liberal-and-most-conservative-cities-in-6702954.php |access-date=December 20, 2015 |newspaper=[[The Connecticut Post]] |location=[[Bridgeport, Connecticut]]}}</ref>

==Education==
{{Unsourced section|date=April 2025}}
Childress is served by the [[Childress Independent School District]], which operates an [[elementary school]] (prekindergarten to grade 5), Childress Elementary School, [[middle school]] (grades 6 to 8), Childress Junior High School, and a [[High school (North America)|high school]] (grades 9 to 12), [[Childress High School]].

[[Clarendon College (Texas)|Clarendon College]], a two-year community college, has a campus in Childress.

==Media==
{{Unsourced section|date=April 2025}}
===Radio===
* [[K221FL]]
* [[K237EE]]
* [[KCTX (AM)|KCTX-AM]]
* [[KCTX-FM]]

===Newspaper===
* ''The Red River Sun'', formerly ''The Childress Index''

==Notable people==
* [[Hardy Brown]], athlete
* [[Walter Chrysler]], auto company founder, lived in Childress 1905-1906.
* [[Lou Dobbs]], radio and television host
* [[Margaret A. Edwards]], educator and librarian
* [[Roy Furr]], chain restaurant founder, lived in Childress County as a youth
* [[Ruby Gilbert]], Kansas politician
* [[James "T" Jones]], athlete
* [[Bubba McDaniel]], mixed martial artist

==Gallery==
<gallery widths=150px>
Image:Childress, Texas welcome sign.jpg|{{center|Childress welcoming sign}}
Image:Childress, TX, Municipal Building IMG_6208.JPG|{{center|Childress Municipal Building}}
Image:Second revision, First Baptist Church of Childress, TX IMG_6207.JPG|{{center|The [[steeple (architecture)|steeple]] of the First [[Baptist]] Church of Childress (pastor Chad King) can be seen throughout the city.}}
Image:Museum IMG 0684.JPG|{{center|The [[Childress County Heritage Museum]] is housed in a former [[post office]] building across from the First Baptist Church.}}
Image:Downtown sign in Childress IMG_0691.JPG|{{center|Sign on Highway 287 directs motorists into downtown Childress.}}
Image:Main_Street_-_Downtown_Childress_TX.JPG|{{center|Main Street in downtown Childress}}
Image:Childress streets IMG 0687.JPG|{{center|[[Brick]] streets of downtown Childress}}
Image:Trade Winds Motel IMG_0692.JPG|{{center|Since the 1950s, the Trade Winds [[Motel]] has hosted hunters, truckers, and Colorado-bound vacationers.}}
Image:K-Bobs IMG_0676.JPG|{{center|[[K-Bob's Steakhouse]] sign in Childress, a [[Western (genre)|Western]]-theme [[restaurant]]}}
Image:Fair Park in Childress IMG 0684.JPG|{{center|The refreshing fountain in the summer heat at Fair Park in Childress}}
Image:Clarendon College in Childress IMG 0680.JPG|{{center|[[Clarendon College (Texas)|Clarendon College]] offers two-year courses in Childress.}}
Image:Childress Bobcats Stadium IMG 0689.JPG|{{center|Bobcats Stadium in Fair Park in Childress}}
Image:Sunset at Childress, Texas IMG_0677.JPG|{{center|Summer sunset at Childress}}
Image:Abandoned buildings south of Childress, TX IMG_6210.JPG|{{center|Abandoned buildings off [[U.S. Highway 83]] south of Childress}}
Image:Childress City Limit.JPG|{{center|2008 City Limits sign for Childress}}
</gallery>

==See also==
{{portal|Texas}}
* [[List of municipalities in Texas]]

==Note==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Childress, Texas}}
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20000820004202/http://www.childresstexas.com/ City of Childress]}}
* [https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hfc07 Childress, Texas in ''The Handbook of Texas Online'']
* [http://www.childressisd.net/ Childress Independent School District]
* [http://www.childresshospital.com/ Childress Regional Medical Center]


{{Childress County, Texas}}
{{Texas county seats}}

{{authority control}}


[[Category:Cities in Childress County, Texas]]
[[Category:Cities in Texas]]
[[Category:County seats in Texas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1887]]