Editing Deaf Smith County, Texas

{{Short description|County in Texas, United States}}
{{distinguish|Smith County, Texas}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Deaf Smith County
 | state                = Texas
 | seal                 = 
 | founded              = 1890
 | seat wl              = Hereford
 | largest city wl      = Hereford
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 1498
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 1497
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 1.5
 | area percentage      = 0.1
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 18583 {{decrease}}
 | density_sq_mi        = 12
 | ex image             = Deaf Smith County, TX, Courthouse IMG_4835.JPG
 | ex image size        = 250
 | ex image cap         = Deaf Smith County Courthouse in Hereford
 | web                  = www.co.deaf-smith.tx.us|
 | time zone            = Central
 | district             = 13th
 | named for            = [[Deaf Smith]]
}}

'''Deaf Smith County'''<!--pronunciation info is in #History section--> is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Texas]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 18,583.<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Deaf Smith County, Texas|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/deafsmithcountytexas/PST120221|access-date=January 31, 2022|publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Deaf Smith County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US48117|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=February 23, 2021}}</ref> The [[county seat]] is [[Hereford, Texas|Hereford]],<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> which is known as the "Beef Capital of the World". The county was created in 1876 and later organized in 1890.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/TX_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|title=Texas: Individual County Chronologies|work=Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries|publisher=[[Newberry Library|The Newberry Library]]|date=2008|access-date=May 21, 2015|archive-date=May 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150513024355/http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/TX_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Hereford, TX [[Micropolitan Statistical Area]] includes all of Deaf Smith County.

==History==
In 1876, the state legislature defined and named the county, but it was not organized until 1890, with the town of La Plata as the original county seat. The county was named for [[Deaf Smith|Erastus "Deaf" Smith]]<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n101 102]}}</ref> (1787–1837), a [[hearing impairment|partially deaf]] scout and soldier who served in the [[Texas Revolution]], and was the first to reach the [[Alamo Mission in San Antonio|Alamo]] after its fall in 1836. The pronunciation of "Deaf", as used by Smith himself, is {{IPAc-en|d|iː|f}} {{respell|DEEF}}; however, most residents pronounce it {{IPAc-en|d|ɛ|f}} {{respell|DEF}}.{{cn|date=March 2024}}

<gallery widths="150px" heights="150px">
Image:Deaf Smith in museum in Hereford IMG 4856.JPG|[[Deaf Smith]] as he appears at the Deaf Smith County Museum
Image:Deaf Smith County Museum IMG 4854.JPG|The Deaf Smith County Historical Museum in [[Hereford, Texas|Hereford]]
Image:Deaf Smith County Library, Hereford, TX IMG 4892.JPG|The Deaf Smith County Library formerly housed the [[National Cowgirl Hall of Fame]] on the ground floor. The museum is now located in a new building in the Historic District of [[Fort Worth, Texas|Fort Worth]].
</gallery>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1498|sqmi|abbr=on}}, of which {{convert|1497|sqmi|abbr=on}} are land and {{convert|1.5|sqmi|abbr=on}} (0.1%) are covered by water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 22, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref>

===Major highways===
* [[Image:I-40 (TX).svg|20px]] [[Interstate 40 in Texas|Interstate 40]]
* [[Image:US 60.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 60 in Texas|U.S. Highway 60]]
* [[Image:US 385.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 385 in Texas|U.S. Highway 385]]
* [[Image:Texas 214.svg|20px]] [[Texas State Highway 214|State Highway 214]]

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Oldham County, Texas|Oldham County]] (north)
*[[Potter County, Texas|Potter County]] (northeast)
*[[Randall County, Texas|Randall County]] (east)
*[[Castro County, Texas|Castro County]] (southeast)
*[[Parmer County, Texas|Parmer County]] (south)
*[[Curry County, New Mexico]] (southwest/[[Mountain Time Zone]])
*[[Quay County, New Mexico]] (west/[[Mountain Time Zone]])

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 38
|1890= 179
|1900= 843
|1910= 3942
|1920= 3747
|1930= 5979
|1940= 6056
|1950= 9111
|1960= 13187
|1970= 18999
|1980= 21165
|1990= 19153
|2000= 18561
|2010= 19372
|2020= 18583
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=}}</ref><br/>1850–2010<ref>{{cite web|url=http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010|publisher=Texas Almanac|access-date=April 22, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2/> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>
}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Deaf Smith County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''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 may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Deaf Smith County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=0500000US48117&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Deaf Smith County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48117&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Deaf Smith County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48117&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|7,491
|5,939
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,233
|40.36%
|30.66%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |22.78%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|247
|158
|style='background: #ffffe6; |107
|1.33%
|0.82%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.58%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|61
|52
|style='background: #ffffe6; |47
|0.33%
|0.27%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.25%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|37
|56
|style='background: #ffffe6; |44
|0.20%
|0.29%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.24%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|4
|2
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.02%
|0.01%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|7
|29
|style='background: #ffffe6; |40
|0.04%
|0.15%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.22%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|60
|97
|style='background: #ffffe6; |187
|0.32%
|0.50%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.01%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|10,654
|13,039
|style='background: #ffffe6; |13,925
|57.40%
|67.31%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |74.93%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''18,561'''
|'''19,372'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''18,583'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}


As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR8">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=May 14, 2011 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, 18,561 people, 6,180 households, and 4,832 families resided in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|12|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people|people|abbr=on}}. The 6,914 housing units averaged {{convert|5|/mi2|/km2}}. The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the county was 72.28% White, 1.51% African American, 0.80% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 22.92% from other races, and 2.11% from two or more races. About 57.40% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 6,180 households, 41.00% had children under 18 living with them, 61.00% were married couples living together, 12.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.80% were not families. Around 19.70% of all households was made up of individuals, and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.41.

In the county, the age distribution was 33.30% under 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 25.50% from 25 to 44, 19.40% from 45 to 64, and 12.10% who were 65 or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.90 males.

The median income for a household was $29,601, and for a family was $32,391. Males had a median income of $26,090 versus $19,113 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $13,119. About 19.30% of families and 20.60% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 26.30% of those under age 18 and 15.70% of those age 65 or over.

==Infrastructure==
The headquarters of the [[Deaf Smith Electric Cooperative]] are located in Hereford. The cooperative provides electricity for Deaf Smith, as well as [[Castro County, Texas|Castro]], [[Parmer County, Texas|Parmer]], and [[Oldham County, Texas|Oldham Counties]].<ref>[http://www.crc.coop/crcweb/2009January.asp Spotlight on CRC Member: Deaf Smith Electric Cooperative.]{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''Cooperative Response Center.''</ref>

==Communities==

===City===
*[[Hereford, Texas|Hereford]] (county seat)

===Unincorporated communities===
*[[Dawn, Texas|Dawn]]
*[[Ford, Texas|Ford]]
*[[Glenrio, New Mexico and Texas|Glenrio]] (partly in [[Quay County, New Mexico]])
*[[Milo Center, Texas|Milo Center]]
*[[Simms, Deaf Smith County, Texas|Simms]]
*[[Westway, Deaf Smith County, Texas|Westway]]

===Ghost towns===
*[[Ayr, Texas|Ayr]]
*[[Bootleg, Texas|Bootleg]]
*[[Kelso, Texas|Kelso]]
*[[La Plata, Texas|La Plata]]

==Politics==
{{PresHead|place=Deaf Smith County, Texas|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=July 21, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|3,233|1,019|34|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|3,294|1,264|52|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|2,911|1,185|120|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|3,042|1,239|28|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|3,466|1,247|31|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|4,139|1,133|19|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|3,687|1,240|57|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|3,051|1,655|342|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|3,137|1,642|780|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|3,744|1,930|52|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|4,762|1,485|36|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|4,073|1,666|125|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|2,776|2,613|46|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,690|1,240|79|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|2,474|1,545|694|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|1,793|2,094|10|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|2,024|1,299|26|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|1,685|1,361|9|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|2,468|1,006|9|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|535|1,496|58|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|508|1,117|180|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|423|1,219|5|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|142|1,236|9|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|198|1,307|0|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|570|411|0|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|192|538|33|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|205|459|2|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|77|356|19|Texas}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|21|221|27|Texas}}
{{U.S. SenHead|place=Deaf Smith County, Texas|Seat=1|source=<ref>{{cite news |title=2024 Senate Election (Official Returns) |website=Commonwealth of Texas by county |date=November 5, 2024 |access-date=December 5, 2024 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-elections/texas-senate-results}}</ref>}}
<!-- U.S. SenRow should be {{U.S. SenRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{U.S. SenRow|2024|Republican|3,113|1,025|87|Texas}}
{{U.S. SenFoot}}

==Education==
School districts:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48117_deaf_smith/DC20SD_C48117.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48117_deaf_smith/DC20SD_C48117.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Deaf Smith County, TX|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=June 29, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48117_deaf_smith/DC20SD_C48117_SD2MS.txt list]</ref>
* [[Adrian Independent School District]]
* [[Friona Independent School District]]
* [[Hereford Independent School District]]
* [[Vega Independent School District]]
* [[Walcott Independent School District]]
* [[Wildorado Independent School District]]

All of the county is in the service area of [[Amarillo College]].<ref>[https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.164. AMARILLO COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.].</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Texas}}
<!-- *[[Clint Formby]] -->
*[[List of museums in the Texas Panhandle]]
*[[Margaret Formby|Margaret Clark Formby]]
<!-- *[[Marshall Formby]]
 -->*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Deaf Smith County, Texas]]
*[[List of Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks (Cameron-Duval)#Deaf Smith County|Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Deaf Smith County]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.co.deaf-smith.tx.us Deaf Smith County government website]
*[http://texashistory.unt.edu/permalink/meta-pth-16011 ''A History of Deaf Smith County, featuring Pioneer Families''], published 1964 by Bessie Smith, hosted by the [http://texashistory.unt.edu/ Portal to Texas History]
*[http://texashistory.unt.edu/permalink/meta-pth-16010 ''The Land and Its People, 1876-1981: Deaf Smith County Texas''], published 1982 by the Deaf Smith County Historical society, hosted by the [http://texashistory.unt.edu/ Portal to Texas History]
*[http://texashistory.unt.edu/browse/collection/BMB/ Historic photographs from the Deaf Smith County Library] hosted by the [http://texashistory.unt.edu/ Portal to Texas History]
*[https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcd04 Deaf Smith County in ''Handbook of Texas Online''] at the [[University of Texas at Austin|University of Texas]]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150609162424/http://www.txcip.org/tac/census/profile.php?FIPS=48117 Deaf Smith County Profile from the Texas Association of Counties]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Deaf Smith County, Texas
|North     = [[Oldham County, Texas|Oldham County]]
|Northeast = [[Potter County, Texas|Potter County]]
|East      = [[Randall County, Texas|Randall County]]
|Southeast = [[Castro County, Texas|Castro County]]
|South     = [[Parmer County, Texas|Parmer County]]
|Southwest = [[Curry County, New Mexico]]
|West      = [[Quay County, New Mexico]]
|Northwest = 
}}

{{Deaf Smith County, Texas}}
{{Texas counties}}
{{Texas}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|34.97|-102.60|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-TX_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Deaf Smith County, Texas| ]]
[[Category:1890 establishments in Texas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1890]]
[[Category:Texas Panhandle]]
[[Category:Majority-minority counties in Texas]]