Parmer County, Texas

Parmer County, Texas
File:Courthouse for Parmer Country, in Farwell, Texas.JPG Courthouse of Parmer County
Map of Texas highlighting Parmer County Location in the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location in the U.S.
Founded	1907
Named for	Martin Parmer
Seat	Farwell
Largest city	Friona
Area
• Total	885 sq mi (2,292 km2)
• Land	881 sq mi (2,282 km2)
• Water	4.4 sq mi (11 km2), 0.5%
Population
• (2010)	10,269
• Density	12/sq mi (5/km²)
Congressional district	19th
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Website	www.co.parmer.tx.us

Parmer County is a county located in the southwestern Texas Panhandle on the high plains of the Llano Estacado in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 10,269. The county seat is Farwell. The county was created in 1876 and later organized in 1907. It is named in honor of Martin Parmer, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence and early judge. Parmer County is one of 10 prohibition, or entirely dry, counties in the state of Texas.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 885 square miles (2,290 km²), of which 881 square miles (2,280 km²) is land and 4.4 square miles (11 km²) (0.5%) is water.

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 60
• U.S. Highway 70
• U.S. Highway 84
• 20px State Highway 86
• State Highway 214

Adjacent counties

• Deaf Smith County (north)
• Castro County (east)
• Lamb County (southeast)
• Bailey County (south)
• Curry County, New Mexico (west)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1890	7		—
1900	34		385.7%
1910	1,555		4,473.5%
1920	1,699		9.3%
1930	5,869		245.4%
1940	5,890		0.4%
1950	5,787		−1.7%
1960	9,583		65.6%
1970	10,509		9.7%
1980	11,038		5.0%
1990	9,863		−10.6%
2000	10,016		1.6%
2010	10,269		2.5%
Est. 2014	9,908		−3.5%
U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010–2014

As of the census of 2000, 10,016 people, 3,322 households, and 2,614 families resided in the county. The population density was 11 people per square mile (4/km²). The 3,732 housing units averaged four per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 66.01% White, 1.01% Black or African American, 0.76% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 29.51% from other races, and 2.35% from two or more races. 49.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino] of any race.

Of the 3,322 households, 42.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.0% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.3% were not families. About 19.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.43.

In the county, the population was distributed as 32.9% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,813, and for a family was $34,149. Males had a median income of $26,966 versus $19,650 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,184. About 14.2% of families and 17.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.9% of those under age 18 and 14.2% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Bovina
• Farwell (county seat)
• Friona

Unincorporated communities

• Lazbuddie

Gallery

• Rhea, Parmer County, Texas, grain elevator, 2010.jpg

  Grain elevator in northwestern Parmer County

• Obelisk commemorating Ozark Trail in Farwell, Texas.JPG

  Ozark Trail monument in Farwell

• Texico New Mexico grain elevator 2010.jpg

  Weathered building and grain elevator in Farwell

See also

• Dry counties
• List of museums in the Texas Panhandle

External links

• Parmer County government’s website
• Parmer County from the Handbook of Texas Online
• Parmer County Profile from the Texas Association of Counties