Dickens County, Texas

Dickens County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 1,770. Its county seat is Dickens. The county was created in 1876 and later organized in 1891. Both the county and its seat are named for J. Dickens, who died at the Battle of the Alamo.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which are land and (0.4%) are covered by water.

Major highways U.S. Highway 82 / State Highway 114 State Highway 70 State Highway 208 Loop 21 Loop 120

Adjacent counties

Motley County (north) King County (east) Kent County (south) Crosby County (west) Garza County (southwest) Floyd County (northwest) Cottle County (northeast) Stonewall County (southeast)

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition +Dickens County, Texas – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000Pop 2010% 2000% 2010 White alone (NH)1,8571,5901,17867.23%65.06%66.55% Black or African American alone (NH)22392188.07%3.76%1.02% Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)32100.11%0.86%0.00%Asian alone (NH)31810.11%0.74%0.06%Pacific Islander alone (NH)1020.04%0.00%0.11%Other race alone (NH)3070.11%0.00%0.40%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)1215520.43%0.61%2.94%Hispanic or Latino (any race)66070851223.90%28.97%28.93%Total2,7622,4441,770100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 1,770. The median age was 47.3 years. 22.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 25.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.3 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 77.0% White, 1.7% Black or African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 9.2% from some other race, and 11.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 28.9% of the population.

<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 778 households in the county, of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 49.1% were married-couple households, 21.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 1,165 housing units, of which 33.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 76.2% were owner-occupied and 23.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.5%.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, 2,762 people, 980 households, and 638 families resided in the county. The population density was . The 1,368 housing units averaged . The racial makeup of the county was 77.62% White, 8.18% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.25% Pacific Islander, 12.35% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. About 23.90% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 980 households, 23.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were married couples living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.80% were not families. About 32.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the county, the population was distributed as 18.50% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 29.70% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 19.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 130.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 141.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,898, and for a family was $32,500. Males had a median income of $25,000 versus $18,571 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,156. About 14.10% of families and 17.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.30% of those under age 18 and 18.20% of those age 65 or over. Communities Cities Dickens (county seat) Spur

Unincorporated communities Afton McAdoo

Notable people Red McCombs, businessman and sports franchise owner

Education There are two school districts in the county: Patton Springs Independent School District and Spur Independent School District. - Text list

The Texas Legislature designated the county as being in the Western Texas College District.

Elected leadership

Legislative Representation Name ServiceUnited States Congress, District 13Ronny Jackson2021 – Present State Senator, District 28Charles Perry2014 – PresentState Representative, District 83Dustin BurrowsJanuary 1, 2023 – Present

County Elected Leadership Name ServiceCounty JudgeKevin Brendle2015 – presentCounty Commissioner Pct 1Dennis Wyatt2017 – presentCounty Commissioner Pct 2Mike Smith2015 – presentCounty Commissioner Pct 3Chris Horn2025 – presentCounty Commissioner Pct 4Greg Arnold2023 – present110th District AttorneyEmily Teegardin (Silverton)2023 – presentDistrict & County ClerkDanay Carnes2022 – presentCounty SheriffJay Allen2025 – presentCounty AttorneyAaron Clements2018 – presentCounty Tax Assessor-collectorRhonda Brendle2025 – presentCounty TreasurerBrandi Abbott2023 – presentJustice of the PeaceStella Carter2023 – present

Politics Following redistricting after the 2020 census, effective January 1, 2023, Dickens County is in Texas House of Representatives District 83, represented by Republican Dustin Burrows, an attorney from Lubbock. Dickens County was previously in House District 68. In the Texas Senate, Dickens County is presently in District 28, represented by Republican Charles Perry.

Like much of West Texas, Dickens now leans heavily Republican, giving less than 15% of the vote to Hillary Clinton in 2016, though it did support her husband, Bill Clinton, in both 1992 and 1996, in the former election supporting him by double digits over Texas resident George H.W. Bush. However, the county historically leaned heavily Democratic, having previously even voted against Ronald Reagan in both his 1980 and 1984 landslides, and against native son Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952 and 1956.

Dickens County, Texas

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