Hockley County, Texas

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Hockley County

| state = Texas

| seal =

| founded = 1921

| seat wl = Levelland

| largest city wl = Levelland

| area_total_sq_mi = 909

| area_land_sq_mi = 908

| area_water_sq_mi = 0.2

| area percentage = 0.02

| census yr = 2020

| pop = 21537

| density_sq_mi = auto

| ex image = Hockley County Courthouse August 2020a.jpg

| ex image size = 250

| ex image cap = The Hockley County Courthouse in Levelland

| web = www.co.hockley.tx.us

| time zone = Central

| district = 19th

| named for = George Washington Hockley

}}

Hockley County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 21,537.{{Cite web|title=Hockley County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US48219|website=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=February 23, 2021}} Its county seat is Levelland.{{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 }} The county was created in 1876, but not organized until 1921.{{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=The Newberry Library|date=2008|access-date=May 24, 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}} It is named for George Washington Hockley, a secretary of war of the Republic of Texas.

Hockley County comprises the Levelland Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Lubbock–Levelland Combined Statistical Area.

History

Hockley County was formed in 1876 from portions of Bexar and Young Counties. It was named for George Washington Hockley,{{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/n157 158]}} the commander of artillery in the Battle of San Jacinto and later Secretary of War of the Republic of Texas.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|909|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|908|sqmi}} are land and {{convert|0.2|sqmi|abbr=on}} (0.02%) is covered by water.{{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 30, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}

=Major highways=

=Adjacent counties=

Lamb County (north)
Lubbock County (east)
Terry County (south)
Cochran County (west)
Yoakum County (southwest)
Bailey County (northwest)
Hale County (northeast)
Lynn County (southeast)

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1900= 44

|1910= 137

|1920= 137

|1930= 9298

|1940= 12693

|1950= 20407

|1960= 22340

|1970= 20396

|1980= 23230

|1990= 24199

|2000= 22716

|2010= 22935

|2020= 21537

|estyear= 2024

|estimate= 21505

|estref= {{cite web

|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/hockleycountytexas/PST045224|title=QuickFacts: Hockley County, Texas |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=June 15, 2025}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decade|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=}}
1850–2010{{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 30, 2015}} 2010 2020

}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Hockley County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
{{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.}}

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 2000{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Hockley County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=0500000US48219&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}

!Pop 2010{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Hockley County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48219&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=United States Census Bureau}}

!{{partial|Pop 2020}}{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Hockley County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48219&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=United States Census Bureau}}

!% 2000

!% 2010

!{{partial|% 2020}}

White alone (NH)

|13,155

|11,795

|style='background: #ffffe6; |9,752

|57.91%

|51.43%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |45.28%

Black or African American alone (NH)

|822

|801

|style='background: #ffffe6; |565

|3.62%

|3.49%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.62%

Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|83

|style='background: #ffffe6; |82

|0.37%

|0.36%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.38%

Asian alone (NH)

|29

|60

|style='background: #ffffe6; |49

|0.13%

|0.26%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.23%

Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4

|0.01%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.02%

Other race alone (NH)

|10

|39

|style='background: #ffffe6; |59

|0.04%

|0.17%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.27%

Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|156

|161

|style='background: #ffffe6; |402

|0.69%

|0.70%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.87%

Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|8,459

|9,993

|style='background: #ffffe6; |10,624

|37.24%

|43.57%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |49.33%

Total

|22,716

|22,935

|style='background: #ffffe6; |21,537

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

As of the census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 14, 2011|title=U.S. Census website}} of 2000, 22,716 people, 7,994 households, and 6,091 families resided in the county. The population density was {{convert|25|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people|}}. The 9,148 housing units averaged {{convert|10|/mi2|/km2|adj=pre|units }}. The racial makeup of the county was 74.38% White, 3.72% Black or African American, 0.82% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 18.68% from other races, and 2.22% from two or more races. About 37.24% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 7,994 households, 38.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.40% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.80% were not families, and 21.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.22.

In the county, the population was distributed as 29.10% under the age of 18, 11.80% from 18 to 24, 25.90% from 25 to 44, 20.60% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,085, and for a family was $35,288. Males had a median income of $29,735 versus $20,671 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,022. About 14.80% of families and 18.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.10% of those under age 18 and 12.60% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

=Cities=

Anton
Levelland (county seat)
Ropesville

=Towns=

= Census-designated place =

Whitharral

=Unincorporated communities=

Pep
Roundup

Politics

{{PresHead|place=Hockley County, Texas|source={{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 25, 2018}}}}

{{U.S. SenHead|place=Hockley County, Texas|Seat=1|source={{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}}}}

Education

School districts serving the county include:{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48219_hockley/DC20SD_C48219.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48219_hockley/DC20SD_C48219.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Hockley County, TX|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|accessdate=June 29, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48219_hockley/DC20SD_C48219_SD2MS.txt list]

The county is in the service area of South Plains College.[https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.198. SOUTH PLAINS COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.]

References

External links

{{Handbook of Texas|id=hch16|name=Hockley County}}
[http://www.txcip.org/tac/census/profile.php?FIPS=48219 Hockley County Profile from the Texas Association of Counties] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150918174956/http://www.txcip.org/tac/census/profile.php?FIPS=48219 |date=September 18, 2015 }}
[https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/lubbock-tx/cropping-systems-research-laboratory/wind-erosion-and-water-conservation-research/docs/llano/ Public domain images of the Llano Estacado]

{{Geographic Location

|Centre = Hockley County, Texas

|North = Lamb County

|Northeast =

|East = Lubbock County

|Southeast =

|South = Terry County

|Southwest =

|West = Cochran County

|Northwest =

}}

{{coord|33.61|-102.34|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-TX_source:UScensus1990}}