Hartley County, Texas

Hartley County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 5,382.^[1] The county seat is Channing.^[2] The county was created in 1876 and later organized in 1891.^[3] It is named for Oliver C. Hartley and his brother, Rufus K. Hartley, two early Texas legislators and lawyers.

Hartley County
County
1906 Hartley County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°50′N 102°37′W
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1891
Seat	Channing
Largest community	Dalhart
Area
• Total	1,463 sq mi (3,790 km2)
• Land	1,462 sq mi (3,790 km2)
• Water	1.2 sq mi (3 km2)  0.08%
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,382
• Density	3.7/sq mi (1.4/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	13th
Website	www.co.hartley.tx.us

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,463 square miles (3,790 km²), of which 1,462 square miles (3,790 km²) are land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) (0.08%) are covered by water.^[4]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 54
• U.S. Highway 87
• U.S. Highway 385
• State Highway 354

Adjacent counties

• Dallam County (north)
• Moore County (east)
• Oldham County (south)
• Quay County, New Mexico (southwest/Mountain Time Zone)
• Union County, New Mexico (northwest/Mountain Time Zone)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	100		—
1890	252		152.0%
1900	377		49.6%
1910	1,298		244.3%
1920	1,109		−14.6%
1930	2,185		97.0%
1940	1,873		−14.3%
1950	1,913		2.1%
1960	2,171		13.5%
1970	2,782		28.1%
1980	3,987		43.3%
1990	3,637		−8.8%
2000	5,537		52.2%
2010	6,062		9.5%
2020	5,382		−11.2%
2024 (est.)	4,996	[5]	−7.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1850–1900[7] 1910[8] 1920[9] 1930[10] 1940[11] 1950[12] 1960[13] 1970[14] 1980[15] 1990[16] 2000[17] 2010[18] 2020[19]

Hartley County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
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[20]	Pop 2010[21]	Pop 2020[19]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	4,270	4,111	3,403	77.12%	67.82%	63.23%
Black or African American alone (NH)	445	416	191	8.04%	6.86%	3.55%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	16	18	15	0.29%	0.30%	0.28%
Asian alone (NH)	14	29	24	0.25%	0.48%	0.45%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	1	3	5	0.02%	0.05%	0.09%
Other race alone (NH)	0	8	1	0.00%	0.13%	0.02%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	33	29	112	0.60%	0.48%	2.08%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	758	1,448	1,631	13.69%	23.89%	30.30%
Total	5,537	6,062	5,382	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the census^[22] of 2000, 5,537 people, 1,604 households, and 1,220 families were residing in the county. The population density was 4 people/sq mi (1.5 people/km²). The 1,760 housing units had an average density of 1 per square mile (0.39/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 81.07% White, 8.15% African American, 0.43% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 8.65% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. About 13.69% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race. In ancestry, 21.0% were of German, 12.6% were of English, 12.3% were of Irish, 6.6% were of American, 4.3% were of French, 3.0% were of Scottish, and 3.0% were of Dutch.

Of the 1,604 households, 35.5% had children under 18 living with them, 68.9% were married couples living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were not families; 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.56, and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the age distribution was 20.8% under 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 35.7% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.90% who were 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 154.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 172.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $46,327, and for a family was $53,004. Males had a median income of $29,783 versus $21,783 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,067. About 3.70% of families and 6.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates the Dalhart Unit prison in an unincorporated area in the county, near Dalhart.^[23]

Politics

United States presidential election results for Hartley County, Texas^[24]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	1,843	91.15%	163	8.06%	16	0.79%
2020	1,868	89.89%	195	9.38%	15	0.72%
2016	1,730	88.63%	173	8.86%	49	2.51%
2012	1,708	89.28%	184	9.62%	21	1.10%
2008	1,711	86.20%	250	12.59%	24	1.21%
2004	1,736	84.31%	315	15.30%	8	0.39%
2000	1,645	80.99%	359	17.68%	27	1.33%
1996	1,242	68.66%	463	25.59%	104	5.75%
1992	1,081	60.16%	406	22.59%	310	17.25%
1988	1,229	70.35%	505	28.91%	13	0.74%
1984	1,419	79.45%	356	19.93%	11	0.62%
1980	1,248	71.03%	470	26.75%	39	2.22%
1976	811	50.78%	774	48.47%	12	0.75%
1972	946	80.17%	206	17.46%	28	2.37%
1968	597	51.47%	299	25.78%	264	22.76%
1964	437	43.57%	565	56.33%	1	0.10%
1960	413	50.67%	397	48.71%	5	0.61%
1956	353	43.96%	448	55.79%	2	0.25%
1952	468	53.55%	402	46.00%	4	0.46%
1948	83	14.64%	477	84.13%	7	1.23%
1944	26	5.00%	484	93.08%	10	1.92%
1940	110	16.79%	545	83.21%	0	0.00%
1936	40	6.67%	560	93.33%	0	0.00%
1932	74	11.21%	586	88.79%	0	0.00%
1928	179	52.34%	163	47.66%	0	0.00%
1924	61	25.10%	156	64.20%	26	10.70%
1920	81	34.62%	144	61.54%	9	3.85%
1916	30	15.54%	161	83.42%	2	1.04%
1912	16	9.76%	116	70.73%	32	19.51%

United States Senate election results for Hartley County, Texas1^[25]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	1,817	90.62%	172	8.58%	16	0.80%

Communities

Cities

• Channing (county seat)
• Dalhart (partly in Dallam County)

Census-designated place

• Hartley

Education

School districts include:^[26]

• Channing Independent School District
• Dalhart Independent School District
• Hartley Independent School District

Hartley County is in the service area of Frank Phillips College (known in legislation as Borger Junior College).^[27]

Gallery

• 
  Dalhart Grain Elevator Coop in Hartley
• 
  Hartley High School in Hartley
• 
  Abandoned building in northern Hartley County
• 
  Area affected by 1930s Dust Bowl

See also

• Texas portal

• List of museums in the Texas Panhandle
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Hartley County, Texas
• Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Hartley County