Lipscomb County, Texas

Lipscomb County (/ˈlɪpskəm/ LIP-skəm) is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 3,059.^[1] Its county seat is Lipscomb.^[2] The county was created in 1876 and organized in 1887.^[3] It is named for Judge Abner Smith Lipscomb, a secretary of state of the Republic of Texas.^[4]

Lipscomb County, Texas
County
Lipscomb County courthouse in Lipscomb. Shown here undergoing restoration in May 2020.
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Coordinates: 36°17′N 100°16′W
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1887
Named after	Abner Smith Lipscomb
Seat	Lipscomb
Largest town	Booker
Area
• Total	932 sq mi (2,410 km2)
• Land	932 sq mi (2,410 km2)
• Water	0.1 sq mi (0.26 km2)  0.01%
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,059
• Density	3.28/sq mi (1.27/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	13th
Website	www.co.lipscomb.tx.us

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 932 sq mi (2,410 km²), almost all of which are land and 0.1 sq mi (0.26 km²) (0.01%) is covered by water.^[5]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 60
• U.S. Highway 83
• State Highway 15
• State Highway 23
• State Highway 213
• State Highway 305

Adjacent counties

• Beaver County, Oklahoma (north)
• Ellis County, Oklahoma (east)
• Hemphill County (south)
• Roberts County (southwest)
• Ochiltree County (west)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	69		—
1890	632		815.9%
1900	790		25.0%
1910	2,634		233.4%
1920	3,684		39.9%
1930	4,512		22.5%
1940	3,764		−16.6%
1950	3,658		−2.8%
1960	3,406		−6.9%
1970	3,486		2.3%
1980	3,766		8.0%
1990	3,143		−16.5%
2000	3,057		−2.7%
2010	3,302		8.0%
2020	3,059		−7.4%
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]

Lipscomb 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)	2,344	2,213	1,786	76.68%	67.02%	58.39%
Black or African American alone (NH)	13	7	4	0.43%	0.21%	0.13%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	39	22	29	1.28%	0.67%	0.95%
Asian alone (NH)	2	10	2	0.07%	0.30%	0.07%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	0	0	0	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Other race alone (NH)	0	2	4	0.00%	0.06%	0.13%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	26	41	111	0.85%	1.24%	3.63%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	633	1,007	1,123	20.71%	30.50%	36.71%
Total	3,057	3,302	3,059	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the census^[22] of 2000, 3,057 people, 1,205 households, and 845 families were residing in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile (1.2 people/km²). The 1,541 housing units averaged 2 units per square mile (0.77/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.86% White, 0.52% African American, 1.37% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 12.99% from other races, and 2.19% from two or more races. About 20.71% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race. In terms of ancestry, 19.7% were of German, 11.8% were of Irish, 10.4% were of English, 7.8% were of American, 2.6% were of Scottish, 2.4% were of French, 1.8% were of Dutch.

Of the 1,205 households, 32.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.10% were married couples living together, 5.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.80% were not families. About 28.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50, and the average family size was 3.06.

In the county, the population distribution was 27.60% under the age of 18, 5.90% from 18 to 24, 24.70% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 18.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,964, and for a family was $39,375. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $20,034 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,328. About 12.90% of families and 16.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.50% of those under age 18 and 12.40% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Towns

• Booker (small part in Ochiltree County)
• Darrouzett
• Follett
• Higgins

Census-designated place

• Lipscomb (county seat)

Politics

United States presidential election results for Lipscomb County, Texas^[23]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	№	%	№	%	№	%
1912	47	10.11%	251	53.98%	167	35.91%
1916	116	22.18%	350	66.92%	57	10.90%
1920	425	51.77%	350	42.63%	46	5.60%
1924	405	42.68%	430	45.31%	114	12.01%
1928	776	69.35%	331	29.58%	12	1.07%
1932	349	27.46%	865	68.06%	57	4.48%
1936	273	21.79%	973	77.65%	7	0.56%
1940	445	36.15%	774	62.88%	12	0.97%
1944	396	38.37%	551	53.39%	85	8.24%
1948	354	33.75%	668	63.68%	27	2.57%
1952	1,174	85.13%	204	14.79%	1	0.07%
1956	806	69.84%	345	29.90%	3	0.26%
1960	939	77.67%	267	22.08%	3	0.25%
1964	763	56.43%	589	43.57%	0	0.00%
1968	1,079	69.84%	279	18.06%	187	12.10%
1972	1,226	87.57%	156	11.14%	18	1.29%
1976	911	58.06%	644	41.05%	14	0.89%
1980	1,343	77.50%	338	19.50%	52	3.00%
1984	1,461	85.54%	241	14.11%	6	0.35%
1988	1,111	74.12%	377	25.15%	11	0.73%
1992	839	57.74%	338	23.26%	276	19.00%
1996	869	64.66%	357	26.56%	118	8.78%
2000	1,072	82.84%	206	15.92%	16	1.24%
2004	1,147	85.79%	184	13.76%	6	0.45%
2008	1,093	87.02%	155	12.34%	8	0.64%
2012	1,044	89.38%	119	10.19%	5	0.43%
2016	1,159	87.01%	135	10.14%	38	2.85%
2020	1,205	89.06%	131	9.68%	17	1.26%
2024	1,125	89.36%	123	9.77%	11	0.87%

United States Senate election results for Lipscomb County, Texas1^[24]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	№	%	№	%	№	%
2024	1,094	87.66%	131	10.50%	23	1.84%

Education

School districts include:^[25]

• Booker Independent School District
• Canadian Independent School District^[26]
• Darrouzett Independent School District
• Follett Independent School District

Higgins Independent School District, which had territory in the county,^[25] merged into Canadian ISD effective July 1, 2020.^[26]

See also

• Texas portal

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