Parmer County, Texas

Not to be confused with Parker County, Texas.

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 2020 Census, the population was 9,869.^[1] The county seat is Farwell.^[2] The county was created in 1876 and later organized in 1907.^[3] It is named in honor of Martin Parmer, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence and early judge. Parmer County was one of 10^[4] prohibition, or entirely dry, counties in the state of Texas, but is now a wet county.

Parmer County
County
The Parmer County Courthouse in Farwell
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°32′N 102°47′W
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1907
Named after	Martin Parmer
Seat	Farwell
Largest city	Friona
Area
• Total	885 sq mi (2,290 km2)
• Land	881 sq mi (2,280 km2)
• Water	4.4 sq mi (11 km2)  0.5%
Population  (2020)
• Total	9,869
• Density	11/sq mi (4/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	19th
Website	parmercounty.org

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) are land and 4.4 square miles (11 km²) (0.5%) are covered by water.^[5]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 60
• U.S. Highway 70
• U.S. Highway 84
• 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/Mountain Time Zone)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
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%
2020	9,869		−3.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1850–2010[7] 2010[8] 2020[9]

Parmer 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[10]	Pop 2010[8]	Pop 2020[9]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	4,876	3,943	3,187	48.68%	38.40%	32.29%
Black or African American alone (NH)	93	91	53	0.93%	0.89%	0.54%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	31	17	11	0.31%	0.17%	0.11%
Asian alone (NH)	28	18	14	0.28%	0.18%	0.14%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	0	8	0	0.00%	0.08%	0.00%
Other race alone (NH)	2	2	39	0.02%	0.02%	0.40%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	59	26	61	0.59%	0.25%	0.62%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	4,927	6,164	6,504	49.19%	60.03%	65.90%
Total	10,016	10,269	9,869	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the census^[11] 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 (4.2 people/km²). The 3,732 housing units averaged four units per square mile (1.5 units/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. About 49.19% of the population was 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 community

• Lazbuddie

Education

School districts:^[12]

• Bovina Independent School District
• Farwell Independent School District
• Friona Independent School District
• Hereford Independent School District
• Lazbuddie Independent School District

All of the county is in the service area of Amarillo College.^[13]

Gallery

• 
  Grain elevator in northwestern Parmer County
• 
  Ozark Trail monument in Farwell
• 
  Weathered building and grain elevator in Farwell

Politics

United States presidential election results for Parmer County, Texas^[14]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	2,123	84.72%	368	14.68%	15	0.60%
2020	2,135	80.57%	488	18.42%	27	1.02%
2016	1,915	77.66%	485	19.67%	66	2.68%
2012	2,011	78.74%	529	20.71%	14	0.55%
2008	2,969	79.96%	719	19.36%	25	0.67%
2004	2,375	85.65%	389	14.03%	9	0.32%
2000	2,274	82.87%	447	16.29%	23	0.84%
1996	2,042	70.71%	676	23.41%	170	5.89%
1992	1,829	60.30%	637	21.00%	567	18.69%
1988	2,061	72.60%	764	26.91%	14	0.49%
1984	2,524	81.37%	567	18.28%	11	0.35%
1980	2,640	77.69%	707	20.81%	51	1.50%
1976	1,487	43.52%	1,914	56.01%	16	0.47%
1972	2,304	81.62%	495	17.53%	24	0.85%
1968	1,539	49.61%	833	26.85%	730	23.53%
1964	1,216	43.76%	1,556	55.99%	7	0.25%
1960	1,674	60.09%	1,090	39.12%	22	0.79%
1956	1,028	42.76%	1,362	56.66%	14	0.58%
1952	1,503	69.39%	663	30.61%	0	0.00%
1948	280	19.70%	1,091	76.78%	50	3.52%
1944	415	29.99%	810	58.53%	159	11.49%
1940	370	25.78%	1,062	74.01%	3	0.21%
1936	135	12.52%	936	86.83%	7	0.65%
1932	148	11.22%	1,154	87.49%	17	1.29%
1928	620	65.75%	315	33.40%	8	0.85%
1924	91	26.69%	214	62.76%	36	10.56%
1920	140	41.06%	189	55.43%	12	3.52%
1916	64	23.36%	194	70.80%	16	5.84%
1912	6	3.35%	107	59.78%	66	36.87%

United States Senate election results for Parmer County, Texas1^[15]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	2,060	83.27%	374	15.12%	40	1.62%

See also

• Texas portal

• Dry counties
• List of museums in the Texas Panhandle
• Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Parmer County