Bailey County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bailey County
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The Bailey County Courthouse in Muleshoe
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Location within the U.S. state of Texas
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 Texas's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Founded | 1919 |
| Named for | Peter James Bailey |
| Seat | Muleshoe |
| Largest city | Muleshoe |
| Area | |
| • Total | 827 sq mi (2,140 km2) |
| • Land | 827 sq mi (2,140 km2) |
| • Water | 0.7 sq mi (2 km2) 0.08% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 6,904  |
| • Density | 8.3/sq mi (3.2/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 19th |
Bailey County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is in West Texas and its county seat (main town) is Muleshoe. In 2020, about 6,904 people lived here.
Contents
History of Bailey County
In 1876, the Texas Legislature (the state's law-making group) created Bailey County. It was made from parts of Bexar County. The county was named after Peter James Bailey. He was a brave defender of the Alamo.
Bailey County officially started operating in 1919. You can learn more about its history at the Muleshoe Heritage Center. This center is in Muleshoe, near U.S. Highways 70 and 64.
The Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge was started in 1935. It is the oldest wildlife refuge of its kind in Texas.
Geography and Nature
Bailey County covers a total area of about 827 square miles. Most of this land is dry, but a very small part (about 0.7 square miles) is covered by water.
Main Roads in Bailey County
These are the most important roads that go through Bailey County:
U.S. Highway 70
U.S. Highway 84
State Highway 214
Neighboring Counties
Bailey County shares its borders with several other counties:
- Parmer County is to the north.
- Lamb County is to the east.
- Hockley County is to the southeast.
- Cochran County is to the south.
- Roosevelt County, New Mexico is to the west.
- Curry County, New Mexico is to the northwest.
Protected Natural Areas
Bailey County is home to parts of two important national wildlife refuges:
- Grulla National Wildlife Refuge
- Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge
People of Bailey County
The number of people living in Bailey County has changed over the years. Here's how the population has grown and shrunk:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 4 | — | |
| 1910 | 312 | 7,700.0% | |
| 1920 | 517 | 65.7% | |
| 1930 | 5,186 | 903.1% | |
| 1940 | 6,318 | 21.8% | |
| 1950 | 7,592 | 20.2% | |
| 1960 | 9,090 | 19.7% | |
| 1970 | 8,487 | −6.6% | |
| 1980 | 8,168 | −3.8% | |
| 1990 | 7,064 | −13.5% | |
| 2000 | 6,594 | −6.7% | |
| 2010 | 7,165 | 8.7% | |
| 2020 | 6,904 | −3.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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In 2020, the population of Bailey County was 6,904 people. The county is a mix of different backgrounds. Many people are of Hispanic or Latino heritage.
Families and Homes
In 2000, there were 2,348 households in the county. A household is a group of people living together. About 37% of these households had children living with them. Most households (nearly 65%) were married couples.
The average household had about 2.78 people. The average family had about 3.28 people.
Age Groups
The people in Bailey County are of different ages. About 30% of the population was under 18 years old. About 15% of the people were 65 years old or older. The average age in the county was 35 years old.
Income and Economy
In 2000, the average income for a household in the county was $27,901 per year. For families, the average income was $32,898. About 16.7% of all people in the county lived below the poverty line. This means they had a very low income.
Education in Bailey County
Most students in Bailey County attend schools in the Muleshoe Independent School District. This school district also serves parts of nearby counties.
Some smaller parts of Bailey County are served by the Farwell Independent School District and the Sudan Independent School District.
The Three Way Independent School District used to serve a part of Bailey County. It closed in 2002 and became part of Sudan ISD.
For college, students in Bailey County can go to South Plains College.
Towns and Communities
City
- Muleshoe (This is the main town and county seat.)
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller towns or areas that are not officially organized as cities:
- Baileyboro
- Bula
- Circle Back
- Enochs
- Goodland
- Maple
- Needmore
- Progress
Ghost Town
- Virginia City (This is a town that no longer has people living in it.)
Images for kids
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U.S. Highway 70 sign
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U.S. Highway 84 sign
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Texas State Highway 214 sign
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Bailey para niños
