Howard County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Howard County
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Howard County Court House in downtown Big Spring
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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 | 1882 |
| Named for | Volney E. Howard |
| Seat | Big Spring |
| Largest city | Big Spring |
| Area | |
| • Total | 904 sq mi (2,340 km2) |
| • Land | 901 sq mi (2,330 km2) |
| • Water | 3 sq mi (8 km2) 0.4% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 34,860 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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30,554  |
| • Density | 33.9/sq mi (13.10/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 19th |
Howard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. At the 2020 census, its population was 34,860. Its county seat is Big Spring. The county was created in 1876 and organized in 1882. It is named for Volney E. Howard, a U.S. Congressman from Texas.
Howard County is included in the Big Spring, Texas micropolitan statistical area.
Contents
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 904.205 square miles (2,341.88 km2), of which 900.791 square miles (2,333.04 km2) are land and 3.414 square miles (8.84 km2) (0.4%) are covered by water.
Howard County is located at the boundary between the Llano Estacado to the north and the Edwards Plateau to the south. Beals Creek, a tributary of the Colorado River, flows through the center of Big Spring and divides these two major physiographic regions.
Major highways
Interstate 20
Interstate 20 Business
U.S. Highway 87
State Highway 176
State Highway 350
Farm to Market Road 669
Farm to Market Road 700
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Adjacent counties
- Borden County (north)
- Mitchell County (east)
- Sterling County (southeast)
- Glasscock County (south)
- Martin County (west)
- Dawson County (northwest)
- Scurry County (northeast)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 50 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,210 | 2,320.0% | |
| 1900 | 2,528 | 108.9% | |
| 1910 | 8,881 | 251.3% | |
| 1920 | 6,962 | −21.6% | |
| 1930 | 22,888 | 228.8% | |
| 1940 | 20,990 | −8.3% | |
| 1950 | 26,722 | 27.3% | |
| 1960 | 40,139 | 50.2% | |
| 1970 | 37,796 | −5.8% | |
| 1980 | 33,142 | −12.3% | |
| 1990 | 32,343 | −2.4% | |
| 2000 | 33,627 | 4.0% | |
| 2010 | 35,012 | 4.1% | |
| 2020 | 34,860 | −0.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 30,554 | −12.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010–2020 |
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2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 18,801 | 15,672 | 53.70% | 44.96% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 2,079 | 1,520 | 5.94% | 4.36% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 220 | 211 | 0.63% | 0.61% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 256 | 386 | 0.73% | 1.11% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 13 | 12 | 0.04% | 0.03% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 76 | 68 | 0.22% | 0.20% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 312 | 817 | 0.89% | 2.34% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 13,255 | 16,174 | 37.86% | 46.40% |
| Total | 35,012 | 34,860 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
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 can be of any race.
As of the 2020 census, there were 34,860 people, 11,674 households, and 7,739 families residing in the county. The population density was 900.79 inhabitants per square mile (347.8/km2). There were 14,000 housing units. The racial makeup of the county was 67.9% White, 4.9% African American, 1.2% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 10.8% from some other races and 14.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 46.4% of the population. 23.1% of residents were under the age of 18, 5.8% were under 5 years of age, and 13.9% were 65 and older.
Media
The county is served by a daily newspaper, local radio stations KBST (AM), KBST-FM, KBTS (FM), KBYG (AM), nearby stations KBXJ (FM), KPET (AM) and KWDC (FM), and the various Midland and Odessa radio and TV stations.
Communities
Cities
- Big Spring (county seat)
- Forsan
Towns
Census-designated place
Unincorporated communities
Ghost town
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Howard (Texas) para niños
