Motley County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Motley County
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Motley County Courthouse in Matador
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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 | 1891 |
| Seat | Matador |
| Largest town | Matador |
| Area | |
| • Total | 990 sq mi (2,600 km2) |
| • Land | 990 sq mi (2,600 km2) |
| • Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2) 0.03% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,063 |
| • Density | 1.074/sq mi (0.4146/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 13th |
Motley County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2020, about 1,063 people lived there. This makes it one of the least populated counties in Texas. Its main town, or county seat, is Matador.
The county was created in 1876 and officially started in 1891. It is named after Junius William Mottley. He was a person who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. Interestingly, the county's name is spelled differently from his last name because of a mistake in the original bill. Motley County used to be a "dry" county, meaning alcohol sales were not allowed. Now, it is a "wet" county, where alcohol can be sold.
Contents
Geography of Motley County
Motley County covers a total area of about 990 square miles. Almost all of this area is land. Only a tiny part, about 0.2 square miles, is covered by water.
Main Roads in Motley County
U.S. Highway 62/U.S. Highway 70
State Highway 70
Neighboring Counties
Motley County shares borders with these other counties:
- Hall County (to the north)
- Cottle County (to the east)
- Dickens County (to the south)
- Floyd County (to the west)
- Briscoe County (to the northwest)
- King County (to the northwest)
Population Changes in Motley County
The number of people living in Motley County has changed a lot over the years. Here's a look at how the population has grown and shrunk:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 24 | — | |
| 1890 | 139 | 479.2% | |
| 1900 | 1,257 | 804.3% | |
| 1910 | 2,396 | 90.6% | |
| 1920 | 4,107 | 71.4% | |
| 1930 | 6,812 | 65.9% | |
| 1940 | 4,994 | −26.7% | |
| 1950 | 3,963 | −20.6% | |
| 1960 | 2,870 | −27.6% | |
| 1970 | 2,178 | −24.1% | |
| 1980 | 1,950 | −10.5% | |
| 1990 | 1,532 | −21.4% | |
| 2000 | 1,426 | −6.9% | |
| 2010 | 1,210 | −15.1% | |
| 2020 | 1,063 | −12.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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In 2000, there were 1,426 people living in Motley County. There were 606 households, which are groups of people living together. Most of these (60.20%) were married couples. About 26.60% of households had children under 18. The average age of people in the county was 44 years old.
Towns and Communities
Motley County has a few towns and communities.
Main Towns
- Matador (This is the county seat, where the main government offices are.)
- Roaring Springs
Other Communities
- Flomot (This is a community that is not officially a town.)
Old or Abandoned Towns
Education in Motley County
Students in Motley County attend schools in these districts:
- Motley County Independent School District
- Turkey-Quitaque Independent School District
For higher education, the county is served by South Plains College.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Motley para niños
