Nolan County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nolan County
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Nolan County Courthouse
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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 | 1881 |
| Named for | Philip Nolan |
| Seat | Sweetwater |
| Largest city | Sweetwater |
| Area | |
| • Total | 914 sq mi (2,370 km2) |
| • Land | 912 sq mi (2,360 km2) |
| • Water | 2.0 sq mi (5 km2) 0.2% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 14,738 |
| • Density | 16.125/sq mi (6.226/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 19th |
Nolan County is a county located in the west-central part of Texas. In 2020, about 14,738 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Sweetwater. The county was officially created in 1876 and started operating in 1881. It is named after Philip Nolan, who was one of the first American traders to visit Texas. Nolan County is part of the Sweetwater area, which is a small city region.
Contents
Exploring Nolan County's Geography
Nolan County covers about 914 square miles (2,370 km2). Only a tiny part, about 2.0 sq mi (5.2 km2) (0.2%), is covered by water.
This county is part of the Cross Timbers region, which is known for its wildlife. The land in Nolan County is interesting because it has flat plains in the north and south. In the middle, there's a raised area called the Edwards Plateau. This plateau can be up to 500 feet higher than the land around it. This high ground is great for making wind energy.
The highest point in Nolan County is the Bench Mountain. It stands at 2,607 feet above sea level and is located west of Highland School.
Main Roads in Nolan County
Several important roads pass through Nolan County, making it easy to travel around.
Interstate 20
U.S. Highway 84
State Highway 70
State Highway 153
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Neighboring Counties
Nolan County shares its borders with several other counties:
- Fisher County (to the north)
- Taylor County (to the east)
- Runnels County (to the southeast)
- Coke County (to the south)
- Mitchell County (to the west)
People of Nolan County
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 640 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,573 | 145.8% | |
| 1900 | 2,611 | 66.0% | |
| 1910 | 11,999 | 359.6% | |
| 1920 | 10,868 | −9.4% | |
| 1930 | 19,323 | 77.8% | |
| 1940 | 17,309 | −10.4% | |
| 1950 | 19,808 | 14.4% | |
| 1960 | 18,963 | −4.3% | |
| 1970 | 16,220 | −14.5% | |
| 1980 | 17,359 | 7.0% | |
| 1990 | 16,594 | −4.4% | |
| 2000 | 15,802 | −4.8% | |
| 2010 | 15,216 | −3.7% | |
| 2020 | 14,738 | −3.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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In 2000, there were 15,802 people living in Nolan County. The population density was about 17 people per square mile (6.6 people/km2).
About 27.10% of the people were under 18 years old. The median age was 37 years. This means half the people were younger than 37 and half were older.
Wind Power in Nolan County
Nolan County is a major center for wind power. In fact, by 2008, Nolan County produced more wind energy than the entire state of California! If it were its own country, it would have been the sixth-largest wind power producer in the world. By 2013, there were over 13,000 wind turbines operating in the county.
Texas State Technical College, located near Sweetwater, started the first community college program for wind energy in Texas in 2007. This program helps train people for jobs in the wind industry.
Wind energy has brought many benefits to Nolan County. Since 1999, about $3 billion has been invested in wind projects. This has created around 1,330 jobs related to wind energy. Landowners also receive about $18 million each year in royalties. Local schools get over $12 million annually in taxes, and the county gets about $1.7 million more in property taxes. Many companies, like Epplament Energy and NextEra, have invested in these projects.
Nolan County is also a key part of Texas's $5 billion project to expand wind energy transmission lines.
Communities of Nolan County
Nolan County has several towns and communities.
Cities in Nolan County
- Blackwell (partly in Coke County)
- Roscoe
- Sweetwater (the county seat)
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller communities that are not officially organized as cities.
Ghost Towns
Some places that used to be towns in Nolan County are now "ghost towns," meaning most people have left.
- Bitter Creek
- Wastella
- Decker (only a cemetery remains)
- Divide (only a cemetery remains)
Education in Nolan County
Students in Nolan County attend schools in several different districts:
- Blackwell Consolidated Independent School District
- Highland Independent School District
- Roscoe Collegiate Independent School District
- Sweetwater Independent School District
- Trent Independent School District
The county is also part of the Western Texas College District, which means students can attend Western Texas College.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Nolan para niños
