Wilbarger County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wilbarger County
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The Wilbarger 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 | Josiah Pugh Wilbarger and Mathias Wilbarger |
| Seat | Vernon |
| Largest city | Vernon |
| Area | |
| • Total | 978 sq mi (2,530 km2) |
| • Land | 971 sq mi (2,510 km2) |
| • Water | 7.0 sq mi (18 km2) 0.7% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 12,887 |
| • Density | 13.177/sq mi (5.0876/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 13th |
Wilbarger County is a county located in the northern part of Texas, a state in the United States. As of the 2020 census, about 12,887 people live there. The main city and county seat is Vernon.
The county was officially created in 1858 and then organized in 1881. It is named after two early settlers, Josiah Pugh Wilbarger and Mathias Wilbarger.
Contents
About Wilbarger County
Where is Wilbarger County?
Wilbarger County is in the North Texas region. It covers a total area of about 978 square miles (2,533 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
Main Roads in Wilbarger County
You can travel through Wilbarger County using these important highways:
U.S. Highway 70
U.S. Highway 183
U.S. Highway 283
U.S. Highway 287
Neighboring Counties
Wilbarger County shares its borders with several other counties:
- Tillman County, Oklahoma (to the north)
- Jackson County, Oklahoma (to the northwest)
- Wichita County (to the east)
- Baylor County (to the south)
- Foard County (to the west)
- Hardeman County (also to the west)
People and Population
How Many People Live Here?
The population of Wilbarger County has changed over the years. Here is a look at how many people have lived there during different census years:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 126 | — | |
| 1890 | 7,092 | 5,528.6% | |
| 1900 | 5,759 | −18.8% | |
| 1910 | 12,000 | 108.4% | |
| 1920 | 15,112 | 25.9% | |
| 1930 | 24,579 | 62.6% | |
| 1940 | 20,474 | −16.7% | |
| 1950 | 20,552 | 0.4% | |
| 1960 | 17,748 | −13.6% | |
| 1970 | 15,355 | −13.5% | |
| 1980 | 15,931 | 3.8% | |
| 1990 | 15,121 | −5.1% | |
| 2000 | 14,676 | −2.9% | |
| 2010 | 13,535 | −7.8% | |
| 2020 | 12,887 | −4.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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In 2000, there were 14,676 people living in the county. Most people identified as White (about 78%). Other groups included African American (nearly 9%), Native American (less than 1%), and Asian (less than 1%). About 20% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
There were 5,537 households in 2000. About 32% of these households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had about 2.48 people. The median age for people in the county was 36 years old.
Towns and Communities
The main city in Wilbarger County is:
- Vernon (which is the county seat)
Other smaller communities that are not officially incorporated as cities include:
Education in Wilbarger County
Several school districts serve the students in Wilbarger County:
- Chillicothe Independent School District
- Harrold Independent School District
- Northside Independent School District
- Vernon Independent School District
For students who want to continue their education after high school, Vernon College also serves the area.
Famous People from Wilbarger County
Many notable people have connections to Wilbarger County:
- Clyde Gates – A professional football player who was a wide receiver for the New York Jets.
- Jack English Hightower – A politician from Memphis, Texas, who served in the Texas State Legislature and as a U.S. Representative.
- Roy Orbison – A famous singer and songwriter, born in Wilbarger County.
- Daryl Richardson – A professional football player who was a running back for the St. Louis Rams.
- Bernard Scott – A professional football player who was a running back for the Cincinnati Bengals.
- Jack Teagarden – A well-known bandleader and trombonist.
- John Clay Wolfe – An American radio personality who started his career in Wilbarger County on radio station KSEY.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Wilbarger para niños
