Yoakum County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yoakum County
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The Yoakum County Courthouse in Plains.
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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 | 1907 |
| Seat | Plains |
| Largest town | Denver City |
| Area | |
| • Total | 800 sq mi (2,000 km2) |
| • Land | 800 sq mi (2,000 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) 0% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,694  |
| • Density | 9.6/sq mi (3.7/km2) |
| Congressional district | 19th |
Yoakum County is a county in the far western part of Texas. In 2020, about 7,694 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Plains.
The county was created in 1876 and officially started in 1907. It is named after Henderson King Yoakum, who was a Texas historian.
For a long time, Yoakum County had rules against selling alcoholic drinks. But in 2013, voters decided to allow sales. The town of Denver City also voted to allow sales.
In 1965, a special marker was placed at the county courthouse. It recognized that the county was created in 1876.
Before the 1900s, only a few buffalo hunters and ranchers lived here. When Yoakum County officially started in 1907, more people moved in. This was because the state began selling land. The population grew to 602 people.
Contents
History of Yoakum County
Early People
Long ago, different Native American tribes lived here. These included the Suma-Jumano, Comanche, Cheyenne, and Kiowa tribes.
The Comanches and other Native Americans knew a secret about the sand dunes. These dunes are still visible today, like the Lea-Yoakum Sand Dunes. They are not a desert. Instead, they are left over from an old river system. This river once flowed through the area.
Native Americans knew they could dig under the sand dunes to find water. So, they often visited the dunes to hunt animals. They also held special ceremonies there. In the 1900s, ranchers found proof of these visits. Experts called archaeologists confirmed these findings.
In 2011, a special arrow marker was put up in Denver City. It showed that the area had strong ties to the Comanche and other tribes. These tribes once hunted and lived in the region. In 2015, the arrow was moved. It will be put back up at a new museum later.
How the County Started
The Texas government created Yoakum County in 1876. It was formed from a larger area called Bexar County. The county officially began in 1907. Plains became the main town. In 1900, only 26 people lived in the whole county. There was only one ranch raising cattle.
After 1900, the state started selling land. This made more people move to the county. By 1910, there were 107 farms or ranches. The population grew to 602 people.
By 1920, there were 109 farms or ranches. But the population had dropped to 504. Over 21,000 cattle were reported that year. Growing crops was still limited. Farmers planted corn, sorghum, and cotton. During the 1920s, more crops were grown. Cotton became the most important crop. By 1930, over 10,000 acres (40 km2) were used for cotton. There were 239 farms, and the population grew to 1,263.
The first oil well in the county started producing oil in 1935. This led to a "boom" economy in Denver City. A boom economy means things grow very fast. By 1991, over 1.6 billion barrels of oil had been taken from the county's land.
Farmers started using irrigation to water their fields. This helped them grow more crops. They planted sorghum, cotton, alfalfa, watermelons, and castor beans. In 1982, most of Yoakum County's land was used for farms and ranches. About 44% of this land was used for growing crops. Around 110,000 acres (450 km2) were irrigated. Most of the money from farming came from crops. Cotton, sorghum, wheat, hay, and corn were the main crops.
Where is Yoakum County?
Yoakum County covers about 800 square miles (2,100 km2). Almost all of this area is land.
Main Roads
U.S. Highway 82
U.S. Highway 380
State Highway 83
State Highway 214
Nearby Counties
- Cochran County (north)
- Terry County (east)
- Gaines County (south)
- Lea County, New Mexico (west)
Who Lives in Yoakum County?
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 4 | — | |
| 1900 | 26 | 550.0% | |
| 1910 | 602 | 2,215.4% | |
| 1920 | 504 | −16.3% | |
| 1930 | 1,263 | 150.6% | |
| 1940 | 5,354 | 323.9% | |
| 1950 | 4,339 | −19.0% | |
| 1960 | 8,032 | 85.1% | |
| 1970 | 7,344 | −8.6% | |
| 1980 | 8,299 | 13.0% | |
| 1990 | 8,786 | 5.9% | |
| 2000 | 7,322 | −16.7% | |
| 2010 | 7,879 | 7.6% | |
| 2020 | 7,694 | −2.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White alone (NH) | 3,090 | 2,488 | 39.22% | 32.34% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 55 | 55 | 0.70% | 0.71% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 30 | 22 | 0.38% | 0.29% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 26 | 46 | 0.33% | 0.60% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 1 | 0 | 0.01% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 5 | 15 | 0.06% | 0.19% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 50 | 100 | 0.63% | 1.30% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4,622 | 4,968 | 58.66% | 64.57% |
| Total | 7,879 | 7,694 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
In 2020, there were 7,694 people living in Yoakum County. There were 2,617 households and 1,985 families.
In 2000, there were 7,322 people. The population density was about 9 people per square mile. The county had 2,974 housing units.
About 43% of households had children under 18. Most households (68.8%) were married couples. About 17% of households had people living alone. The average household had almost 3 people.
In 2000, about 32% of the people were under 18. About 11.5% were 65 or older. The average age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were about 94 males.
The average income for a household in 2000 was $32,672. For a family, it was $36,772. About 19.6% of the people lived below the poverty line. This included 24% of those under 18.
Towns and Communities
Towns
- Denver City (a small part is in Gaines County)
- Plains (this is the county seat)
Unincorporated community
Schools
Students in Yoakum County go to schools in these districts:
- Brownfield Independent School District
- Denver City Independent School District
- Plains Independent School District
- Seagraves Independent School District
The county is also served by South Plains College.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Yoakum para niños
