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Reeves County, Texas

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Reeves County
County
Reeves County Courthouse in Pecos
Reeves County Courthouse in Pecos
Map of Texas highlighting Reeves County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°18′30.118″N 103°42′45.741″W / 31.30836611°N 103.71270583°W / 31.30836611; -103.71270583
Country United States
State Texas
FoundedApril 14, 1883 (created)
November 4, 1884 (organized)
Named afterGeorge R. Reeves
SeatPecos
Largest cityPecos
Area
 • Total
2,642.071 sq mi (6,842.93 km2)
 • Land2,635.354 sq mi (6,825.54 km2)
 • Water6.717 sq mi (17.40 km2)  0.25%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
14,748
 • Estimate 
(2024)
11,956 Decrease
 • Density4.537/sq mi (1.752/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district23rd
Websitereevescounty.org

Reeves County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 14,748,[1] and was estimated to be 11,956 in 2024.[2] Its county seat and most populous city is Pecos.[3] The county was created on April 14, 1883 and organized on November 4, 1884.[4] It is named for George R. Reeves, a Texas state legislator and colonel in the Confederate Army. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. Reeves County comprises the Pecos micropolitan statistical area.

History

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Native Americans

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Prehistoric Clovis culture peoples[5] in Reeves County lived in the rock shelters and caves nestled near water supplies. These people left behind artifacts and pictographs as evidence of their presence.[6] Jumano Indians led the Antonio de Espejo[7] 1582–1583 expedition near Toyah Lake on a better route to the farming and trade area of La Junta de los Ríos. Espejo's diary places the Jumano along the Pecos River and its tributaries.[8] The Mescalero Apache[9][10] frequented San Solomon Springs to irrigate their crops. In 1849, John Salmon "RIP" Ford[11] explored the area between San Antonio and El Paso, noting in his mapped report the productive land upon which the Mescalero Indians farmed.

County established and growth

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The state legislature formed Reeves from Pecos County on April 14, 1883, and named it after Texas legislator and soldier George Robertson Reeves.[12][13] The county was organized on November 4, 1884. The town of Pecos[14] was named as county seat.

Toyah Valley farmers George B. and Robert E. Lyle were the first Anglo settlers 1871. White settlers started arriving in the area four years later, lured by open-range ranching.[15] For the remainder of the century, the county economy was dependent upon farming and ranching as it moved into the manufacturing and oil industries of the 20th century.

The Texas and Pacific Railway built through Reeves County in 1881, with stations at Pecos[16] and Toyah.[17] By 1890, the Pecos River Railway[18] had built from Pecos to New Mexico. Toyahvale,[19] which means "flowing water", became the western terminus of the railroad.

Balmorhea State Park was built at Toyahvale by the Civilian Conservation Corps.[20] The park was deeded to the State of Texas in 1934 and opened to the public in 1968.

Pecos Army Air Field was one of the 120 airbases that trained the pioneer Women Airforce Service Pilots[21] to fly military aircraft. At the Pecos installation, WASP flew AT-6, UC-78, and AT-17 aircraft in engineering tests, administrative duties, and transporting freight. The base was activated in 1942 as a World War II pilot school.[22] The base was deactivated in 1945. At its peak, the base population of 4,034 rivaled the town of Pecos in size. Portions of the base were sold off over the years, with Pecos Municipal Airport retaining the remainder.

Pecos is the site of the largest private prison in the world, the Reeves County Detention Complex, operated by the GEO Group.[23]

Geography

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According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,642.071 square miles (6,842.93 km2), of which 2,635.354 square miles (6,825.54 km2) is land and 6.717 square miles (17.40 km2) (0.25%) is water.[24] It is the 9th largest county in Texas by total area.

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18901,247—
19001,84748.1%
19104,392137.8%
19204,4571.5%
19306,40743.8%
19408,00625.0%
195011,74546.7%
196017,64450.2%
197016,526−6.3%
198015,801−4.4%
199015,8520.3%
200013,137−17.1%
201013,7834.9%
202014,7487.0%
2024 (est.)11,956[25]−18.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[26]
1790–1960[27] 1900–1990[28]
1990–2000[29] 2010–2020[2]

As of the third quarter of 2024, the median home value in Reeves County was $117,940.[30]

As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 4,145 estimated households in Reeves County with an average of 2.94 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $56,056. Approximately 17.6% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. Reeves County has an estimated 58.1% employment rate, with 6.9% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 71.3% holding a high school diploma.[2]

The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (38.5%), Spanish (61.3%), Indo-European (0.0%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.2%), and Other (0.0%).

The median age in the county was 34.4 years.

Reeves County, Texas – racial and ethnic composition
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 may be of any race.

Race / ethnicity (NH = non-Hispanic) Pop. 1980[31] Pop. 1990[32] Pop. 2000[33] Pop. 2010[34] Pop. 2020[35]
White alone (NH) 5,561
(35.19%)		 3,909
(24.66%)		 3,131
(23.83%)		 2,690
(19.52%)		 1,697
(11.51%)
Black or African American alone (NH) 358
(2.27%)		 340
(2.14%)		 238
(1.81%)		 672
(4.88%)		 224
(1.52%)
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 23
(0.15%)		 26
(0.16%)		 34
(0.26%)		 21
(0.15%)		 27
(0.18%)
Asian alone (NH) 33
(0.21%)		 31
(0.20%)		 46
(0.35%)		 118
(0.86%)		 165
(1.12%)
Pacific Islander alone (NH) — — 0
(0.00%)		 2
(0.01%)		 3
(0.02%)
Other race alone (NH) 36
(0.23%)		 1
(0.01%)		 3
(0.02%)		 20
(0.15%)		 39
(0.26%)
Mixed race or multiracial (NH) — — 45
(0.34%)		 27
(0.20%)		 83
(0.56%)
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9,790
(61.96%)		 11,545
(72.83%)		 9,640
(73.38%)		 10,233
(74.24%)		 12,510
(84.83%)
Total 15,801
(100.00%)		 15,852
(100.00%)		 13,137
(100.00%)		 13,783
(100.00%)		 14,748
(100.00%)

2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, there were 14,748 people, 4,178 households, and 2,895 families residing in the county.[36] The population density was 5.6 inhabitants per square mile (2.2/km2). There were 5,068 housing units at an average density of 1.92 per square mile (0.7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 54.74% White, 1.97% African American, 0.68% Native American, 1.15% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 16.48% from some other races and 24.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 84.83% of the population.[37]

2010 census

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As of the 2010 census, there were 13,783 people, 3,839 households, and _ families residing in the county. The population density was 5.2 inhabitants per square mile (2.0/km2). There were 4,640 housing units at an average density of 1.76 per square mile (0.7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 77.23% White, 5.01% African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 14.85% from some other races and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 74.24% of the population.

Communities

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Cities

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Towns

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Census-designated places

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Unincorporated communities

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Ghost town

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Politics

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In 2020, Donald Trump not only flipped Reeves County, but won the greatest margin of victory for a Republican presidential candidate since President Nixon's 1972 re-election at 61.1%.

United States presidential election results for Reeves County, Texas[38]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 2,340 68.04% 1,070 31.11% 29 0.84%
2020 2,254 61.07% 1,395 37.79% 42 1.14%
2016 1,417 44.50% 1,659 52.10% 108 3.39%
2012 1,188 41.29% 1,655 57.53% 34 1.18%
2008 1,445 46.96% 1,606 52.19% 26 0.84%
2004 1,777 52.34% 1,600 47.13% 18 0.53%
2000 1,273 40.08% 1,872 58.94% 31 0.98%
1996 1,007 28.40% 2,279 64.27% 260 7.33%
1992 1,244 27.30% 2,569 56.37% 744 16.33%
1988 1,724 37.86% 2,812 61.75% 18 0.40%
1984 2,461 50.51% 2,396 49.18% 15 0.31%
1980 2,315 50.95% 2,138 47.05% 91 2.00%
1976 1,711 39.41% 2,613 60.18% 18 0.41%
1972 2,427 61.57% 1,510 38.31% 5 0.13%
1968 1,310 37.33% 1,456 41.49% 743 21.17%
1964 1,251 34.80% 2,340 65.09% 4 0.11%
1960 1,549 40.53% 2,235 58.48% 38 0.99%
1956 1,492 52.24% 1,356 47.48% 8 0.28%
1952 1,727 55.39% 1,385 44.42% 6 0.19%
1948 309 17.27% 1,383 77.31% 97 5.42%
1944 201 13.31% 1,157 76.62% 152 10.07%
1940 247 15.89% 1,305 83.98% 2 0.13%
1936 100 8.13% 1,127 91.63% 3 0.24%
1932 122 10.07% 1,085 89.60% 4 0.33%
1928 344 46.61% 394 53.39% 0 0.00%
1924 96 18.75% 387 75.59% 29 5.66%
1920 91 16.55% 457 83.09% 2 0.36%
1916 43 10.89% 346 87.59% 6 1.52%
1912 8 2.37% 278 82.49% 51 15.13%

Education

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Two school districts serve sections of the county:[39]

All of the county is in the service area of Odessa College.[40]

See also

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Notes

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References

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  1. ^ "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Reeves County, Texas". www.census.gov. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  4. ^ "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  5. ^ Mallouf, Robert J. (2020). "Exploring the Past in Trans-Pecos Texas". Center for Big Bend Studies Sul Ross State University. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  6. ^ "Artistic Expression". Texas Beyond History. January 2008. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  7. ^ Blake, Robert Bruce: Antonio de Espejo from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010. Texas State Historical Association
  8. ^ "Who Were The Jumano?". Texas Beyond History. January 2008. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  9. ^ "Texas Indian Lands". R E. Moore and Texarch Associates. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  10. ^ "San Solomon Spring". Historical Marker Database. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  11. ^ Connor, Seymour V.: John Salmon Ford from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  12. ^ Britton, Morris L.: George Robertson Reeves from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  13. ^ Britton, Morris L. (2003). "George R. Reeves". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  14. ^ John Troesser and Kate Wong Troesser. "Pecos, Texas". Texas Escapes. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  15. ^ Smith, Julia Cauble: Reeves from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  16. ^ "T&P Stations and Structures in Pecos, TX". Railfans Depot. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  17. ^ "T&P Stations and Structures in Toyah, TX". Railfans Depot. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  18. ^ Cravens, Cris: Pecos River Railway from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  19. ^ Smith, Julia Cauble: Toyahvale from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  20. ^ "Balmorhea State Park". Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  21. ^ "Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP)". Wings Across America. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  22. ^ Colwell, James L.: Pecos Army Airfield from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  23. ^ "Private Prisons, Public Pain". Fort Worth Weekly. March 10, 2010. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
  24. ^ "2024 County Gazetteer Files – Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  25. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  26. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  27. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  28. ^ Forstall, Richard L. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 19, 1999. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  29. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  30. ^ "County Median Home Price". National Association of Realtors. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  31. ^ "Reeves County, Texas — Population by Race". CensusScope. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  32. ^ "Reeves County, Texas — Population by Race". CensusScope. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  33. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Reeves County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  34. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Reeves County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  35. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Reeves County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  36. ^ "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  37. ^ "How many people live in Reeves County, Texas". USA Today. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  38. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
  39. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Reeves County, TX" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2022. - Text list
  40. ^ Texas Education Code, Section 130.193, "Odessa College District Service Area".
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