# Moore County, Texas

Moore County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 21,358. The county seat is Dumas. The county was created in 1876 and organized in 1892. It is named for Edwin Ward Moore, the commander of the Texas Navy. The Dumas micropolitan statistical area includes all of Moore County.
Moore County history is highlighted in the Window on the Plains Museum in Dumas.

## History

100 million years ago, the land that Moore County encompasses was part of the Western Interior Seaway.
The people of the Antelope Creek Phase inhabited the Southeastern portion of Moore county in the Canadian River Valley, approximately from AD 1200 to 1450.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 910 square miles (2,400 km$^2$), of which 9.9 sq mi (26 km$^2$) (1.1%) are covered by water.

### Major highways

* U.S. Highway 87
* U.S. Highway 287
* State Highway 152
* State Highway 354

### Adjacent counties

* Sherman County (north)
* Hutchinson County (east)
* Carson County (southeast)
* Potter County (south)
* Oldham County (southwest)
* Hartley County (west)
* Dallam County (northwest)

### National protected area

* Lake Meredith National Recreation Area (part)

## Demographics
### 2020 census

Moore 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 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
| White alone (NH) | 10,038 | 8,370 | 6,499 | 49.89% | 38.21% | 30.43% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 89 | 287 | 654 | 0.44% | 1.31% | 3.06% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 77 | 107 | 97 | 0.38% | 0.49% | 0.45% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 166 | 1,323 | 982 | 0.83% | 6.04% | 4.60% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 5 | 18 | 1 | 0.02% | 0.08% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 25 | 61 | 83 | 0.12% | 0.28% | 0.39% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 163 | 196 | 395 | 0.81% | 0.89% | 1.85% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 9,558 | 11,542 | 12,647 | 47.50% | 52.69% | 59.21% |
| Total | 20,121 | 21,904 | 21,358 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |

### 2000 Census

At the 2000 census, 20,121 people, 6,774 households, and 5,331 families were in the county. The population density was 22 people/sq mi (8.5 people/km$^2$). There were 7,478 housing units at an average density of 8 units per square mile (3.1/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 63.93% White, 0.69% Black or African American, 0.67% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 31.20% from other races, and 2.62% from two or more races. 47.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 6,774 households 44.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.10% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.30% were non-families. 18.20% of households were one person and 8.30% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.36.
The age distribution was 33.60% under 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 28.40% from 25 to 44, 18.30% from 45 to 64, and 10.60% 65 or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.40 males.
The median household income was $34,852 and the median family income was $37,985. Males had a median income of $29,843 versus $19,383 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,214. About 10.10% of families and 13.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.10% of those under age 18 and 10.90% of those age 65 or over.

## Politics

Moore County is a strongly Republican county, having given Senator John McCain 78.76% of the vote, over only 20.65% for Barack Obama in 2008. It also gave George W. Bush (R) 81.75% over 17.93% John Kerry (D) in 2004.
United States presidential election results for Moore County, Texas :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 4,458 | 83.02% | 860 | 16.01% | 52 | 0.97% |
| 2020 | 4,359 | 79.01% | 1,062 | 19.25% | 96 | 1.74% |
| 2016 | 3,977 | 75.26% | 1,098 | 20.78% | 209 | 3.96% |
| 2012 | 3,968 | 79.60% | 964 | 19.34% | 53 | 1.06% |
| 2008 | 4,282 | 78.76% | 1,123 | 20.65% | 32 | 0.59% |
| 2004 | 4,601 | 81.75% | 1,009 | 17.93% | 18 | 0.32% |
| 2000 | 4,201 | 79.41% | 1,040 | 19.66% | 49 | 0.93% |
| 1996 | 3,353 | 65.96% | 1,358 | 26.72% | 372 | 7.32% |
| 1992 | 3,147 | 57.24% | 1,361 | 24.75% | 990 | 18.01% |
| 1988 | 3,710 | 70.25% | 1,537 | 29.10% | 34 | 0.64% |
| 1984 | 4,649 | 80.21% | 1,129 | 19.48% | 18 | 0.31% |
| 1980 | 3,736 | 66.92% | 1,743 | 31.22% | 104 | 1.86% |
| 1976 | 2,759 | 49.49% | 2,767 | 49.63% | 49 | 0.88% |
| 1972 | 3,620 | 79.77% | 863 | 19.02% | 55 | 1.21% |
| 1968 | 2,378 | 47.60% | 1,359 | 27.20% | 1,259 | 25.20% |
| 1964 | 1,762 | 42.37% | 2,393 | 57.54% | 4 | 0.10% |
| 1960 | 2,463 | 61.19% | 1,547 | 38.43% | 15 | 0.37% |
| 1956 | 1,820 | 44.95% | 2,219 | 54.80% | 10 | 0.25% |
| 1952 | 1,909 | 47.31% | 2,114 | 52.39% | 12 | 0.30% |
| 1948 | 323 | 15.37% | 1,748 | 83.20% | 30 | 1.43% |
| 1944 | 313 | 22.45% | 999 | 71.66% | 82 | 5.88% |
| 1940 | 224 | 18.84% | 959 | 80.66% | 6 | 0.50% |
| 1936 | 47 | 7.45% | 583 | 92.39% | 1 | 0.16% |
| 1932 | 56 | 9.23% | 549 | 90.44% | 2 | 0.33% |
| 1928 | 87 | 41.23% | 124 | 58.77% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 9 | 9.78% | 82 | 89.13% | 1 | 1.09% |
| 1920 | 13 | 11.30% | 101 | 87.83% | 1 | 0.87% |
| 1916 | 6 | 5.50% | 103 | 94.50% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1912 | 5 | 6.85% | 57 | 78.08% | 11 | 15.07% |
Moore County is represented in the Texas House of Representatives by the Republican Walter Price, IV, elected on November 2, 2010. The district also includes the majority of neighboring Potter County — Amarillo. Moore County is represented in the US house of representatives by Ronny Jackson (R), as it is a part of Texas's 13th congressional district.

## Communities
### Cities

* Cactus
* Dumas (county seat)
* Fritch (mostly in Hutchinson County)
* Sunray

### Unincorporated community

* Masterson

## Education

School districts:
* Dumas Independent School District
* Sanford-Fritch Independent School District
* Sunray Independent School District
All of the county is in the service area of Amarillo College.

## Gallery

* Edwin Ward Moore (1810-1865) as depicted at his namesake Moore County Courthouse
* Area affected by 1930s Dust Bowl