# Wilbarger County, Texas

Wilbarger County (/ˈwɪlbɑːrɡər/ WIL-bar-gər) is a county located in the North Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,887. The county seat is Vernon. The county was created in 1858 and later organized in 1881. Wilbarger is named for Josiah Pugh Wilbarger and Mathias Wilbarger, two early settlers.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 978 square miles (2,530 km$^2$), of which 971 sq mi (2,510 km$^2$) are land and 7.0 sq mi (18 km$^2$) (0.7%) are covered by water.

### Major highways

* U.S. Highway 70
* U.S. Highway 183
* U.S. Highway 283
* U.S. Highway 287

### Adjacent counties

* Tillman County, Oklahoma (north)
* Wichita County (east)
* Baylor County (south)
* Foard County (west)
* Hardeman County (west)
* Jackson County, Oklahoma (northwest)

## Demographics
### Census-designated places

* Harrold
* Lockett
* Oklaunion

### Population

Wilbarger 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) | 10,083 | 8,585 | 7,012 | 68.70% | 63.43% | 54.41% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 1,278 | 1,049 | 1,013 | 8.71% | 7.75% | 7.86% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 78 | 115 | 96 | 0.53% | 0.85% | 0.74% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 91 | 97 | 566 | 0.62% | 0.72% | 4.39% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0.03% | 0.04% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 7 | 6 | 32 | 0.05% | 0.04% | 0.25% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 120 | 169 | 434 | 0.82% | 1.25% | 3.37% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3,015 | 3,508 | 3,734 | 20.54% | 25.92% | 28.97% |
| Total | 14,676 | 13,535 | 12,887 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the census of 2000, 14,676 people, 5,537 households, and 3,748 families were residing in the county. The population density was 15 people/sq mi (5.8 people/km$^2$). The 6,371 housing units averaged 7 units per square mile (2.7 units/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 78.17% White, 8.86% African American, 0.66% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 9.76% from other races, and 1.91% from two or more races. About 20.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 5,537 households, 32.20% had children under 18 living with them, 53.10% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.30% were not families. About 29.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.90% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.48, and the average family size was 3.07.
In the county, the age distribution was 27.90% under 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 24.80% from 25 to 44, 21.60% from 45 to 64, and 16.20% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.70 males. The median income for a household in the county was $29,500, and for a family was $38,685. Males had a median income of $26,001 versus $19,620 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,520. About 9.00% of families and 13.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.00% of those under age 18 and 13.30% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### County Seat

* Vernon (county seat)

### Unincorporated communities

* Odell
* Harrold
* Lockett
* Oklaunion

## Education

School districts serving sections of the county include:
* Chillicothe Independent School District
* Harrold Independent School District
* Northside Independent School District
* Vernon Independent School District
The county is in the service area of Vernon College.

## Notable people

* Clyde Gates, wide receiver for the New York Jets
* Jack English Hightower, Memphis, Texas, native; former member of both houses of the Texas State Legislature, and former U.S. Representative
* Roy Orbison, singer/songwriter, was born in Wilbarger County.
* Daryl Richardson, running back for the St. Louis Rams
* Bernard Scott, running back for the Cincinnati Bengals
* Jack Teagarden, bandleader and trombonist
* John Clay Wolfe, American radio personality who began his career in Wilbarger County on KSEY

## Politics

United States presidential election results for Wilbarger County, Texas :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 3,566 | 79.83% | 860 | 19.25% | 41 | 0.92% |
| 2020 | 3,524 | 77.90% | 956 | 21.13% | 44 | 0.97% |
| 2016 | 3,166 | 77.13% | 809 | 19.71% | 130 | 3.17% |
| 2012 | 2,956 | 74.27% | 971 | 24.40% | 53 | 1.33% |
| 2008 | 3,283 | 72.81% | 1,196 | 26.52% | 30 | 0.67% |
| 2004 | 3,685 | 73.85% | 1,284 | 25.73% | 21 | 0.42% |
| 2000 | 3,138 | 68.56% | 1,356 | 29.63% | 83 | 1.81% |
| 1996 | 2,037 | 47.73% | 1,730 | 40.53% | 501 | 11.74% |
| 1992 | 1,959 | 36.69% | 1,924 | 36.03% | 1,457 | 27.28% |
| 1988 | 2,669 | 54.15% | 2,248 | 45.61% | 12 | 0.24% |
| 1984 | 3,644 | 64.23% | 2,011 | 35.45% | 18 | 0.32% |
| 1980 | 3,031 | 55.48% | 2,347 | 42.96% | 85 | 1.56% |
| 1976 | 2,145 | 39.17% | 3,280 | 59.90% | 51 | 0.93% |
| 1972 | 3,183 | 70.44% | 1,139 | 25.20% | 197 | 4.36% |
| 1968 | 1,909 | 36.73% | 1,996 | 38.40% | 1,293 | 24.87% |
| 1964 | 1,539 | 32.45% | 3,200 | 67.48% | 3 | 0.06% |
| 1960 | 2,796 | 54.51% | 2,319 | 45.21% | 14 | 0.27% |
| 1956 | 2,230 | 48.62% | 2,347 | 51.17% | 10 | 0.22% |
| 1952 | 3,019 | 53.28% | 2,646 | 46.70% | 1 | 0.02% |
| 1948 | 529 | 13.92% | 2,963 | 77.97% | 308 | 8.11% |
| 1944 | 517 | 11.70% | 3,382 | 76.53% | 520 | 11.77% |
| 1940 | 697 | 17.64% | 3,249 | 82.21% | 6 | 0.15% |
| 1936 | 316 | 8.75% | 3,279 | 90.76% | 18 | 0.50% |
| 1932 | 199 | 5.51% | 3,397 | 94.13% | 13 | 0.36% |
| 1928 | 1,590 | 52.30% | 1,447 | 47.60% | 3 | 0.10% |
| 1924 | 269 | 17.05% | 1,222 | 77.44% | 87 | 5.51% |
| 1920 | 335 | 21.73% | 1,118 | 72.50% | 89 | 5.77% |
| 1916 | 99 | 6.79% | 1,242 | 85.13% | 118 | 8.09% |
| 1912 | 44 | 3.38% | 993 | 76.33% | 264 | 20.29% |