# Dickens County, Texas

Dickens County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 1,770. Its county seat is Dickens. The county was created in 1876 and later organized in 1891. Both the county and its seat are named for J. Dickens, who died at the Battle of the Alamo.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 905 square miles (2,340 km$^2$), of which 902 square miles (2,340 km$^2$) are land and 3.5 square miles (9.1 km$^2$) (0.4%) are covered by water.

### Major highways

* U.S. Highway 82 / State Highway 114
* State Highway 70
* State Highway 208

### Adjacent counties

* Motley County (north)
* King County (east)
* Kent County (south)
* Crosby County (west)
* Garza County (southwest)
* Floyd County (northwest)
* Cottle County (northeast)
* Stonewall County (southeast)

## Demographics

Dickens 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) | 1,857 | 1,590 | 1,178 | 67.23% | 65.06% | 66.55% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 223 | 92 | 18 | 8.07% | 3.76% | 1.02% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 3 | 21 | 0 | 0.11% | 0.86% | 0.00% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 3 | 18 | 1 | 0.11% | 0.74% | 0.06% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.04% | 0.00% | 0.11% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0.11% | 0.00% | 0.40% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 12 | 15 | 52 | 0.43% | 0.61% | 2.94% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 660 | 708 | 512 | 23.90% | 28.97% | 28.93% |
| Total | 2,762 | 2,444 | 1,770 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the census of 2000, 2,762 people, 980 households, and 638 families resided in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile (1.2 people/km$^2$). The 1,368 housing units averaged 2 per square mile (0.77/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 77.62% White, 8.18% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.25% Pacific Islander, 12.35% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. About 23.90% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 980 households, 23.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were married couples living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.80% were not families. About 32.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the county, the population was distributed as 18.50% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 29.70% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 19.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 130.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 141.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $25,898, and for a family was $32,500. Males had a median income of $25,000 versus $18,571 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,156. About 14.10% of families and 17.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.30% of those under age 18 and 18.20% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### Cities

* Dickens (county seat)
* Spur

### Unincorporated communities

* Afton
* McAdoo

## Notable people

* Charles Weldon Cannon, rancher and boot and saddle manufacturer
* Marshall Formby, attorney, newspaper publisher, radio executive, and politician

## Education

There are two school districts in the county: Patton Springs Independent School District and Spur Independent School District.
The Texas Legislature designated the county as being in the Western Texas College District.

## Elected leadership

| Legislative Representation | Name | Service |
| United States Congress, District 13 | Ronny Jackson | 2021 – Present |
| State Senator, District 28 | Charles Perry | 2014 – Present |
| State Representative, District 68 | David Spiller | February 2021 – January 1, 2023 |
| State Representative, District 83 | Dustin Burrows | January 1, 2023 – Present |
| County Elected Leadership | Name | Service |
| County Judge | Kevin Brendle | 2015 – present |
| County Commissioner Pct 1 | Dennis Wyatt | 2017 – present |
| County Commissioner Pct 2 | Mike Smith | 2015 – present |
| County Commissioner Pct 3 | Charles Morris | 2013 – present |
| County Commissioner Pct 4 | Greg Arnold | 2023 – present |
| 110th District Attorney | Emily Teegardin (Silverton) | 2023 – present |
| District & County Clerk | Danay Carnes | 2022 – present |
| County Sheriff | Terry Braly | 2013 – present |
| County Attorney | Aaron Clements | 2018 – present |
| County Tax Assessor-collector | Rebecca Haney | 2015 – present |
| County Treasurer | Brandi Abbott | 2023 – present |
| Justice of the Peace | Stella Carter | 2023 – present |

## Politics

Following redistricting after the 2020 census, effective January 1, 2023, Dickens County is in Texas House of Representatives District 83, represented by Republican Dustin Burrows, an attorney from Lubbock. Dickens County was previously in House District 68. In the Texas Senate, Dickens County is presently in District 28, represented by Republican Charles Perry.
Like much of West Texas, Dickens now leans heavily Republican, giving less than 15% of the vote to Hillary Clinton in 2016, though it did support her husband, Bill Clinton, in both 1992 and 1996, in the former election supporting him by double digits over Texas resident George H.W. Bush. However, the county historically leaned heavily Democratic, having previously even voted against Ronald Reagan in both his 1980 and 1984 landslides, and against native son Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952 and 1956.
United States presidential election results for Dickens County, Texas :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 844 | 84.99% | 146 | 14.70% | 3 | 0.30% |
| 2020 | 853 | 86.34% | 130 | 13.16% | 5 | 0.51% |
| 2016 | 755 | 83.06% | 128 | 14.08% | 26 | 2.86% |
| 2012 | 793 | 77.82% | 216 | 21.20% | 10 | 0.98% |
| 2008 | 730 | 75.10% | 234 | 24.07% | 8 | 0.82% |
| 2004 | 815 | 76.67% | 245 | 23.05% | 3 | 0.28% |
| 2000 | 589 | 66.86% | 284 | 32.24% | 8 | 0.91% |
| 1996 | 421 | 39.98% | 509 | 48.34% | 123 | 11.68% |
| 1992 | 373 | 32.16% | 536 | 46.21% | 251 | 21.64% |
| 1988 | 435 | 38.12% | 696 | 61.00% | 10 | 0.88% |
| 1984 | 594 | 45.90% | 692 | 53.48% | 8 | 0.62% |
| 1980 | 554 | 37.41% | 912 | 61.58% | 15 | 1.01% |
| 1976 | 343 | 21.83% | 1,222 | 77.78% | 6 | 0.38% |
| 1972 | 708 | 56.87% | 534 | 42.89% | 3 | 0.24% |
| 1968 | 428 | 27.90% | 811 | 52.87% | 295 | 19.23% |
| 1964 | 339 | 20.34% | 1,324 | 79.42% | 4 | 0.24% |
| 1960 | 521 | 32.42% | 1,075 | 66.89% | 11 | 0.68% |
| 1956 | 565 | 31.25% | 1,243 | 68.75% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 782 | 38.43% | 1,249 | 61.38% | 4 | 0.20% |
| 1948 | 115 | 6.76% | 1,492 | 87.76% | 93 | 5.47% |
| 1944 | 141 | 7.50% | 1,617 | 86.06% | 121 | 6.44% |
| 1940 | 246 | 12.43% | 1,728 | 87.32% | 5 | 0.25% |
| 1936 | 115 | 7.37% | 1,445 | 92.57% | 1 | 0.06% |
| 1932 | 63 | 4.03% | 1,491 | 95.45% | 8 | 0.51% |
| 1928 | 741 | 64.10% | 415 | 35.90% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 161 | 15.78% | 849 | 83.24% | 10 | 0.98% |
| 1920 | 109 | 18.83% | 433 | 74.78% | 37 | 6.39% |
| 1916 | 15 | 3.39% | 389 | 87.81% | 39 | 8.80% |
| 1912 | 11 | 3.34% | 277 | 84.19% | 41 | 12.46% |