Lamb County, Texas

{{Short description|County in Texas, United States}} {{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox U.S. county | county = Lamb County | state = Texas | seal = | founded = 1908 | seat wl = Littlefield | largest city wl = Littlefield | area_total_sq_mi = 1018 | area_land_sq_mi = 1016 | area_water_sq_mi = 1.5 | area percentage = 0.2 | census yr = 2020 | pop = 13045 | pop_est_as_of = 2025 | population_est = 12579 {{decrease}} | density_sq_mi = auto | ex image = Lamb County, TX, Courthouse IMG 4766.JPG | ex image size = 250 | ex image cap = Lamb County Courthouse in Littlefield | website = {{Official URL}} | time zone = Central | named for = George A. Lamb | district = 19th }}

'''Lamb County''' is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 13,045.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lamb County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US48279|website=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=February 23, 2021}}</ref> Its county seat is Littlefield.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The county was created in 1876, but not organized until 1908.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/TX_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|title=Texas: Individual County Chronologies|work=Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries|publisher=The Newberry Library|date=2008|access-date=May 25, 2015|archive-date=May 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150513024355/http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/TX_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> It is named for George A. Lamb, who died in the Battle of San Jacinto.

Lamb County was the home of the Texas House Speaker Bill W. Clayton, who served from 1975 until 1983. It is also the birthplace of country music singer Waylon Jennings.

==History== Lamb County was formed in 1876 from portions of Bexar County. It was named after George A. Lamb, a soldier in the Battle of San Jacinto.

In the 1960s, the water table began to decline. From the 1980s until 2023, the population declined by about 33%. Between circa 2013 and 2023, the population declined by about 8%.<ref name=GarzaCOVID>{{cite magazine|last=Garza|first=Alejandro de la|url=https://time.com/6260549/lamb-county-texas-covid-19-death-grief/|title=In This Texas County, There's No Such Thing as Moving on From COVID-19|magazine=Time|date=March 15, 2023|accessdate=March 15, 2023|quote=[...] it’s the 8th highest in the nation as of March 2023, excluding counties with fewer than 2,500 people.}} - [https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/texas-county-theres-no-thing-110045019.html Alternate link] at Yahoo! News</ref>

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lamb County had an almost 1/100 death rate as of March 2023. As of that month, Lamb County, among American counties with 2,500 or more residents, had the eighth highest COVID-19 death rate.<ref name=GarzaCOVID/>

By 2023, there was water scarcity among farms, and many younger people moved to other counties for jobs.<ref name=GarzaCOVID/>

==Geography== According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|1018|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1.5|sqmi}} (0.2%) are covered by water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 3, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref>

=== Major Highways ===

* 20x20px U.S. Highway 70 * 20x20px U.S. Highway 84 * 25x25px U.S. Highway 385 * 20x20px Texas State Highway Loop 385

=== Adjacent Counties ===

* Castro County (north) * Hale County (east) * Lubbock County (southeast) * Hockley County (south) * Cochran County (southwest) * Bailey County (west) * Parmer County (northwest)

==Demographics== {{US Census population | 1890 = 4 | 1900 = 31 | 1910 = 540 | 1920 = 1175 | 1930 = 17452 | 1940 = 17606 | 1950 = 20015 | 1960 = 21896 | 1970 = 17770 | 1980 = 18669 | 1990 = 15072 | 2000 = 14709 | 2010 = 13977 | 2020 = 13045 | estyear = 2025 | estimate = 12579 | estref =<ref name="USCensusEst2025">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 16, 2026}}</ref> {{decrease}} | align-fn = center | footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decade|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=}}</ref> 1850–2010<ref>{{cite web|url=http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010|publisher=Texas Almanac|access-date=May 3, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2/> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/> | align = right }}

===2020 census===

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 13,045. The median age was 38.0 years. 27.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.3 males age 18 and over.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME,DP1_0021P,DP1_0024P,DP1_0025C,DP1_0049C,DP1_0045C,DP1_0069C,DP1_0073C,DP1_0125P,DP1_0126P,DP1_0129P,DP1_0133P,DP1_0137P,DP1_0138P,DP1_0139P,DP1_0141P,DP1_0142P,DP1_0143P,DP1_0145P,DP1_0146P,DP1_0147C,DP1_0148C,DP1_0149C,DP1_0156C,DP1_0157C,DP1_0158C,DP1_0159P,DP1_0160P&for=county%3A279&in=state%3A48|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=January 10, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref><ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME,P1_001N,P1_003N,P1_004N,P1_005N,P1_006N,P1_007N,P1_008N,P1_009N,P2_001N,P2_002N,H1_001N,H1_002N&for=county%3A279&in=state%3A48|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=January 10, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

The racial makeup of the county was 56.5% White, 3.5% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 15.9% from some other race, and 23.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 57.1% of the population.<ref name="Census2020PL"/>

43.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 56.9% lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME,P2_002N,P2_003N&for=county%3A279&in=state%3A48|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=January 10, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

There were 4,864 households in the county, of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.3% were married-couple households, 18.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

There were 5,882 housing units, of which 17.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.9% were owner-occupied and 28.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.9%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

===Racial and ethnic composition===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |+'''Lamb County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition''' {{nobold|''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<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Lamb County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=0500000US48279&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}</ref> !Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lamb County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48279&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> !{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lamb County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48279&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> !% 2000 !% 2010 !{{partial|% 2020}} |- |White alone (NH) |7,553 |6,020 |style='background: #ffffe6; |4,981 |51.35% |43.07% |style='background: #ffffe6; |38.18% |- |Black or African American alone (NH) |615 |555 |style='background: #ffffe6; |392 |4.18% |3.97% |style='background: #ffffe6; |3.00% |- |Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) |43 |39 |style='background: #ffffe6; |15 |0.29% |0.28% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.11% |- |Asian alone (NH) |9 |17 |style='background: #ffffe6; |4 |0.06% |0.12% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.03% |- |Pacific Islander alone (NH) |3 |4 |style='background: #ffffe6; |5 |0.02% |0.03% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.04% |- |Other race alone (NH) |3 |16 |style='background: #ffffe6; |24 |0.02% |0.11% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.18% |- |Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) |90 |95 |style='background: #ffffe6; |175 |0.61% |0.68% |style='background: #ffffe6; |1.34% |- |Hispanic or Latino (any race) |6,393 |7,231 |style='background: #ffffe6; |7,449 |43.46% |51.73% |style='background: #ffffe6; |57.10% |- |'''Total''' |'''14,709''' |'''13,977''' |style='background: #ffffe6; |'''13,045''' |'''100.00%''' |'''100.00%''' |style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%''' |}

===2000 census===

As of the 2000 census, 14,709 people, 5,360 households, and 3,991 families resided in the county.<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 14, 2011|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> The population density was {{convert|14|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people|}}. The 6,294 housing units averaged {{convert|6|/mi2|/km2|adj=pre|units }}. The racial makeup of the county was 76.1% White, 4.3% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.1% Asian, less than 0.05% Pacific Islander, 16.9% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. About 43.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 5,360 households, 35.4% had children under 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were not families. About 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the county, the population was distributed as 29.6% under 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,898, and for a family was $31,833. Males had a median income of $36,434 versus $30,342 for females. The per capita income for the county was $30,169. About 18.0% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.3% of those under age 18 and 15.3% of those age 65 or over. ==Transportation==

===Major highways=== * 20px U.S. Highway 70 * 20px U.S. Highway 84 * 25px U.S. Highway 385

===Airports=== Littlefield Municipal Airport is located in Lamb County, {{convert|3|nmi|km}} west of the central business district of Littlefield, Texas.

==Communities== ===Cities=== * Amherst * Earth * Littlefield (county seat) * Olton * Sudan

===Town=== * Springlake

===Census-designated place=== * Spade

===Unincorporated community=== * Fieldton

==Education== School districts serving the county include:<ref>{{cite map|author=Geography Division|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48279_lamb/DC20SD_C48279.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48279_lamb/DC20SD_C48279.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=2020 Census - School District Reference Map: Lamb County, TX|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|place=Suitland, Maryland|date=December 22, 2020 |accessdate=June 29, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48279_lamb/DC20SD_C48279_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref> {{div col}} * Amherst Independent School District * Anton Independent School District * Littlefield Independent School District * Muleshoe Independent School District * Olton Independent School District * Springlake-Earth Independent School District * Sudan Independent School District * Whiteface Consolidated Independent School District {{div col end}}

The county is in the service area of South Plains College.<ref>[https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.198. SOUTH PLAINS COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.]</ref>

==Media== {{As of|2023}}, there is one newspaper, ''Lamb County Leader-News'', with three employees. An additional employee had died of COVID-19 in 2022, and the newspaper did not hire another individual.<ref name=GarzaCOVID/>

The ''Olton Enterprise'', another newspaper, stopped publication in 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.texaspress.com/olton-enterprise-ceased-publication-june-25-edition|title=Olton Enterprise ceased publication with June 25 edition|publisher=Texas Press Association|date=July 30, 2021|accessdate=March 15, 2023}}</ref>

In 2023, Alejandro de la Garza wrote, in regards to the media landscape during the COVID-19 pandemic as the pandemic had caused damage to local media outlets, "for many residents, their Facebook feeds took the place of local media."<ref name=GarzaCOVID/>

==Gallery== <gallery> World's tallest windmill, Littlefield, TX IMG 4779.JPG|Littlefield claims the world's tallest windmill. Lamb County Library, Littlefield, TX IMG 4772.JPG|Lamb County Library in downtown Littlefield across from the First Baptist Church Lamb County, TX Leader News IMG 4783.JPG|''Lamb County Leader-News'' in Littlefield Lamb County Veterans Memorial Texas.jpg|Lamb County Veterans Memorial Littlefield grain elevator, Littlefield, TX IMG 4765.JPG|Littlefield Farmers Co-op grain elevator </gallery>

==Politics== Lamb County is located within District 88 of the Texas House of Representatives. Lamb County is located within District 28 of the Texas Senate. {{PresHead|place=Lamb County, Texas|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=July 26, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://results.texas-election.com/contestdetails?officeID=1001&officeName=PRESIDENT%2FVICE-PRESIDENT&officeType=FEDERAL%20OFFICES&from=race|title=PRESIDENT/VICE-PRESIDENT|last=Nelson|first=Jane|author-link=Jane Nelson|date=November 5, 2024|work=Secretary of State of Texas|access-date=January 28, 2026}}</ref>}}  {{PresRow|1912|Democratic|6|53|25|Texas}} {{PresRow|1916|Democratic|14|150|8|Texas}} {{PresRow|1920|Democratic|136|264|19|Texas}} {{PresRow|1924|Democratic|121|356|30|Texas}} {{PresRow|1928|Republican|1,266|440|0|Texas}} {{PresRow|1932|Democratic|271|2,978|39|Texas}} {{PresRow|1936|Democratic|300|2,320|10|Texas}} {{PresRow|1940|Democratic|513|3,259|11|Texas}} {{PresRow|1944|Democratic|616|2,407|421|Texas}} {{PresRow|1948|Democratic|475|3,286|186|Texas}} {{PresRow|1952|Republican|2,913|2,748|11|Texas}} {{PresRow|1956|Democratic|1,840|3,325|12|Texas}} {{PresRow|1960|Democratic|2,764|3,089|154|Texas}} {{PresRow|1964|Democratic|2,022|4,318|9|Texas}} {{PresRow|1968|Republican|2,595|2,267|1,460|Texas}} {{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,981|1,350|35|Texas}} {{PresRow|1976|Democratic|2,413|3,374|28|Texas}} {{PresRow|1980|Republican|3,723|2,132|78|Texas}} {{PresRow|1984|Republican|3,892|1,919|17|Texas}} {{PresRow|1988|Republican|3,064|2,230|22|Texas}} {{PresRow|1992|Republican|2,998|1,737|715|Texas}} {{PresRow|1996|Republican|2,593|1,683|298|Texas}} {{PresRow|2000|Republican|3,451|1,114|33|Texas}} {{PresRow|2004|Republican|3,410|857|4|Texas}} {{PresRow|2008|Republican|3,344|1,156|25|Texas}} {{PresRow|2012|Republican|3,058|998|35|Texas}} {{PresRow|2016|Republican|3,111|771|113|Texas}} {{PresRow|2020|Republican|3,521|840|57|Texas}} {{PresRow|2024|Republican|3,398|729|24|Texas}} {{PresFoot}} {{U.S. SenHead|place=Lamb County, Texas|Seat=1|source=<ref>{{cite news |title=2024 Senate Election (Official Returns) |website=Commonwealth of Texas by county |date=November 5, 2024 |access-date=December 5, 2024 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-elections/texas-senate-results}}</ref>}}  {{U.S. SenRow|2024|Republican|3,285|729|97|Texas}} {{U.S. SenFoot}} {{U.S. SenHead|place=Lamb County, Texas|Seat=2|source=<ref>{{cite news|title=Texas Senate Election Results 2020|website=NBCNews.com|date=November 3, 2020|access-date=April 10, 2026 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-elections/texas-senate-results}}</ref>}}  {{U.S. SenRow|2020|Republican|3,469|802|89|Texas}} {{U.S. SenFoot}} {{T.X. GovHead|place=Lamb County|Seat=|source=}}  {{T.X. GovRow|2022|Republican|2,628|419|33}} {{T.X. GovFoot}} In the 2020 U.S. presidential election, about 80% of the county's residents selected Donald Trump.<ref name=GarzaCOVID/>

==Healthcare== In August 22, 43% of the county's residents had completed at least one COVID-19 vaccination series.<ref name=GarzaCOVID/>

==See also== {{Portal|Texas}} * Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Lamb County * Dry counties * Plant X * Llano Estacado * West Texas

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Commons category-inline}} * {{Official website}} * {{Handbook of Texas|id=hcl02|name=Lamb County}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20150605034824/http://www.txcip.org/tac/census/profile.php?FIPS=48279 Lamb County Profile from the Texas Association of Counties]

{{Geographic Location |Centre = Lamb County, Texas |North = Castro County |Northeast = |East = Hale County |Southeast = |South = Hockley County |Southwest = |West = Bailey County |Northwest = Parmer County }}

{{coord|34.07|-102.35|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-TX_source:UScensus1990}}

Category:Lamb County, Texas Category:1908 establishments in Texas Category:Populated places in the United States established in 1908 Category:Majority-minority counties in Texas