Ector County, Texas

Not to be confused with Ector, Texas.

Ector County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In the 2020 census, its population was 165,171.^[1] Its county seat is Odessa.^[2] The county was founded in 1887 and organized in 1891.^[3] It is named for Matthew Ector,^[4] a Confederate general in the American Civil War.

Ector County
County
Ector County Courthouse in Odessa
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°52′N 102°32′W
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1891
Named after	Matthew Ector
Seat	Odessa
Largest city	Odessa
Area
• Total	902 sq mi (2,340 km2)
• Land	898 sq mi (2,330 km2)
• Water	4.1 sq mi (11 km2)  0.5%
Population  (2020)
• Total	165,171
• Density	180/sq mi (71/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	11th
Website	www.co.ector.tx.us

Ector County Coliseum

Ector County Courthouse Administration annex building

Ector County comprises the Odessa, Texas, metropolitan statistical area, which is included in the Midland–Odessa combined statistical area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 902 sq mi (2,340 km²), of which 898 sq mi (2,330 km²) are land and 4.1 sq mi (11 km²) (0.5%) are covered by water.^[5] Ector County has an average rainfall of about 14 in per year and a warm, sunny, semiarid climate. Most of the county is relatively flat, with small areas of slightly rolling terrain. The area is known for its stark landscape. The few naturally occurring trees are mostly mesquite trees, which more resemble large bushes.

Major highways

• I-20
• I-20 BL
• US 385
• SH 158
• SH 181
• SH 191
• SH 302
• Spur 450
• Spur 588
• Loop 338
• FM 554
• FM 1053
• FM 1601
• FM 1787
• FM 1788
• FM 1882
• FM 1936
• FM 2019
• FM 2020
• FM 3472
• FM 3503

Adjacent counties

• Andrews County (north)
• Midland County (east)
• Upton County (southeast)
• Crane County (south)
• Ward County (southwest)
• Winkler County (west)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	224		—
1900	381		70.1%
1910	1,178		209.2%
1920	760		−35.5%
1930	3,958		420.8%
1940	15,051		280.3%
1950	42,102		179.7%
1960	90,995		116.1%
1970	91,805		0.9%
1980	115,374		25.7%
1990	118,934		3.1%
2000	121,123		1.8%
2010	137,130		13.2%
2020	165,171		20.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1850–2010[7] 2010[8] 2020[9]

Ector 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[10]	Pop 2010[8]	Pop 2020[9]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	61,168	56,306	51,023	51.33%	41.06%	30.89%
Black or African American alone (NH)	5,370	5,596	7,430	4.43%	4.08%	4.50%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	526	623	568	0.43%	0.45%	0.34%
Asian alone (NH)	744	1,004	2,257	0.61%	0.73%	1.37%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	31	106	327	0.03%	0.08%	0.20%
Other race alone (NH)	29	68	492	0.02%	0.05%	0.30%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	949	1,096	3,023	0.78%	0.80%	1.83%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	51,306	72,331	100,051	42.36%	52.75%	60.57%
Total	121,123	137,130	165,171	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the census^[11] of 2000, 121,123 people, 43,846 households, and 31,700 families resided in the county. The population density was 134 people per square mile (52 people/km²). The 49,500 housing units averaged 55 units per square mile (21/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 73.69% White, 4.61% African American, 0.83% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 17.38% from other races, and 2.81% from two or more races. About 42.36% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 43,846 households, 38.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.10% were married couples living together, 13.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were not families. About 24.00% of all households was made up of individuals, and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the county, the population was distributed as 30.40% under the age of 18, 10.50% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 20.20% from 45 to 64, and 10.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,152, and for a family was $36,369. Males had a median income of $30,632 versus $21,317 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,031. About 16.10% of families and 18.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.90% of those under age 18 and 14.30% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Goldsmith
• Odessa (county seat)

Census-designated places

• Gardendale
• West Odessa

Unincorporated communities

• Notrees
• Penwell
• Pleasant Farms

Ghost town

• Arcade

Politics

Ector County is overwhelmingly Republican. It voted against Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson, a Texas native, in his 1964 landslide. The last time Democrats carried the county was in 1948.

United States presidential election results for Ector County, Texas^[12]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	32,429	75.96%	9,881	23.15%	380	0.89%
2020	32,697	73.33%	11,367	25.49%	527	1.18%
2016	25,020	68.49%	10,249	28.06%	1,261	3.45%
2012	24,010	73.85%	8,118	24.97%	385	1.18%
2008	26,199	73.49%	9,123	25.59%	329	0.92%
2004	27,502	75.74%	8,579	23.63%	229	0.63%
2000	22,893	69.58%	9,425	28.65%	583	1.77%
1996	17,746	54.29%	12,017	36.76%	2,923	8.94%
1992	18,161	50.35%	11,130	30.85%	6,782	18.80%
1988	23,155	67.80%	10,825	31.70%	172	0.50%
1984	31,228	77.41%	8,913	22.09%	201	0.50%
1980	26,188	72.38%	9,069	25.07%	922	2.55%
1976	18,973	62.56%	10,802	35.62%	553	1.82%
1972	21,386	79.32%	5,449	20.21%	125	0.46%
1968	10,557	43.02%	5,312	21.65%	8,671	35.33%
1964	11,497	51.36%	10,826	48.36%	63	0.28%
1960	11,145	53.91%	8,996	43.52%	531	2.57%
1956	8,805	62.41%	5,109	36.21%	194	1.38%
1952	8,259	61.01%	5,270	38.93%	8	0.06%
1948	1,145	20.11%	4,305	75.61%	244	4.29%
1944	432	13.98%	2,265	73.28%	394	12.75%
1940	451	13.92%	2,783	85.92%	5	0.15%
1936	81	8.92%	816	89.87%	11	1.21%
1932	37	6.22%	530	89.08%	28	4.71%
1928	168	52.66%	151	47.34%	0	0.00%
1924	12	7.74%	138	89.03%	5	3.23%
1920	23	18.40%	100	80.00%	2	1.60%
1916	2	1.64%	120	98.36%	0	0.00%
1912	3	3.13%	89	92.71%	4	4.17%

United States Senate election results for Ector County, Texas1^[13]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	30,729	72.70%	10,620	25.13%	919	2.17%

See also

• Texas portal

• List of museums in West Texas
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Ector County, Texas
• Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Ector County
• Odessa College
• Presidential Museum and Leadership Library
• University of Texas of the Permian Basin
• Odessa Meteor Crater