Rankin, Texas

Rankin is a city in and the county seat of Upton County, Texas, United States.^[4] Its population was 780 at the 2020 census.^[5] It is named after F.E. Rankin, a local rancher. In 2020, only 3,308 people lived in the entire county, and McCamey was the only larger town. During the early 20th century, the town grew due to the discovery of oil in the nearby Yates Oil Field. However, following a second oil boom in the '80s the town saw a decline in its economy and population.

Rankin, Texas
City
Aerial photo of the city
Location of Rankin, Texas
Coordinates: 31°13′28″N 101°56′27″W
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Upton
Area [1]
• Total	1.05 sq mi (2.73 km2)
• Land	1.05 sq mi (2.73 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	2,516 ft (767 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	780
• Density	740/sq mi (290/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	79778
Area code	432
FIPS code	48-60668[2]
GNIS feature ID	1366016[3]

Geography

Rankin is located at 31°13′28″N 101°56′27″W (31.224412, −101.940866).^[6] The major highways in the city are U.S. Route 67, Texas State Highway 329, and Texas State Highway 349.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.7 km²), all land.

History

The town was founded in 1911, and the post office was built a year later. In 1921, still a tiny community based around the ranching industry, it was designated the county seat. Rankin was served by the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway.

The discovery of the Yates Oil Field in adjacent Pecos County in 1926 converted Rankin into a boom town. Since Rankin was the nearest settlement on a rail line, it became the center for the oil-services industry for the nearby oil fields. During the Great Depression, the population declined as the price of oil fell, and as workers moved away to work in newly discovered fields in East Texas and elsewhere; however, a secondary boom occurred in the 1940s with the discovery of the nearby Benedum Oil Field. A hospital, three new schools, and a library date from this period. The population has gradually fallen since its secondary peak of 1,278 in 1980.^[7]

In 1990, the Confederate Air Force (later Commemorative Air Force) filmed a famous "Don't Mess with Texas" advertising campaign using the B-17G "Sentimental Journey". later of Airbase Arizona in Mesa, Arizona, near Rankin.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1930	935		—
1940	672		−28.1%
1950	1,139		69.5%
1960	1,214		6.6%
1970	1,105		−9.0%
1980	1,216		10.0%
1990	1,011		−16.9%
2000	800		−20.9%
2010	778		−2.7%
2020	780		0.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]

2020 census

Rankin racial composition^[5]
(NH = Non-Hispanic)^{[lower-alpha 1]}

Race	Number	Percentage
White (NH)	474	60.77%
Black or African American (NH)	11	1.41%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	3	0.38%
Asian (NH)	2	0.26%
Some Other Race (NH)	1	0.13%
Mixed/multiracial (NH)	32	4.1%
Hispanic or Latino	257	32.95%
Total	780

As of the 2020 United States census, 780 people, 352 households, and 245 families were residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the census^[2] of 2000, 800 people, 308 households, and 231 families resided in the city. The population density was 752 inhabitants per square mile (290/km²). The 374 housing units averaged 351.5 per square mile (136.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.00% White, 2.50% African American, 0.50% Native American, 12.00% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 26.88% of the population.

Of the 308 households, 32.5% had children under 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were not families; 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.58, and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city, the age distribution was 26.5% under 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,528, and for a family was $41,250. Males had a median income of $36,250 versus $19,563 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,047. About 15.7% of families and 16.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.6% of those under age 18 and 15.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The city of Rankin is served by the Rankin Independent School District. The district has two schools: Rankin High School (Red Devils) and James D. Gossett Elementary.^[11]

Climate

Rankin experiences a semiarid climate with hot summers and cool winters.

Climate data for Rankin, Texas.
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	85 (29)	87 (31)	96 (36)	99 (37)	103 (39)	109 (43)	108 (42)	105 (41)	106 (41)	101 (38)	90 (32)	82 (28)	109 (43)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	59.2 (15.1)	64.0 (17.8)	73.0 (22.8)	81.3 (27.4)	87.4 (30.8)	93.4 (34.1)	95.4 (35.2)	93.5 (34.2)	87.4 (30.8)	79.1 (26.2)	68.5 (20.3)	61.0 (16.1)	78.6 (25.9)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	31.5 (−0.3)	35.0 (1.7)	43.6 (6.4)	52.8 (11.6)	59.9 (15.5)	66.9 (19.4)	69.8 (21.0)	68.4 (20.2)	62.8 (17.1)	53.0 (11.7)	41.8 (5.4)	33.6 (0.9)	51.6 (10.9)
Record low °F (°C)	3 (−16)	8 (−13)	10 (−12)	24 (−4)	36 (2)	45 (7)	58 (14)	57 (14)	42 (6)	27 (−3)	12 (−11)	6 (−14)	3 (−16)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	0.45 (11)	0.67 (17)	0.44 (11)	0.96 (24)	2.18 (55)	1.36 (35)	0.96 (24)	2.27 (58)	3.29 (84)	1.84 (47)	0.74 (19)	0.50 (13)	15.66 (398)
Source: The Western Regional Climate Center[12]

See also

• Texas portal

• List of municipalities in Texas

Notes

1. 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 can be of any race.^[9][10]

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
3. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
5. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
6. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
7. Rankin, Texas in the Handbook of Texas Online
8. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
9. https://www.census.gov/ ^{[not specific enough to verify]}
10. "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
11. Rankin ISD Archived 2007-04-05 at the Wayback Machine website
12. "Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Information". Western Regional Climate Center. Retrieved April 1, 2013.

External links

Media related to Rankin, Texas at Wikimedia Commons