Childress ( ) (established 1887;
incorporated 1890) is a city in and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of
Childress County, Texas, United States. Its population was 5,737 at the
2020 census.
The city and county were named after
George Campbell Childress, a native of
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
, who was the principal author of the
Texas Declaration of Independence
The Texas Declaration of Independence was the formal declaration of independence of the Republic of Texas from Mexico in the Texas Revolution. It was adopted at the Convention of 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos on March 2, 1836, and was form ...
. The county and city were incorporated more than four decades after Childress' death.
Demographics
2020 U.S. Census
As of the
2020 United States census, there were 5,737 people, 1,936 households, and 1,316 families residing in the city.
2000 U.S. Census
As of the
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, 6,778 people, 2,116 households, and 1,369 families wereresiding in the city. The population density was . The 2,554 housing units had an average density of . The
racial makeup of the city was 64.52% White, 15.65% African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 17.13% from other races, and 1.96% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 22.37% of the population.
Of the 2,116 households, 31.3% had children under 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were not families. About 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.37, and the average family size was 3.01.
In the city, the age distribution was 21.7% under 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 147.7 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 157.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,536, and for a family was $33,323. Males had a median income of $25,365 versus $19,442 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $11,708. About 14.6% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 29.5% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is covered by water.
Childress is bordered on the west by
Hall County, on the southeast by
Hardeman County, on the northeast by
Harmon County, Oklahoma
Harmon County is a county in the southwest corner of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 2,488, making it the second-least populous county in Oklahoma, behind only Cimarron County. It has lost population in ...
, on the north by
Collingsworth County, and on the south by
Cottle County.
[Texas Department of Transportation, ''Texas State Travel Guide, 2007'', pp. 114–115]
Climate
According to the
Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Childress has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Childress was on June 27, 1994 and June 26, 2011, while the coldest temperature recorded was on January 17, 1930.
[
]
Government and politics
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) operates the Childress Distribution Center and the Roach prison in Childress.
In December 2015, the ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer'' (popularly known as the ''Seattle P-I'', the ''Post-Intelligencer'', or simply the ''P-I'') is an online newspaper and former print newspaper based in Seattle, Washington (state), Washington, United States.
Th ...
'' voted Childress ninth among the 10 "most conservative" cities in the United States in regard to political contributions.
Education
Childress is served by the Childress Independent School District, which operates an elementary school
A primary school (in Ireland, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, South Africa, and Singapore), elementary school, or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ...
(prekindergarten to grade 5), Childress Elementary School, middle school
Middle school, also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school, is an educational stage between primary school and secondary school.
Afghanistan
In Afghanistan, middle school includes g ...
(grades 6 to 8), Childress Junior High School, and a high school
A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...
(grades 9 to 12), Childress High School.
Clarendon College, a two-year community college, has a campus in Childress.
Media
Radio
* K221FL
* K237EE
* KCTX-AM
* KCTX-FM
Newspaper
* ''The Red River Sun'', formerly ''The Childress Index''
Notable people
* Hardy Brown, athlete
* Walter Chrysler
Walter Percy Chrysler (April 2, 1875 – August 18, 1940) was an American industrial pioneer in the automotive industry, automotive industry executive, and the founder and namesake of American Chrysler, Chrysler Corporation.
Childhood
Chrysler ...
, auto company founder, lived in Childress 1905-1906.
* Lou Dobbs, radio and television host
* Margaret A. Edwards, educator and librarian
* Roy Furr, chain restaurant founder, lived in Childress County as a youth
* Ruby Gilbert, Kansas politician
* James "T" Jones, athlete
* Bubba McDaniel, mixed martial artist
Gallery
Image:Childress, Texas welcome sign.jpg,
Image:Childress, TX, Municipal Building IMG_6208.JPG,
Image:Second revision, First Baptist Church of Childress, TX IMG_6207.JPG,
Image:Museum IMG 0684.JPG,
Image:Downtown sign in Childress IMG_0691.JPG,
Image:Main_Street_-_Downtown_Childress_TX.JPG,
Image:Childress streets IMG 0687.JPG,
Image:Trade Winds Motel IMG_0692.JPG,
Image:K-Bobs IMG_0676.JPG,
Image:Fair Park in Childress IMG 0684.JPG,
Image:Clarendon College in Childress IMG 0680.JPG,
Image:Childress Bobcats Stadium IMG 0689.JPG,
Image:Sunset at Childress, Texas IMG_0677.JPG,
Image:Abandoned buildings south of Childress, TX IMG_6210.JPG,
Image:Childress City Limit.JPG,
See also
* List of municipalities in Texas
Texas is a U.S. state, state located in the Southern United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, 29,145,505 (93.14%) of the 31,290,831 residents of Texas lived in a Municipal corporation, municipality in the 2024 estimate.
...
Note
References
External links
*
Childress, Texas in ''The Handbook of Texas Online''
Childress Independent School District
Childress Regional Medical Center
{{authority control
Cities in Childress County, Texas
Cities in Texas
County seats in Texas
Populated places established in 1887