Andrews

Andrews County

Updated on: November 13, 2021
Coordinates
32° 18' 0" N, 102° 38' 24" W (32.3, -102.64)
State
Texas
Region
Northwest
County Seat:
Andrews
Year Organized:
1876
Total Square Miles:
1501.083
1,501 square miles (3,890 km2) land
0.4 square miles (1.0 km2) water
Population:
17722 (2017)
Population: 18,705 est. (2019) 14,786 (2010)
Persons/Square Mile:
12
Andrews County Website
http://www.co.andrews.tx.us/

Contiguous Counties

Gaines (N)
Martin (E)
Midland (SE)
Ector (S)
Winkler (SW)
Lea County, New Mexico (W)

Andrews County Town List

County structure

Government Type:
County
Authority:
Dillon's Rule
Legislative Body:
Commisioners Court
Size of Legislative Body:
5

Demographics

2018 Population:
17722
25 to 64 Years of Age:
50.01%
65 Years of Age and Older:
10.36%

Economy, 2018

Gross Domestic Product (GDP):
$5.4 B
Labor Force:
9,382
Unemployment Rate:
2.40%

County Contact

201 N Main St
County Courthouse
Andrews, TX, 79714-6506

http://www.co.andrews.tx.us

Andrews is one of the counties in Texas, U.S.A. By 2020, the county’s population was 18,610, giving the county 126th position out of the 254 Texas counties. 

Andrews County and Andrews city are in honor of Texas Revolution soldier Richard Andrews. Andrews city is the only incorporated municipality in this county with an active population of over 10000 residents. 

 The county’s administrative center is Andrews and lies on the western side of Texas in the Permian Basin. 

The land area of this county is 1501 sq. mi giving it a population density of 14.7 sq. mi. 

 This county is among the 11th Texas congressional district and position 31in the texas senatorial district. 

The area has an average annual rainfall of 16 inches which is way below the average annual rainfall in the U.S. of 38 inches. 

Offices in Andrew County   

Offices under the government of Andrew County focus on familiarizing the citizens with the county’s programs and services. They include the following:

Circuit Court- handles all the judicial matters of the county.  The circuit clerk is Christy Porter, who you can contact through [email protected]. You can also contact the Jury Administrator via P.O. Box 112 Savannah Mo 64485 or call (816) 324-3921. Andrew county has a serving judge, Carlos C. Falcon (Charlie), whose term ends December 31, 2022. 

Collector – handles collection and distribution of present and criminal taxes from the respective taxing entities. It also collects county merchant licenses and tax sales. Andrew County Collector is Philip N. Rogers. Use [email protected], P.O. Box 47 Savannah Mo 64485,  Fax 816-324-3914, or call 816-824-3914 to reach this office. 

County Clerk– manages the county’s human resource, sells county licenses, certifies commissions, conducts the entire county’s elections, receives all the county offices’ bills, sets entities tax rate levies, and receives bids. 

The County Clerk is Sarah Miller. You can contact the office via [email protected], P.O. Box 206 Savannah Mo 64485, fax 816-324-6154, or call 816-324-3624. 

Prosecuting Attorney– offers leadership to the county’s law enforcement agencies. The prosecuting officer is Steve Stevenson. To reach the office, use [email protected], Box 377 Savannah Mo 64485, Fax 816-324-6015, or call 816-324-3535. 

Road & Bridge- responsible for maintaining the county’s roads and bridges together with other related tasks. The Office Supervisor is Jim Galbraith, while the Manager is Leslie Gillenwater. You can contact this office by [email protected], Box 314Savannah, Mo 64485, Fax 816-324-6527, or call 816-324-4012. 

Treasurer– takes care of all financial matters of the county. The Treasurer in charge is Cindy Esely. You can contact the office via [email protected], Box 122 Savannah, Mo 64485, Fax 816-324-6154, or call 816-324-3614. 

Assessor– puts value on assessed real and personal property. The County Assessor is Paul Garrison. You can reach the office through [email protected], Box 149 Savannah, Mo 64485, Fax 816-324-5667, or phone 816-324-3023. 

Commission– sets the county’s policies. It also oversees all county operations and bridges & roads maintenance and repair. Additionally, the office approves all the other offices’ budgets. The presiding Commissioner is Bob Cardwell, who you can reach by [email protected],  Box 206 Savannah, Mo 64485, Fax 816-324-6154, or call 816-324-5716. 

Emergency Management– coordinates all the emergency management systems components. The Emergency Management Director is Ryan Bever. You can contact him via [email protected], Box 206 Savannah, Mo 64485, or call 816-324-5023. 

Recorder– records, maintains and issues essential documents. The Recorder of deeds is Chanler M. Williams. You can reach him through [email protected], Box 208 Savannah, Mo 64485, Fax 816-324-5667, or call 816-324-4221. 

Sheriff– committed to serving and protecting the county residents by ensuring law enforcement of the highest level. The County Sheriff is Grant Gillet. You can contact the office through Emergency dial 911 or call 816-324-4114. 

911 Addressing– assigns addresses to improved properties for safety purposes. The County 911 Coordinator is Jennifer Edwards. You can reach her via [email protected] or call 816-273-7046. 

Safety of Andrews Texas 

Like any other place, there are various crimes in Andrews county.  According to a 2020 F.B.I. report, property crime leads to 219 out of the 278 reported cases. The report indicates that Andrews is safe as its crime rate is 21% below the national average. However, the rate of violent crimes is alarming as it’s 10% above the national standard.  

During a standard year, the crime rate of Andrews county is 28.96/ 1000 people. Andrews’ residents generally consider the northeast region of the city as the best place to live in relation to safety. 

In the Southeast neighborhood, an individual’s probability of being a crime victim is 1 out of  30 people and 1in 43 individuals in the city’s Northeastern section. 

Even so, making a crime rates comparison may not be intuitive. Therefore, before concluding that a region is unsafe, consider visiting total crime maps 

Some parts will be high crime regions because many people are visiting who are not necessarily residents. Such places include schools, parks, and airports. 

Economic Development 

The foundation of Andrews county’s economic growth is oil. Deep Rock Oil Company drilled the first oil well in 1929. After producing more than 160,000,000 m3 of oil, the county became the leading oil producer in Texas. However, due to the diminishing production of the oil wells and the business recurring nature, the community sought other means of economic growth. This way, they landed on waste disposal, and the Waste Control Specialists company came into being.  

Waste Control Specialists (W.C.S.) is a company that deals with the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous, radioactive, and mixed waste. The company was developed and controlled by Harold Simmons until he passed on in 2013. Its headquarters are based in Dallas, Texas, and borders New Mexico. 

The company employs about 1%  of the total county labor force, which is approximately 130 people. Andrews city was the target location of the non-functional HT3R project worth $400 million. 

In 1972, the company expanded to the west and increased the number of employees up to 200. 

To attract businesses, the county opened Business Park South and Energy Business Park in 2011 and 2014, respectively. 

Additionally, Andrews completed airport renovations worth more than $3million, a loop around town costing $13 million, a fire station of $2 million by 2013, and a new hospital of $60 million worth in 2015. 

In 2019, the construction of a $28 million jail began. Also, the new food bank and city hall expansion started costing the county $5 million. 

Education Background

Andrews Independent School District is the central body that serves students in the county. In 2008, the district opened two new primary school campuses and concert centers within the high school. 

In 2012, the high school began providing laptops for the students while the primary and middle-school campuses started issuing iPad tablets for every student. The students can carry the gadgets at home but have to return them at the school year-end. 

The schools have had massive enrollment, necessitating the construction of new classes for all school campuses. 

Together with the University of Texas of the Permian Basin and Odessa College, the county completed Andrews Business and Technology Center in 2006. 

The institution specializes in technology and offers distance learning opportunities. In 2013, the campus expanded to accommodate nursing programs. 

Recreational Activities In Andrews 

There are several leisure activities within the county and include the following: 

  1. Andrews City Swimming Pool 

The public swimming pool lies at 100 NE 6th St, Andrews, TX 79714, U.S.A. The upgraded city pool is a great recreational site for a family’s outdoor activities. 

There are various hotels and restaurants near the facility, making your visit more comfortable. 

  1. Lakeside Park 

The community park takes up to 3 blocks towards the Northern side of Andrews. It’s a pond of ducks with a waterfowl and has a walking path around it. 

Also, the park has playgrounds, outdoor grills, and picnic tables. It’s a great place to take a brisk walk along the pavement or try your fishing capability. 

  1. Shafter Lake 

Andrews county’s ghost town is situated four miles west of the U.S. It gained the “ghost nature” after losing in the county seat election for Andrews county. 

Initially known as Salty Lake, the lake’s name changed to honor  Major General William Rufus Shafter.  He was a veteran of the Indian Wars, Civil War, and the Spanish-American War. He’s also the discoverer of this lake. 

Its beaches are non-crowded, allowing the visitors to watch pump jacks walk away in the surf. 

  1. Andrews Bird Viewing Area 

Members of the public were allowed into the area in the year 2007 for the first time. The facilities include a 0.2 trail next to ponds with an overlook deck, a binocular stand for observation purposes, and benches. 

  1. A.C.E. Arena 

Andrews county undertook the construction of an A.C.E. versatile stadium to inspire the neighboring community to engage in events. The arena’s doors opened to the public in March 2007.   

Next to the indoor stadium, the county constructed a small outdoor arena in 2012.