Lamar County
- Coordinates
- 33° 40' 12" N, 95° 34' 12" W (33.67, -95.57)
- State
- Texas
- Region
- Northeast
- County Seat:
- Paris
- Year Organized:
- 1840
- Total Square Miles:
-
933.103
- Population:
-
49587 (2017)
- Persons/Square Mile:
- 53
- Lamar County Website
- http://www.co.lamar.tx.us/
Contiguous Counties
Choctaw County, Oklahoma (N)Red River (E)
Delta (S)
Fannin (W)
Bryan County, Oklahoma (NW)
Lamar County Offices
Lamar County Town List
County structure
- Government Type:
- County
- Authority:
- Dillon's Rule
- Legislative Body:
- Commisioners Court
- Size of Legislative Body:
- 5
Demographics
- 2018 Population:
- 49587
- 25 to 64 Years of Age:
- 49.05%
- 65 Years of Age and Older:
- 19.20%
Economy, 2018
- Gross Domestic Product (GDP):
- $2.1 B
- Labor Force:
- 23,954
- Unemployment Rate:
- 3.80%
Located in the Northeast Texas region, Lamar County is the 4th congressional district. On December 17, 1840, the Republic of Texas congress formed Lamar County. To the west of Lamar County, you will find Fannin County, Bryan County to the northwest, Choctaw County to the north. Delta County is south of Lamar County, and Red River County is to the east.
The County was named for Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar. He was born in Georgia and later became a leading politician in Texas during the Texas Republic era. He was also a diplomat, an attorney, historian, poet, and soldier. Mirabeau B. Lamar made history by being elected as the Republic of Texas’ second President. He was nicknamed “Father of Texas Education”.
Cities and towns
Located 100 miles northeast of Dallas, Paris is the County’s seat and the largest town in Lamar County. Paris is the regional medical center, serving southeast Oklahoma and northwest Texas. Its original site of 50 acres was donated by Geo W. Wright, an early settler. Paris is known for being home to a replica of the world-famous Eiffel Tower.
Other cities include Blossom, Powderly, Sun Valley, Toco, Reno, and Roxton.
Topography
Lamar County covers a total area of 2,416 km². Its center coordinates are 33º40′ north latitude and 95º35′ west longitude. The southern part of Lamar County drains into the North Sulfur River, while the northern part drains into the Red River. In the north, you will find loamy soil, while in the south, you will find black and clay soil. The heights range between 400 and 635 feet above sea level.
Climate
Lamar County gets 47 inches of rain and 1 inch of snow annually, while the US gets 38 inches and 28 inches, respectively. You will experience 228 sunny days on average per year in Lamar County compared to 205 sunny days in the US. Lamar County also gets on average 86 days of precipitation per year.
The summer highs go as high as 94 degrees, and the winter lows as low as 30 degrees. The County’s yearly ‘Best Places Comfort Index’ is 7.1(10=best), making it one of the best places in Texas. The best months in Lamar County are April, May, and October, while the worst months are July and August.
Demographics
According to April 1, 2020, US Population Census, Lamar County has a population of 50,088. Of the people, 6.5% are under 5 years, 23.6% are under 18, and 19.5% are 65 years and above. 51.9% are female.
The white dominate the racial composition at Other races include Alaska Native and American Indian at 1.9%, African American at 13.5%, and Asian at 0.8%. Those of 2 or more races are 3.0%, Hispanic or Latino 8.4%, and white alone, not Hispanic or Latino is 73.5%.
84.3% of persons of age 25 years and above have a High School qualification or higher, and 18.7% have a Bachelor’s degree or higher. The County dedicates time and resources to enhance the quality of educational programs through the Lamar County Education Foundation.
Economy
In comparison to the US average of 6.0%, the unemployment rate of Lamar County is 7.2%. The County’s average income per resident is $21,523 per year, while that of the US is $28,555 annually. The Median household income per resident is $41,130 on average per year, while that of the US is $53,482.
Lamar County’s average sales tax is 7.5%, while that of the US is 7.3%. The average income tax rate is 0.0%, while the US is 4.6%. The County collects an average property tax rate of 1.39%. The average property tax rate collected is 2.31% of the annual income.
Attraction Sites
Paris Eiffel Tower, Texas
The Paris Texas Eiffel Tower was constructed in 1993 in 2025 S Collegiate Dr, Paris, Texas. It is a replica of the Eiffel Tower in France. However, it is less than one-tenth of the height of the original Eiffel Tower and has a hat at the top. It is currently a famous landmark in Texas and a place you can enjoy taking nice pictures.
Pat Mayse Lake
Pat Mayse Lake is located on Sanders Creek, in the Red River Basin. It is well known for family picnics, camping, swimming, fishing, boat rides, and hunting.
Roxton Chaparral Rail Trail
The Roxton Chaparral Rail Trail is a 35-mile trail and forms part of the greater regional Northeast Texas Trail System famous for hiking. It begins in Farmersville, a block from the onion shed, downtown.
Other attraction sites include Lake Crook, Culbertson Fountain, Sam Bell Maxey House State Historic Site, Trail de Paris, Pat Mayse Wildlife Management, etc.
Offices
County Judge
The County Judge is Judge Brandon Bell.
Contacts: (903) 785-3858
Location: 119 North Main Paris, Texas75460
Commissioners Court
The Commissioners Court is divided into 4 precincts
Precinct 1 is under Alan Skidmore.
Contact: (903) 737-2467
Location: 119 North Main Paris, Texas 75460
Precinct 2 is headed by Lonnie Layton.
Location: 119 North Main Paris, Texas 75460
Contacts: (903)737-2467
Precinct 3 is led by Ronnie Bass.
Location: 119 North Main Paris, Texas 75460
Contacts: (903)737-2469
Precinct 4 is under Kevin Anderson.
Location: 119 North Main Paris, Texas 75460
Contacts: (903) 737-2467
County Attorney
The County Attorney is Gary Young.
Location: 119 North Main Paris, TX 75640
Contacts: (903) 737-2458
County Treasurer
The County Treasurer is Camey Boyer.
Location: 119 North Main Paris, TX 75460
Contacts: (903) 737-2419
County Court at Law
The County Court at Law is under Judge Bill Harris. Location: 119 North Main Paris, TX 75460. Contacts: (903) 782 1106
County Tax Assessor
The County Tax Assessor is Haskell Maroney.
Location: 231 Lamar Avenue, 2nd Floor, Texas 75460. Contacts: (903) 737-2423
County Auditor
The County Auditor is Kayla Hall.
Location: 119 North Main Paris, Texas 75460
Contacts: (903) 737-2416
County Sheriff
The County Sheriff is Sheriff Scot Cass.
Location: 125 Brown Ave. Paris, TX 75460
Contacts: (903) 737-2400
Other offices include Constable, Justice of The Peace, Jail Administrator, Elections. You can find more information about these offices on the County’s website.