Ochiltree

Ochiltree County

Updated on: December 22, 2021
Coordinates
36° 16' 48" N, 100° 48' 36" W (36.28, -100.81)
State
Texas
Region
Panhandle
County Seat:
Perryton
Year Organized:
1876
Total Square Miles:
918.141
918 square miles (2,380 km2) land
0.5 square miles (1.3 km2) water
Population:
10073 (2017)
Population: 10,306 Est. (2016) 10,223 (2010) 9,006 (2000)
Persons/Square Mile:
11
Ochiltree County Website
http://www.co.ochiltree.tx.us/

Contiguous Counties

Lipscomb (E)
Roberts (S)
Hansford (W)
Hemphill (SE)

Ochiltree County Town List

County structure

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

Demographics

2018 Population:
10073
25 to 64 Years of Age:
47.99%
65 Years of Age and Older:
11.14%

Economy, 2018

Gross Domestic Product (GDP):
$1.5 B
Labor Force:
4,487
Unemployment Rate:
2.80%

County Contact

511 S Main St
County Courthouse
Perryton, TX, 79070-3127

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

Oklahoma borders Ochiltree County to the north, Lipscomb County to the east, Roberts County to the south, and Hansford County to the west.

The latitude and longitude of the county are 36°17′ north and 100°49′ west, respectively. Perryton, the county seat, is approximately 120 miles northeast of Amarillo in the county’s north-central part.

William Beck Ochiltree, a Confederate officer and former Republic of Texas secretary of the Treasury, was honored with the county’s name.

County Geography

In addition to Wolf Creek, South Wolf Creek, and Palo Duro and Chiquita creeks, which flow north into Oklahoma from the county’s northern part, there are several smaller creeks. All of these water sources appear and disappear at random times.

Various crops thrive in the rich clay and loam soils here, including native grasses, grains, wheat, grain sorghum, and corn. Oil and natural gas are produced in large quantities.

The county has an average annual rainfall of 20.48 inches and is situated between 2,600 and 3,100 feet above sea level.

Winter lows average 18 degrees Fahrenheit, while summer highs reach 93 degrees Fahrenheit. This season is the most extreme time of year. One hundred ninety-one days is the average length of the growing season. Between the 1930s and the 1950s, Perryton was the heart of a comprehensive transportation network. The US Highway 83 runs from Liberal, Kansas, to Perryton, Texas, and finally to the border crossings with Canada and the United States.

Highway 70 connects Perryton and Pampa. Other routes connect the main thoroughfares to rural areas via farm-to-market roads parallel to State Highway 15 and the Santa Fe Railroad.

Ochiltree County Economic Activities

Ochiltree County has a diverse economy based on agriculture, oil and gas, and other resources. Farming brought in $250 million in 2005, mainly from the production of livestock, hogs, and grains, including wheat and sorghum and corn and alfalfa.

The county’s cropland is now 30% irrigated due to efforts from the late 1940s to the 1960s and 70s. Also, feedlots and large-scale commercial pork production are significant contributors to the local economy.

County Demographics

According to the Census Bureau, the population of this county was 7,774, with 2,785 households and 2,113 families in the city in 2020. 1,753.2 persons per square mile were the population density (677.6 people per square kilometer).

The bureau found a density of 717.2 houses per square mile in the 3,180 residences located in the area (277.2 dwellings per kilometer). 0.15 percent of the population was African American, 0.98 percent of the population was Native American, 0.40 percent of the population was Asian, 0.001 percent was Pacific Islander, and 11.10 percent of the population was mixed race. 34.13 percent of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Two thousand seven hundred eighty-five dwellings, 42.3 percent of which were occupied by children or individuals under the age of 18, 62.6 percent of which were married couples, 8.7 percent of which were female homeowners who weren’t married, and 24.1 percent of which were non-family households.

21.3 percent of all housing units were occupied by individuals, while the elderly population comprised 9.5 percent. There were 3.22 people in the average family, compared to 2.77 people in the average home.

There were 31.3 percent people under 18, 8.7 percent between the ages 18-24, 28.9 percent between 25-44, and 19.8 percent of the population were between 45-64. There were 32 to 33-year-olds in the study group. A total of 98.1 percent of the population was made up of males. With a 94.4:100 ratio, men outnumbered women.

As of the 2020 census, the median family income was $45,045, and the average was $37,363. Average earnings for males and females were $31,803 and $19,694. $16,431 was the city’s average household income.

According to the United Nations, ten percent of households and 13.2 percent of persons were living in poverty,18.4 percent were under 18, and 10 percent were 65 and older.

Places To Visit In Ochiltree County

Perryton is home to a municipal pool

Municipal Swimming Pool of the City of Perryton is a public swimming pool located in Perryton, Texas. A variety of water slides are available for the children’s amusement. This pool is great for learning to swim with your children.

Perryton’s Wolf Creek County Park Shop

A modest, well-stocked fisheries lake and a county park are a pleasant surprise in the Texas Panhandle. The lake features 94 campsites with electric and water hookups and is located approximately ten miles south of Perryton in a picturesque creek valley dotted with spectacular trees and canyons.

A bait shop and two playgrounds are located near the boat port. In the United States, jet skiing is forbidden, but you can still spend quality time with your family and friends while taking in the beautiful splendor of Lake Tahoe.

Museum of The Plains

It is located at 1200 N. Main St. on US Highway 83, just north of downtown. Artifacts from the “Burned City” which is a hamlet near Wolf Creek that goes back to the 1100s, are also displayed.

More than 10,000 items reflect the historical, paleontological, and archeological traits of the High Plains. An oil field exposition, Native American remains, and a Kiowa Indian village are just some of the items displayed at the museum.

County Offices

The county incorporates a few departments vital in its administration, facilitating smooth running. Among the county offices is the office of the sheriff. He is in charge of handling law and order within the county’s borders. Currently, the sheriff is Terry Bouchard. You can communicate with him on the phone at 806-435-8000 or fax at 806-435-8011.

The County Judge currently is Judge Charles E. Kelly. Despite being the presiding officer of the commissioners’ court, he is also in charge of the emergency department and represents the county in many administrative functions. For inquiries, you can contact his office through phone at 806-435-8031 or fax at 806-435-2081. The official email address is [email protected].

In addition to that, among the county departments is the district clerk. At the moment, the seat is occupied by Shawn Bogard. He is the custodian of all District Court records and manages court registry funds. To contact his office, use 806-435-8054 by telephone or 806-435-8058 through fax.

The County Tax Collector is Linda Womble. She is in charge of all matters concerning taxes in the county and vehicle registration. Contact her on the phone through the line 806-435-8025 or fax: 806-435-2899.

Sandra Limas is the Ochiltree County Clerk. Apart from being the custodian of all the records in the commissioners’ court, she is in charge of issuing marriage licenses and sometimes is the chief of elections. You can reach her office through email at [email protected] or telephone at 806-435-8039. The fax line is 806-435-2081.