Archer County is a county in Texas, United States, part of the Wichita Falls metropolitan area in the north-central part of the state. It had a population of 8,560 at the 2020 census and covers 925 square miles (2,400 km2), of which 903 square miles (2,340 km2) are land and 22 square miles (57 km2) are water, centred near 33°37′N 98°41′W.
Archer City is the county seat and its postal code is 76351. The county has three incorporated cities, three incorporated towns, three unincorporated communities and two former ghost towns. Archer County runs on Central time and Texas has no civil townships, so land here is organized directly under the county rather than township government.
Towns & Villages in Archer County
Archer County has eleven active named places plus two historic ghost-town sites. Archer City, Holliday and Scotland are incorporated cities; Lakeside City, Megargel and Windthorst are incorporated towns; Dads Corner, Dundee and Mankins are unincorporated communities. Windthorst straddles the Archer–Clay county line. Black Flat, Hartex and Luke Wilson appear in older place-name records as small rural communities or rail sidings, but current census and postal sources do not confirm active status, so no figures are published for them here.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archer City | City · seat | — | 76351 |
| Holliday | City | — | 76366 |
| Scotland | City | — | 76379 |
| Lakeside City | Town | — | 76310 |
| Megargel | Town | — | 76370 |
| Windthorst | Town | — | 76389 |
| Dads Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dundee | Unincorp. | — | 76351 |
| Mankins | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Anarene | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Huff | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Black Flat | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hartex | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Luke Wilson | Unincorp. | — | — |
Anarene and Huff are the county’s two documented ghost towns — both once had post offices and small populations that dispersed in the early to mid 20th century as farm consolidation and highway realignment drew residents toward Archer City and Holliday.
ZIP Codes
- 76351 — Archer City (also serves Dundee, PO Box delivery)
- 76366 — Holliday
- 76379 — Scotland
- 76389 — Windthorst
- 76370 — Megargel (PO Box delivery)
Lakeside City shares Wichita Falls-area ZIP coverage (76310); Dads Corner, Mankins, Anarene, Huff, Black Flat and Hartex have no dedicated post office and are served by the ZIP code of the nearest incorporated town.
Geography
Archer County sits on the rolling Rolling Plains of north-central Texas, drained by the Little Wichita River and Holliday Creek, with Lake Arrowhead and Lake Kickapoo along its eastern edge supplying water to Wichita Falls. The terrain is mostly ranchland and cropland, with mesquite brush country toward the southern and western edges of the county.
Archer County borders Wichita County to the north, Clay County to the east, Jack County to the southeast, Young County to the south, Baylor County to the west and Wilbarger County to the northwest.
Demographics
Archer County had a population of 8,560 at the 2020 census. Archer City and Holliday are its two largest communities. Median household income in the county runs close to the Texas median of $75,780, reflecting a mix of ranching income and commuter households working in Wichita Falls. With 903 square miles of land, the county’s overall density is roughly 9 people per square mile, typical of the sparsely settled Rolling Plains region.
Economy & Local Life
Cattle ranching, wheat and hay farming, and oil and gas production anchor the county economy, as they have for over a century. Archer City ISD and Holliday ISD are the county’s main public school districts and among its largest employers. Many residents commute north to Wichita Falls for retail, healthcare and manufacturing jobs. Archer City is well known among readers as the hometown and setting used by author Larry McMurtry for his novel “The Last Picture Show,” and the town has leaned into that literary association with an annual book-related event drawing visitors from across the region.
History
Archer County was formed in 1858 by the Texas Legislature from portions of Fannin County and was organized as a county government in 1880. It is named for Branch Tanner Archer, a physician and commissioner for the Republic of Texas. The county’s rangeland has also yielded significant Permian-period fossil finds; paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope documented vertebrate fossils from the area beginning in 1877, work that helped establish the region’s importance to early American paleontology.
Getting There
US Highways 82, 277 and 281 and Texas Highways 25, 79 and 114 cross the county, linking Archer City to the surrounding region.
- Wichita Falls — about 25 miles north
- Jacksboro — about 35 miles southeast
- Graham — about 40 miles south
- Olney — about 20 miles southwest
The nearest commercial airport is Wichita Falls Regional Airport, just north of the county line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Archer County, Texas?
It is in north-central Texas, part of the Wichita Falls metropolitan area, bordering Oklahoma-facing Wichita and Clay counties to the north and east.
What is the population of Archer County?
8,560 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Archer County?
925 square miles (2,400 km2) total, including 22 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Archer County?
Archer City is the county seat.
How many towns are in Archer County?
Three incorporated cities (Archer City, Holliday, Scotland), three incorporated towns (Lakeside City, Megargel, Windthorst) and several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Archer County?
76351, 76366, 76370, 76379 and 76389.
Why is Archer City known outside Texas?
It is the hometown that inspired author Larry McMurtry’s novel “The Last Picture Show.”
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.