Culberson County is a county in Texas, United States, home to Guadalupe Peak, the state’s highest point, inside Guadalupe Mountains National Park. It had a population of 2,188 at the 2020 census and covers 3,813 square miles (9,880 km2) centred near 31°27′N 104°31′W.
Van Horn is the county seat, and its postal code is 79855. The county has one incorporated town and about fourteen unincorporated communities and former railroad stops. Most of the county lies in the Central time zone, but the northwestern section, inside Guadalupe Mountains National Park, sits in the Mountain time zone — one of only a handful of U.S. counties split between two time zones.
Towns & Villages in Culberson County
Gazetteer records list 15 named places in Culberson County: one incorporated town, Van Horn, the county seat, and fourteen unincorporated communities, ranch stops and former Texas and Pacific Railway sidings. Several of these, including Boracho and Lobo, are now ghost towns with no resident population. Texas has no civil townships, so the table below omits that column.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Van Horn | Town | 1,941 | 79855 |
| Boracho | Unincorp. | — | 79855 |
| Corner Windmill | Unincorp. | — | 79855 |
| Grisham Pumping Station | Unincorp. | — | 79855 |
| Kent | Unincorp. | — | 79855 |
| Levinson | Unincorp. | — | 79855 |
| Lobo | Unincorp. | — | 79855 |
| Nickel Creek | Unincorp. | — | 79855 |
| Old Christian Place | Unincorp. | — | 79855 |
| Ort | Unincorp. | — | 79855 |
| Pezuna del Caballo | Unincorp. | — | 79855 |
| Pine Springs | Unincorp. | — | 79855 |
| Plateau | Unincorp. | — | 79855 |
| State Line | Unincorp. | — | 79855 |
| Wild Horse | Unincorp. | — | 79855 |
None of the unincorporated places carries its own ZIP code or a separate census population count — Van Horn’s 79855 covers the whole county.
ZIP Codes
- 79855 — Van Horn (also serves every other community in Culberson County)
Culberson County has a single ZIP code; ranch stops, ghost towns and park facilities outside Van Horn all use 79855 for mail.
Geography
Culberson County sits in the Trans-Pecos region of far West Texas, crossed by the Delaware Mountains, the Sierra Diablo, the Van Horn Mountains and, in the north, the southern end of the Guadalupe Mountains. Land makes up nearly all of the county’s area; surface water is limited to a few small playas and stock tanks. Interstate 10 and U.S. 90 run through Van Horn; U.S. 62/180 climbs north toward Guadalupe Mountains National Park.
Culberson County borders Eddy County, New Mexico to the north, Reeves County to the east, Jeff Davis County to the south, Hudspeth County to the west, and Otero County, New Mexico to the northwest.
Demographics
Culberson County had 2,188 residents at the 2020 census, one of the smallest populations of any Texas county. Van Horn, the county seat, holds most of that total with 1,941 people; the remainder is spread across ranches and unincorporated communities such as Kent and Pine Springs. Household income in the county runs well below the Texas median of $75,780, reflecting a small, ranching- and highway-dependent economy. Population density is under one person per square mile, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Ranching and highway-related trade and services along Interstate 10 anchor the local economy; Van Horn is a long-standing overnight stop for truckers and travelers crossing far West Texas. Culberson County ISD operates the public schools in Van Horn. Guadalupe Mountains National Park draws hikers to Guadalupe Peak and El Capitan and supports a small tourism trade. Blue Origin operates a suborbital launch and testing site roughly 25 miles north of Van Horn, on private ranchland in the county.
History
Culberson County was created in 1911 from El Paso County and organized in 1912. It is named for David B. Culberson, a Confederate soldier and longtime U.S. representative from Texas. Van Horn grew up around a Texas and Pacific Railway stop in the 1880s and became the county seat when the county organized. Guadalupe Mountains National Park, established in 1972 in the county’s northwest corner, preserves the site of the 1858–1861 Pinery stage station on the Butterfield Overland Mail route and the reef-fossil formations of Guadalupe Peak.
Getting There
Interstate 10 and U.S. Highway 90 both run through Van Horn; U.S. 62/180 and State Highway 54 lead north to Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Carlsbad, New Mexico.
- El Paso, Texas — 120 miles west
- Pecos, Texas — 75 miles northeast
- Marfa, Texas — 75 miles south
- Carlsbad, New Mexico — 65 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is El Paso International Airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Culberson County?
It is in far West Texas, in the Trans-Pecos region, bordering New Mexico to the north.
What is the population of Culberson County?
2,188 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Culberson County?
3,813 square miles (9,880 km2), nearly all land.
What is the county seat of Culberson County?
Van Horn is the county seat.
How many towns and communities are in Culberson County?
One incorporated town, Van Horn, and about fourteen unincorporated communities and former railroad stops.
What ZIP codes are in Culberson County?
79855, covering Van Horn and the rest of the county.
Why does Culberson County have two time zones?
Most of the county uses Central time, but the northwestern section inside Guadalupe Mountains National Park uses Mountain time, making it one of the few U.S. counties split between two zones.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.