Ector County is a county in Texas, United States, on the Permian Basin oil field in the west-central part of the state. It had a population of 165,171 at the 2020 census and covers 902 square miles (2,340 km2) centred near 31°52′N 102°32′W.
Odessa is the county seat, and its postal code is 79761. The county has two incorporated cities, two census-designated places, and several unincorporated communities, all in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Ector County
Ector County holds roughly a dozen named places, from the twin cities of Odessa and Goldsmith down to small oilfield settlements that never incorporated. CDP = census-designated place, an unincorporated community the Census Bureau tracks separately; Unincorp. = an unincorporated community with no census boundary of its own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odessa | City · seat | 114,428 | 79761–79766 |
| West Odessa | CDP | 33,340 | 79763–79765 |
| Goldsmith | City | — | 79741 |
| Gardendale | CDP | — | 79758 |
| Notrees | Unincorp. | — | 79759 |
| Penwell | Unincorp. | — | 79776 |
| Arcade | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Badger | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Douro | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Judkins | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Metz | Unincorp. | — | — |
| North Cowden | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pleasant Farms | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Scharbauer City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Turnbaugh Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
Most of Ector County’s small unincorporated places — Arcade, Badger, Douro, Judkins, Metz, North Cowden, Pleasant Farms, Scharbauer City and Turnbaugh Corner — are former oilfield camps or rail sidings scattered across the county’s oil patch; several share mail service with Odessa or Goldsmith rather than carrying a ZIP code of their own.
ZIP Codes
- 79761 — Odessa (downtown/seat)
- 79762 — Odessa
- 79763 — Odessa (also serves West Odessa)
- 79764 — Odessa
- 79765 — Odessa (also serves West Odessa)
- 79766 — Odessa
- 79758 — Gardendale
- 79741 — Goldsmith
- 79759 — Notrees (P.O. box service)
- 79776 — Penwell (P.O. box service)
The smallest oilfield settlements — Arcade, Badger, Douro, Judkins, Metz, North Cowden, Pleasant Farms, Scharbauer City and Turnbaugh Corner — have no ZIP code of their own and rely on the nearest Odessa or Goldsmith code.
Geography
Ector County sits on the flat, semi-arid Permian Basin plain of West Texas, with no major river or lake and a terrain shaped mostly by caliche flats and mesquite rangeland turned over to oil and gas production. The county has almost no surface water — about 4.1 square miles (11 km2) — and its highest ground is a gentle rise near the Andrews County line.
Ector County borders Andrews County to the north, Midland County to the east, Upton County to the southeast, Crane County to the south, Ward County to the southwest, and Winkler County to the west.
Demographics
Ector County had a population of 165,171 at the 2020 census, concentrated almost entirely in Odessa (114,428) and the surrounding West Odessa CDP (33,340), which together account for nine in ten residents. The county’s median household income runs below the Texas median of $75,780, reflecting the boom-bust swings of an economy tied to oil prices. Overall density works out to roughly 184 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Oil and gas extraction and oilfield services dominate the county’s economy, anchored by Halliburton’s Odessa operations alongside independent Permian Basin operators. Ector County Independent School District is the county’s largest employer, followed by Medical Center Hospital. The University of Texas of the Permian Basin and Odessa College both sit in Odessa, and the Globe of the Great Southwest on the Odessa College campus hosts an annual Shakespeare festival.
History
Ector County was created from Tom Green County in 1887 and organized in 1891, named for Matthew Ector, a Confederate general in the American Civil War. The county remained sparsely populated ranchland until the 1920s Permian Basin oil boom, which built Odessa into one of West Texas’s major cities and repeatedly reshaped the county’s fortunes through successive oil price cycles.
Getting There
Interstate 20 runs east–west across the county through Odessa, with U.S. Highway 385 and State Highway 191 providing north–south and secondary routes.
- Midland — 20 miles east
- Big Spring — 65 miles east
- Monahans — 30 miles west
- Andrews — 35 miles north
Midland International Air & Space Port, shared by Odessa and Midland, is the nearest commercial airport, about 15 miles from downtown Odessa.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Ector County, Texas?
It sits in the Permian Basin of West Texas, bordered by Andrews, Midland, Upton, Crane, Ward, and Winkler counties.
What is the population of Ector County?
165,171 at the 2020 census, with most residents in Odessa and the adjacent West Odessa CDP.
How big is Ector County?
902 square miles (2,340 km2), of which about 4.1 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Ector County?
Odessa is the county seat.
How many towns and communities are in Ector County?
Two incorporated cities (Odessa and Goldsmith), two census-designated places (West Odessa and Gardendale), and several unincorporated oilfield settlements.
What ZIP codes are in Ector County?
Odessa uses 79760–79766 and 79769; Goldsmith is 79741, Gardendale is 79758, Notrees is 79759, and Penwell is 79776.
What is Ector County’s economy built on?
Oil and gas extraction and oilfield services, part of the wider Midland–Odessa Permian Basin economy.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.