Roberts County is a county in Texas, United States, on the southern edge of the Texas Panhandle. It had a population of 827 at the 2020 census and covers 924 square miles (2,390 km2) centred near 35°50′N 100°49′W.
Miami is the county seat and its postal code is 79059. The county has one incorporated city and a handful of small unincorporated communities, no civil townships, sits in the Central time zone, and carries FIPS code 48-393.
Towns & Villages in Roberts County
Roberts County has one incorporated town, Miami, and a small number of unincorporated places scattered across its ranching country. The table below marks Miami as the county’s only incorporated seat and lists the others as unincorporated (Unincorp.).
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | City · seat | — | 79059 |
| Wayside | Unincorp. | — | 79059 |
| Codman | Unincorp. | — | 79059 |
| Lora | Unincorp. | — | 79059 |
Codman, Lora and Wayside are historic rural communities rather than towns with formal boundaries; none has ever incorporated, and none has a separately reported 2020 census population. All four places share Miami’s 79059 ZIP code, since Roberts County has only one post office.
ZIP Codes
- 79059 — Miami (also serves Wayside, Codman and Lora)
Roberts County is served by a single ZIP code because it has only one post office, in Miami; every other place in the county receives mail through that same office.
Geography
Roberts County sits on the High Plains of the Texas Panhandle, a mostly flat tableland broken by the canyons of the Canadian River, which crosses the northern part of the county. Ranch land dominates the landscape, and the county contains almost no surface water beyond the river and its tributary creeks. It borders Ochiltree County to the north, Lipscomb County to the northeast, Hemphill County to the east, Wheeler County to the southeast, Gray County to the south, Carson County to the southwest, Hutchinson County to the west, and Hansford County to the northwest.
Demographics
Roberts County recorded a population of 827 at the 2020 census, making it one of the least populous counties in Texas. Miami is by far the largest community; Wayside is the only other named place with any lasting population. Median household income data specific to the county is not verified here, but Texas as a whole reports a median of $75,780; a county this rural and ranching-dependent typically runs below the state figure. Density works out to under one person per square mile, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Cattle ranching is the backbone of the local economy, on land that has changed little in use since the 1870s. The county contains Mesa Vista Ranch, a large private ranching and wildlife-habitat property associated with the late oilman T. Boone Pickens. Roberts County is also one of only a few remaining prohibition (completely dry) counties in Texas, meaning alcohol sales are banned countywide. Local life centers on Miami’s schools, churches and the annual county fair calendar typical of Panhandle ranching communities.
History
Roberts County was created by the Texas Legislature in 1876 and formally organized in 1889. Before Anglo-American settlement it was Plains Apache and later Comanche territory; organized settlement followed the Red River War of 1874–75, which ended large-scale Comanche and Kiowa resistance on the southern plains. The county is named for Oran Milo Roberts, a former governor of Texas, and for John S. Roberts, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Its population has stayed small and largely ranching-based through most of its history, never approaching the growth seen in nearby oil-boom counties.
Getting There
U.S. Route 60 crosses the county through Miami, connecting it east to Pampa and west toward the Oklahoma Panhandle.
- Pampa, Texas — 20 miles southwest
- Perryton, Texas — 35 miles north
- Amarillo, Texas — 75 miles west
The nearest commercial airport is Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, about 75 miles west of Miami.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Roberts County, Texas?
It is in the southeastern Texas Panhandle, centred near 35°50′N 100°49′W, along U.S. Route 60.
What is the population of Roberts County?
827 people at the 2020 census, one of the least populous counties in Texas.
How big is Roberts County?
924 square miles (2,390 km2), almost entirely land.
What is the county seat of Roberts County?
Miami is the county seat and the county’s only incorporated city.
How many towns are in Roberts County?
One incorporated city, Miami, plus a few small unincorporated places including Wayside, Codman and Lora.
What ZIP codes are in Roberts County?
Just one, 79059, assigned to Miami and covering the whole county.
Why is Roberts County a “dry” county?
It is one of the few remaining prohibition counties in Texas, where alcohol sales have long been banned countywide by local option.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.