Wheeler County is a county in Texas, United States, on the Oklahoma line in the eastern Texas Panhandle. It had a population of 4,990 at the 2020 census and covers 915 square miles (2,370 km2) centred near 35°24′N 100°16′W.
Wheeler is the county seat, and its postal code is 79096. The county has three incorporated cities, one census-designated place, and a handful of unincorporated and historic communities. It sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Wheeler County
Wheeler County’s populated places split between three incorporated cities, one census-designated place, and a long list of unincorporated and mostly historic rural communities — several of them former post-office or rail-siding settlements now reduced to a church, a cemetery, or scattered farms. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community, current or historic.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeler | City · seat | — | 79096 |
| Shamrock | City | — | 79079 |
| Mobeetie | City | — | 79061 |
| Allison | CDP | — | 79079 |
| Briscoe | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kelton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Twitty | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Benonine | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gageby | Unincorp. (historic) | — | — |
| Kellerville | Unincorp. (historic) | — | — |
| Lela | Unincorp. (historic) | — | — |
| Magic City | Unincorp. (historic) | — | — |
| New Mobeetie | Unincorp. (historic) | — | — |
| Pakan | Unincorp. (historic) | — | — |
| Bellco | Unincorp. (historic) | — | — |
| Fuller | Unincorp. (historic) | — | — |
| Norrick | Unincorp. (historic) | — | — |
| Ramsdell | Unincorp. (historic) | — | — |
New Mobeetie is a distinct site from Mobeetie itself — the original townsite (Old Mobeetie, once known as Hidetown) sat about a mile away before the county’s early settlers rebuilt closer to the rail line; both names still turn up on maps of the area.
ZIP Codes
- 79096 — Wheeler (also serves the surrounding rural county seat area)
- 79079 — Shamrock (also serves Allison)
- 79061 — Mobeetie
Briscoe, Kelton, Twitty, Benonine, and the historic rural communities have no standalone ZIP code today; mail there is typically routed through Wheeler, Shamrock, or Mobeetie depending on location.
Geography
Wheeler County sits on the rolling High Plains of the eastern Texas Panhandle, cut by the Salt Fork of the Red River and its tributary creeks running toward Oklahoma. Land use is a mix of cattle ranching and dryland and irrigated farming, with oil and natural gas production across much of the county. The county is bordered by Hemphill County to the north, Gray County to the west, Collingsworth County to the south, and Roger Mills County, Oklahoma, across the state line to the east.
Demographics
Wheeler County had 4,990 residents at the 2020 census. Shamrock and Wheeler are the county’s two largest communities. The county’s median household income runs below the Texas median of $75,780, typical of a rural Panhandle county whose economy leans on agriculture and energy. Population density works out to roughly 5.5 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture (wheat, sorghum, cotton, and cattle) and oil and gas production anchor the county’s economy, with Shamrock’s location at the junction of Interstate 40 and U.S. Highway 83 also drawing traveler-services and trucking business. Shamrock is known for its restored 1936 Art Deco U-Drop Inn/Tower Conoco station, a Route 66 landmark, and hosts the annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, one of the longest-running Route 66 festivals in Texas.
History
Wheeler County was created from the Bexar Land District in 1876 and organized in 1879, making it one of the first counties formally organized in the Texas Panhandle. It is named for Royall Tyler Wheeler, a former chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court. Old Mobeetie (originally called Hidetown) grew up as a buffalo-hunters’ camp and later hosted Fort Elliott, giving it a claim to being the Panhandle’s first true town, before the community relocated to the present Mobeetie townsite after the railroad bypassed it. Wheeler County was for decades one of roughly 30 entirely dry counties in Texas; Shamrock voters approved liquor sales around 2010, and the city remains the county’s only place to legally buy alcohol.
Getting There
Interstate 40 crosses the county east–west through Shamrock, and U.S. Highway 83 and State Highway 152 provide the main north–south and secondary routes.
- Amarillo — about 90 miles west
- Pampa — about 30 miles west
- Elk City, Oklahoma — about 30 miles east
- Clarendon — about 45 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Wheeler County, Texas?
It is in the eastern Texas Panhandle, on the Oklahoma state line, along Interstate 40.
What is the population of Wheeler County?
4,990 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Wheeler County?
915 square miles (2,370 km2), almost entirely land.
What is the county seat of Wheeler County?
Wheeler is the county seat.
How many towns are in Wheeler County?
Three incorporated cities (Wheeler, Shamrock, Mobeetie), the Allison CDP, and several smaller unincorporated and historic rural communities.
What ZIP codes are in Wheeler County?
79096 (Wheeler), 79079 (Shamrock), and 79061 (Mobeetie) are the main ones.
Where can you buy alcohol in Wheeler County?
Shamrock, after voters approved liquor sales around 2010; the rest of the county remains dry.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.