Deaf Smith County is a county in Texas, United States, on the High Plains of the Texas Panhandle near the New Mexico line. It had a population of 18,583 at the 2020 census and covers 1,498 square miles (3,880 km2) centred near 34°58′N 102°36′W.
Hereford is the county seat, and its postal code is 79045. The county has one incorporated city and several unincorporated communities; Texas has no civil townships. The Central time zone applies throughout the county.
Towns & Villages in Deaf Smith County
Deaf Smith County has one incorporated city, five unincorporated communities, and a handful of historic ghost-town sites recorded on old maps. Type key: City · seat = the county’s only incorporated place; Unincorp. = an unincorporated community with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hereford | City · seat | 15,097 | 79045 |
| Dawn | Unincorp. | — | 79025 |
| Ford | Unincorp. | — | 79045 |
| Milo Center | Unincorp. | — | 79045 |
| Simms | Unincorp. | — | 79045 |
| Westway | Unincorp. | — | 79045 |
Bootleg, once a farm-service stop northwest of Hereford, is now a ghost town with no resident population; it is listed here for historical reference but no longer functions as a settlement. Joel and Walcott, named in older county listings, do not appear in current Texas gazetteer records for Deaf Smith County and are omitted pending verification. Glenrio, an old Route 66 community, straddles the Texas–New Mexico line in the far southwest corner of the county and is more commonly associated with neighboring Quay County, New Mexico.
ZIP Codes
- 79045 — Hereford (also serves Ford, Milo Center, Simms and Westway)
- 79025 — Dawn (post-office-box delivery only)
Every community in the county is served by one of these two ZIP codes; there is no separate ZIP for the smaller unincorporated places.
Geography
Deaf Smith County sits on the flat, semi-arid Llano Estacado (Staked Plains) of the Texas Panhandle, with the Tierra Blanca Creek draining the northern part of the county toward the Canadian River system. The terrain is nearly level tableland used mostly for irrigated cropland and cattle feeding. The county borders Oldham County to the north, Potter County to the northeast, Randall County to the east, Castro County to the southeast, Parmer County to the south, and Curry County and Quay County, New Mexico, to the southwest and west.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 18,583 residents, with Hereford as by far the largest community and Dawn as its next-largest (unincorporated). The population is 74.9% Hispanic or Latino, and the median age is 33.0 years. Median household income in the county trails the Texas median of $75,780. Population density is roughly 12 people per square mile, reflecting the county’s large ranching and farmland acreage.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture drives the county’s economy: irrigated corn, wheat and sorghum farming feed one of the largest concentrations of cattle-feeding operations in the country, earning Hereford its nickname the “Beef Capital of the World.” Meatpacking and feedlot employment anchor the local job base alongside grain elevators and farm-supply businesses. Hereford ISD and the Deer Park Trail Museum are local community anchors.
History
Deaf Smith County was created in 1876 and organized in 1890, named for Erastus “Deaf” Smith, a partially deaf Texas Revolution scout who was reportedly the first man to reach the Alamo after its fall in 1836. Hereford was platted as the county seat and grew around the railroad and irrigated farming that followed the discovery of the Ogallala Aquifer beneath the county in the early 20th century, which turned dryland ranching into one of the state’s most productive irrigated-farming regions.
Getting There
- Amarillo — 45 miles northeast
- Canyon — 35 miles east
- Clovis, New Mexico — 60 miles southwest
- Dimmitt — 30 miles southeast
US Highway 60 and US Highway 385 cross at Hereford. The nearest commercial airport is Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, about 50 miles northeast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Deaf Smith County, Texas?
It is in the Texas Panhandle, on the New Mexico border, about 45 miles southwest of Amarillo.
What is the population of Deaf Smith County?
18,583 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Deaf Smith County?
1,498 square miles (3,880 km2), of which 1.5 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Deaf Smith County?
Hereford is the county seat.
How many towns are in Deaf Smith County?
One incorporated city, Hereford, plus several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Deaf Smith County?
79045 (Hereford) and 79025 (Dawn).
Why is Hereford called the “Beef Capital of the World”?
Its irrigated farmland supports one of the country’s largest concentrations of cattle-feeding operations.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.