Texas Panhandle

The Texas Panhandle is a region of the U.S. state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state. The panhandle is a rectangular area bordered by New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the north and east. The southern border of Swisher County is considered to be the southern boundary of the region, though some consider the region to extend as far south as Lubbock County. Its land area is 66,883.58 km² (25,823.9 sq mi), or nearly 10 percent of the state's total. There is an additional 162.53 km² (62.75 sq mi) of water area. Its population as of the 2000 census was 402,862 residents, or 1.932 percent of the state's population. As of the 2000 census, this would put the average population density for the region at 16 persons/sq mi. The Panhandle is distinct from North Texas, which is more to the southeast.

Most of the western half, west of the Caprock Escarpment and north and south of the Canadian River breaks, is rather flat terrain. The largest city in the Panhandle is Amarillo. The relatively flat land gives way to Palo Duro Canyon southeast of the city, the second largest canyon in the United States. North of Amarillo lies Lake Meredith, a reservoir created by Sanford Dam on the Canadian River. The lake, along with the Ogallala Aquifer, provide drinking water and irrigation for this moderately dry area of the high plains.

Interstate Highway 40 passes through the panhandle, and also passes through Amarillo. The highway passes through Deaf Smith, Oldham, Potter, Carson, Gray, Donley, and Wheeler Counties.

Because the Act of Admission of Texas into the Union allows the state to divide itself, a bill was introduced to the Texas legislature in 1915 in order to create a State of Jefferson, made up of the Texas Panhandle.^[1]

The Texas Panhandle has been identified as one of the fastest-growing wind-power-producing regions in the nation over the past decade because of its strong, steady winds. ^[2]

Demographics of the Panhandle

As of the census of 2000, approximately 402,862 people lived in the panhandle. Of these, 68.9% were non-Hispanic White, 23.8% were Hispanic, and 4.6% were African American. Only 2.7% were of some other ethnicity. 92.3% of inhabitants claimed native birth, and 8.9% were veterans of the United States armed forces. 49.9% of the population was male, and 50.1% was female. 13.2% of the population were 65 years of age or older, whereas 27.8% of the population was under 18 years of age.

Counties

The 26 northernmost counties that make up the Texas Panhandle include:

^[3]

Cities and Towns

Major cities of the Texas Panhandle with populations greater than 10,000 include:

Some of the smaller towns with populations less than 10,000 include:

Politics

Much like the Oklahoma Panhandle, the region is very politically and socially conservative. In the 2008 Presidential Election, John McCain received 78.82% of the vote, as compared with Barack Obama's 20.48% share of the vote. Other candidates received 0.70% of the total vote. However, most (62.2%) of Barack Obama's votes came from Potter and Randall Counties, near Amarillo, the only large city in the region, with the rest of the panhandle being even more strongly conservative. In Ochiltree County, John McCain received 91.97% of the vote.

Footnotes

1. ^ Division of Texas from the Handbook of Texas Online
2. ^ UPDATE 2-Pickens' Mesa Power orders GE wind turbines | Reuters
3. ^ Counties of the Texas Panhandle United States Census Bureau

See also

External links

• Panhandle from the Handbook of Texas Online

Coordinates: 35°29′N 101°24′W / 35.483°N 101.4°W

Categories: Regions of Texas