Monahans, Texas | |
|---|---|
 Air photo of part of Monahans facing northeast. February 2012 | |
 Location of Monahans, Texas | |
| Coordinates:31°35′16″N102°53′26″W / 31.58778°N 102.89056°W /31.58778; -102.89056 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Counties | Ward,Winkler |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Adam Steen |
| Area | |
• Total | 28.93 sq mi (74.93 km2) |
| • Land | 28.92 sq mi (74.90 km2) |
| • Water | 0.012 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,621 ft (799 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 7,836 |
| • Density | 271.0/sq mi (104.6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 79756 |
| Area code | 432 |
| FIPS code | 48-48936[2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1363045[3] |
| Website | www.cityofmonahans.org |
Monahans is a city inWard andWinkler counties inTexas, United States, that is thecounty seat of Ward County.[4] A very small portion of the city extends intoWinkler County. The population was 6,953 at the2010 census. In2020, the population was estimated at 7,836.[5]
ThePermian Basin, home to Monahans andMidland-Odessa combined statistical area, is 250 miles (400 km) wide and 300 miles (480 km) long; Monahans is "The Center of the Permian Basin". The basin was formed during the Permian period, the final portion of the Paleozoic era. At the time, it was an ocean filled with abundant aquatic life.
In 1583, Spanish explorerAntonio de Espejo crossed this area on his way through present-day New Mexico. The Indians in the Monahans region were calledvaqueros by these Spanish explorers because they hunted the "hump-backed cattle" orbison. Records of Spanish exploring theLos Medanos (the sand dunes) outside Monahans can be traced to the early 1770s.
Located in a region where nativeComanches,Mescalero, andLipan Apache Indians once roamed, Monahans' history as a community extends back to the late 1880s with the expansion of the Texas and Pacific Railway across the South Plains. For the few people living in West Texas, the building of a transcontinental railroad through the area meant the arrival of civilization. In the summer of 1881, Texas and Pacific Railroad contracted with surveyor John Thomas Monahan, who discovered that the lack of water for the laying crew and their animals would slow down construction of the rail. Monahan's digging of a water well produced an abundance of good water (250,000 US gal (950,000 L) a day) and was instrumental in the success of the city. Prior to this solution, water had to be hauled to the area from Big Spring, Texas.
The availability of cheap land encouraged settlers to form a small community on the track known as Monahans Well. When oil was discovered in the area in 1926, though, the community changed directions. Oil discovery brought people of many occupations and of varied interests to Monahans. The local economy began to change from an agricultural to an industrial economy.
In June 1994, a temperature of 120 °F was recorded in Monahans, a still-standing record-holder for highest-ever Texan temperature.[6]
Thousands oftourists each year visitMonahans Sandhills State Park near Monahans. Sand surfing and sand football games can be seen year round, but particularly between March and November. Monahans Sandhills State Park is host to many family picnics and youth activities.
| Climate data for Monahans, Texas (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 87 (31) | 91 (33) | 100 (38) | 106 (41) | 114 (46) | 120 (49) | 115 (46) | 110 (43) | 108 (42) | 104 (40) | 92 (33) | 86 (30) | 120 (49) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 61.8 (16.6) | 66.5 (19.2) | 74.4 (23.6) | 83.4 (28.6) | 91.5 (33.1) | 97.5 (36.4) | 98.6 (37.0) | 97.0 (36.1) | 91.1 (32.8) | 82.5 (28.1) | 70.7 (21.5) | 61.8 (16.6) | 81.4 (27.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 28.6 (−1.9) | 33.0 (0.6) | 39.5 (4.2) | 48.2 (9.0) | 58.0 (14.4) | 67.0 (19.4) | 69.2 (20.7) | 68.5 (20.3) | 61.7 (16.5) | 50.5 (10.3) | 37.7 (3.2) | 29.1 (−1.6) | 49.3 (9.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −9 (−23) | −8 (−22) | 12 (−11) | 25 (−4) | 35 (2) | 45 (7) | 50 (10) | 50 (10) | 33 (1) | 22 (−6) | 10 (−12) | 5 (−15) | −9 (−23) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 0.54 (14) | 0.71 (18) | 0.53 (13) | 0.57 (14) | 1.60 (41) | 1.35 (34) | 1.61 (41) | 1.73 (44) | 2.03 (52) | 1.63 (41) | 0.58 (15) | 0.67 (17) | 13.54 (344) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.2 (0.51) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.3 (0.76) | 0.8 (2.0) |
| Source: NOAA[7] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 816 | — | |
| 1940 | 3,944 | 383.3% | |
| 1950 | 6,311 | 60.0% | |
| 1960 | 8,567 | 35.7% | |
| 1970 | 8,333 | −2.7% | |
| 1980 | 8,397 | 0.8% | |
| 1990 | 8,101 | −3.5% | |
| 2000 | 6,821 | −15.8% | |
| 2010 | 6,953 | 1.9% | |
| 2020 | 7,836 | 12.7% | |
| 1930-2000,[8] 2010[9] | |||
As of the2020 census, Monahans had a population of 7,836, 2,810 households, and 1,799 families residing in the city. The median age was 35.0 years; 27.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 13.4% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 101.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.6 males age 18 and over.[10]
97.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 3.0% lived in rural areas.[11]
There were 2,810 households in Monahans, of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.2% were married-couple households, 19.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[10]
There were 3,470 housing units, of which 19.0% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 25.1%.[10]
| Race | Number | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| White | 4,170 | 53.2% |
| Black or African American | 422 | 5.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 92 | 1.2% |
| Asian | 54 | 0.7% |
| Native Hawaiian andOther Pacific Islander | 2 | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 1,435 | 18.3% |
| Two or more races | 1,661 | 21.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 4,412 | 56.3% |
As of thecensus[2] of 2000, 6,821 people, 2,496 households, and 1,837 families were residing in the city. The population density was 274.9 inhabitants per square mile (106.1/km2). The 3,015 housing units averaged 121.5 units per square mile (46.9 units/km2). Theracial makeup of the city was 79.30% White, 5.16% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 12.55% from other races, and 2.29% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 43.66% of the population.
Of the 2,496 households, 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were not families. About 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68, and the average family size was 3.19.
In the city, the age distribution was 30.3% under 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,349, and for a family was $36,726. Males had a median income of $31,307 versus $18,086 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $14,100. About 14.7% of families and 16.5% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 17.1% of those under age 18 and 18.1% of those age 65 or over.
In December 2015, theSeattle Post-Intelligencer voted Monahans fifth among the 10 "mostconservative" cities in the United States in regard to campaign contributions. Other West Texas communities in the most conservative lineup areHereford (first),Dalhart (fifth, tie), andChildress (9th).Princeton inCollin County north ofDallas ranked second.[13]
TheTexas Department of Criminal Justice operates the Monahans District Parole Office in Monahans.[14]
TheUnited States Postal Service operates the Monahans Post Office.[15]
Public education in the city of Monahans is provided by theMonahans-Wickett-Pyote Independent School District.
All of Ward County and all of Winkler County are zoned toOdessa College.[16]
TheTexas-New Mexico Railroad operates a 111-mile (179 km) branch line from a connection with the Union Pacific at Monahans. The branch line was constructed between 1928 and 1930 and terminates atLovington, New Mexico.
Municipalities and communities ofWard County, Texas,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDP | ||
| Other community | ||
| Footnotes | ‡ This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
Municipalities and communities ofWinkler County, Texas,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Ghost town | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
