Comanche County

Comanche County, Texas

Comanche County, Texas

City Hall in Comanche County, Texas. Photograph by Larry D. Moore.
Comanche County, Texas

Comanche County, Texas

Map of Comanche County, Texas. Map Credit: Robert Plocheck.

Comanche County, in central Texas, is bounded on the south by Mills County, on the west by Brown County, on the north by Eastland County and on the east by Hamilton and Erath counties. The county is named for the Comanche Indians, whose territory once included the area. Comanche County covers 944 square miles of rolling land with elevations from 650 to 1,700 feet. The center of the county lies at 31°55' north latitude and 98°40' west longitude; the county seat, Comanche, is located about seventy miles southeast of Abilene. The area is drained by the North and South Leon rivers and their tributaries, which in turn flow into the Brazos River system. The northern part of the county is in the Western Cross Timbers region, which is characterized by light sand and loamy soils that support mixed timber of cedars, oaks, mesquites, and pecans. Southern Comanche County forms part of the southern edge of the Grand Prairie region and has dark waxy and dark loam soils. The county has a 238-day growing season and an average annual rainfall of 18.45 inches. In 1982 there were 1,350 farms in Comanche that produced a variety of agricultural products. Peanuts, pecans, grains, and hay account for about 40 percent of the county's $69 million annual agricultural income, while beef, dairy cattle, swine, sheep, and goats account for the remainder. The average minimum temperature in January is 32° F; the average maximum in July is 95°.

The area that is now Comanche County was dominated from the eighteenth to the mid-nineteenth centuries by the Comanche Indians. The Comanches' culture was well adapted to their life on the plains. Unlike some Indian tribes they organized raids and buffalo hunts without a tribal military society, but with a responsible hunt leader chosen as coordinator. Their prey included buffalo, elk, mustangs, longhorn cattle, and black bears of the Cross Timbers region; the last they used for their oil. They did not eat fish, wildfowl, dogs, or coyotes unless they were severely pressed for food. Comanches sheltered in the common plains type of tepee, made of tanned buffalo hides, standing twelve to fourteen feet high and resting on a framework of sixteen to eighteen poles. The entry was usually covered with a bearskin, and a flap at the peak vented smoke from winter fires.

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John Leffler | © TSHA

Handbook of Texas Logo

Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.

Great Texas Land Rush logo
Adoption Status:
This place has been adopted and will not be available until January 4, 2025
Adopted by:
The Comanche Chief, Inc.
Dedication Message:
In honor of J.C. Wilkerson

Currently Exists

Yes

Place type

Comanche County is classified as a County

Altitude Range

1020 ft – 1847 ft

Size

Land area does not include water surface area, whereas total area does

  • Land Area: 937.8 mi²
  • Total Area: 947.7 mi²

Temperature

January mean minimum: 31.4°F
July mean maximum: 95.7°F

Rainfall, 2019

32.4 inches

Population Count, 2019

13,635

Civilian Labor Count, 2019

5,362

Unemployment, 2019

6.4%

Property Values, 2019

$2,688,258,229 USD

Per-Capita Income, 2019

$42,465 USD

Retail Sales, 2019

$168,364,243 USD

Wages, 2019

$36,932,671 USD

Comanche County

Highlighted:
  • Comanche County
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Place Type Population (Year/Source) Currently Exists
Town
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Town 48 (2009) Yes
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Town 4,235 (2021) Yes
Town 30 (2009) Yes
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Town 2,282 (2021) Yes
Town
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Town 30 (2009) Yes
Town 25 (2009) Yes
Town
Town 70 (2009) Yes
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Town 402 (2021) Yes
Town 50 (2009) Yes
Town 12 (2009) Yes
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Town 17 (2021) Yes
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Town 32 (2009) Yes
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Town 57 (2021) Yes
Lake Yes
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Town 28 (2009) Yes
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Town 148 (2009) Yes
Town
Town 70 (2009) Yes
Town
Town
Town 45 (2009) Yes
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Town 20 (2009) Yes
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