Slaton, Texas
Slaton, Texas | |
|---|---|
New Slaton municipal building Harvey House near the tracks in Slaton Slaton Museum The Slaton Bakery is one of the better-known businesses in the community. Downtown Slaton | |
| Motto: "Your Kind of Town" | |
Interactive location map of Slaton | |
| Coordinates: 33°26′44″N 101°39′03″W / 33.445472°N 101.650919°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Lubbock |
| Region | Llano Estacado |
| Established | 1911 |
| Incorporated | June 15, 1911 |
| Named after | O. L. Slaton |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–Manager |
| • Mayor | Clifton Shaw |
| • Commission members | Carla Rodriguez Jim Taliaferro Benny Lopez Valarie Johnson |
| • City manager | Wade Willson |
| • City secretary | Pamela King |
| • City attorney | Bryan J. Guymon |
| Area | |
• Total | 5.458 sq mi (14.136 km2) |
| • Land | 5.427 sq mi (14.055 km2) |
| • Water | 0.031 sq mi (0.080 km2) 0.57% |
| Elevation | 3,081 ft (939 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 5,858 |
• Estimate (2024)[5] | 5,698 |
| • Density | 1,079/sq mi (416.8/km2) |
| Demonym | Slatonites |
| Time zone | UTC–6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC–5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code | 79364 |
| Area codes | 806 |
| FIPS code | 48-68180 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2411908[3] |
| Website | cityofslaton.com |
Slaton is a city in Lubbock County, Texas, United States. Founded by German immigrants, Slaton was the westernmost German settlement in Texas.[6] The population was 5,858 at the 2020 census,[4] and was estimated at 5,698 in 2024.[5] Slaton is part of the Lubbock Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Slaton was established on June 15, 1911. Slaton was named for Lubbock rancher and banker O.L. Slaton, Sr. (1867–1946), who promoted railroad construction in Slaton.
Geography
Slaton is on the level plains of the Llano Estacado. The nearest significant geographical feature is Yellow House Canyon, which is 3 miles (5 km) to the northeast. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.458 square miles (14.14 km2), of which 5.427 square miles (14.06 km2) is land and 0.031 square miles (0.080 km2) (0.57%) is water.[2]
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Slaton has a semiarid climate, BSk on climate maps.[7]
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 1,525 | — | |
| 1930 | 3,876 | 154.2% | |
| 1940 | 3,587 | −7.5% | |
| 1950 | 5,036 | 40.4% | |
| 1960 | 6,568 | 30.4% | |
| 1970 | 6,583 | 0.2% | |
| 1980 | 6,804 | 3.4% | |
| 1990 | 6,078 | −10.7% | |
| 2000 | 6,109 | 0.5% | |
| 2010 | 6,121 | 0.2% | |
| 2020 | 5,858 | −4.3% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 5,698 | [5] | −2.7% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 2020 Census[4] | |||
According to realtor website Zillow, the average price of a home as of December 31, 2025, in Slaton is $133,798.[9]
As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 2,038 estimated households in Slaton with an average of 2.81 persons per household. The city has a median household income of $54,380. Approximately 16.1% of the city's population lives at or below the poverty line. Slaton has an estimated 54.7% employment rate, with 11.5% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 82.6% holding a high school diploma.[10] There were 2,271 housing units at an average density of 418.46 per square mile (161.6/km2).
The top five reported languages (people were allowed to report up to two languages, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (73.7%), Spanish (25.2%), Indo-European (0.0%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.0%), and Other (1.1%).
The median age in the city was 33.0 years.
Racial and ethnic composition
| Race / ethnicity (NH = non-Hispanic) | Pop. 1980[11] | Pop. 1990[12] | Pop. 2000[13] | Pop. 2010[14] | Pop. 2020[15] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 3,850 (56.58%) |
3,267 (53.75%) |
2,994 (49.01%) |
2,570 (41.99%) |
2,196 (37.49%) |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 602 (8.85%) |
566 (9.31%) |
467 (7.64%) |
351 (5.73%) |
301 (5.14%) |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 0 (0.00%) |
7 (0.12%) |
18 (0.29%) |
14 (0.23%) |
4 (0.07%) |
| Asian alone (NH) | 52 (0.76%) |
4 (0.07%) |
8 (0.13%) |
11 (0.18%) |
10 (0.17%) |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | — | — | 0 (0.00%) |
1 (0.02%) |
4 (0.07%) |
| Other race alone (NH) | 0 (0.00%) |
6 (0.10%) |
0 (0.00%) |
7 (0.11%) |
21 (0.36%) |
| Mixed race or multiracial (NH) | — | — | 40 (0.65%) |
65 (1.06%) |
148 (2.53%) |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2,300 (33.80%) |
2,228 (36.66%) |
2,582 (42.27%) |
3,102 (50.68%) |
3,174 (54.18%) |
| Total | 6,804 (100.00%) |
6,078 (100.00%) |
6,109 (100.00%) |
6,121 (100.00%) |
5,858 (100.00%) |
2024 estimate
As of the 2024 estimate, there were 5,698 people, 2,038 households, and _ families residing in the city. The population density was 1,049.94 inhabitants per square mile (405.4/km2). There were 2,271 housing units at an average density of 418.46 per square mile (161.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 66.5% White (45.6% NH White), 8.7% African American, 0.0% Native American, 0.0% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, _% from some other races and 4.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 46.8% of the population.
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Slaton had a population of 5,858 and a median age of 38.1 years. 26.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.0 males age 18 and over. The population density was 1,084.81 inhabitants per square mile (418.8/km2) with 2,556 housing units at an average density of 473.33 per square mile (182.8/km2).[16]
96.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 3.1% lived in rural areas.[17]
There were 2,208 households in Slaton, of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 42.8% were married-couple households, 19.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[16]
There were 2,556 housing units, of which 13.6% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 14.4%.[16]
| Race | Number | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| White | 3,330 | 56.8% |
| Black or African American | 339 | 5.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 36 | 0.6% |
| Asian | 10 | 0.2% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 4 | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 882 | 15.1% |
| Two or more races | 1,257 | 21.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 3,174 | 54.2% |
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 6,121 people, 2,216 households, and _ families residing in the city. The population density was 1,114.73 inhabitants per square mile (430.4/km2). There were 2,545 housing units at an average density of 463.49 per square mile (179.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 74.42% White, 6.36% African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 16.16% from some other races and 2.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 50.68% of the population.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 6,109 people, 2,253 households, and 1,610 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,127.0 inhabitants per square mile (435.1/km2). There were 2,565 housing units at an average density of 473.1 per square mile (182.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 72.35% White, 7.76% African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 17.07% from some other races and 1.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 42.27% of the population.
There were 2,253 households, 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were not families. About 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the city, the population was distributed as 29.0% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.7 males. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there were 83.7 men.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,915, and for a family was $31,224. Males had a median income of $26,696 versus $20,601 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,087. About 21.6% of families and 23.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.7% of those under age 18 and 16.4% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The City of Slaton is served by the Slaton Independent School District.
Infrastructure
Major roads and highways
- U.S. Highway 84
- Farm to Market Road 400
- Farm to Market Road 41
Railroads
A major yard of the BNSF Railway is located in Slaton. The South Plains Lamesa Railroad's railpark offers car storage and transloading for, among other commodities, wind turbine components.[19]
Special events
The July 4th Festival takes place at the Slaton Park, where area musicians perform on an outdoor stage. The park is filled with games, rides, food, and more. The South Plains Air Show is a biannual event taking place the first weekend of June in odd-number years. Hosted by the Texas Air Museum Caprock Chapter, the show takes place at the City of Slaton/Larry T. Neal Memorial Airport. Re-enactments and aerobatic performances are scheduled www.thetexasairmuseum.org.
The St. Joseph Sausage Fest was established in 1969, and operated by the family and friends of St Joseph Catholic School until it closed in 2017. Since that time, Parishioners of St Joseph Catholic Church in Slaton host the event the third weekend of each October.[20]
Notable people
People born in Slaton:
- Roy Alvin Baldwin (1885–1940), politician
- Jeremy Boreing (born 1979), media and movie producer
- Harry Burrus (1921–2004), footballer
- Dee Fondy (1924–1999), baseball player
- Bobby Keys (1943–2014), saxophonist
- Bill Lienhard (1930–2022), basketballer
- Buddy Parker (1913–1982), footballer
- Simon Salinas (born 1955), politician
See also
References
- ^ "City Commission Members". City of Slaton, Texas. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
- ^ a b "2025 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Slaton, Texas
- ^ a b c "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ a b c "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ "Westbrook: Immigrants from Germany were among early settlers". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. April 20, 2014. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ "Slaton, Texas Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)". Weatherbase.
- ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing". www.census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "Slaton, TX Housing Market". Zillow. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Slaton city, Texas". www.census.gov. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ General Social and Economic Characteristics: Texas (PDF). United States Census Bureau. pp. 82 of 93. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ Texas: 1990 (PDF). United States Census Bureau. pp. 143 of 703. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Slaton city, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Slaton city, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Slaton city, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
- ^ "South Plains Lamesa Railroad". Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- ^ "41st Annual St. Joseph's Sausage Festival in Slaton Saturday and Sunday". KCBD. October 15, 2010. Retrieved January 15, 2026.