Lonely in the Lone Star: The Texas ghost towns being drained of life as fed-up locals flee the forgotten frontier for booming hotspots

Talk about a one-horse town! 

The Lone Star State's loneliest counties have been laid bare as new statistics show just how many Texans are fleeing less desirable counties.

The latest US Census data comes as Texas continues to act as a de facto juggernaut when it comes to transplants - adding more than any other state in the past year.

The Lower 48's biggest state - which is larger than many countries and has 254 counties - saw its population swell by almost 475,000 within that span, with statistics showing how some hotspots are booming.

But 75 counties saw their population size shrink, according to the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, with experts warning this presents a serious problem for rural areas.

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The Lone Star State's loneliest counties have been laid bare thanks to new statistics that show just how many Texans are actually leaving certain parts of the state

Pictured, King County in the plains of the Texas Panhandle, which according to Census data saw the most pronounced outflow of residents in terms of percentages 

'The growth in population's not evenly distributed across the state,' Texas Demographic Center Associate Director Helen You told The Texas Standard Monday. 

Most newcomers are flocking to what researchers call 'The Texas Triangle' - the region loosely formed by the far-flung metros of Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio-Austin and home to 68 percent of all Texans.

You told the Texas Standard: 'These are also centers of economic development. This is also where you see universities and lots of educational opportunities there.' 

Overall, 177 counties experienced an increase in population, per the bureau - as Texas continues to earn its reputation a post-pandemic hotspot.

But Texas is even bigger, and boasts a mind-bending amount of land - ranging from the plains in the West to the Deep East past Houston.

The size means trends there are much more complex, with some communities not enjoying the same success as some of their counterparts.

According to leading economist William Chittenden, this could spell doom for the lesser-known regions recently unmasked as population-losers.

Count Crockett County, for example, has lost 238 residents, or 7.7 percent of its total population, since 2020. 

This is the third biggest decline in the state and brings its population now to less than 3,000 people - despite being Texas' eighth largest county in terms of land. 

Chittenden told the Texas Standard: 'At some point, some counties are going to get so small where it's going to be difficult for them to function. You have to have some critical mass just to support, for example, a local grocery store, a local gas station, hopefully a bank'.

'I think there are things that smaller counties can do,' he added. 'If they haven't already, start working on high speed internet infrastructure. If you have a high speed internet connection, it doesn't really matter if you're in Bexar County in San Antonio or way up in the Panhandle.'  

In third place was Crockett County, which has lost 238 residents, or 7.7 percent of its total population, since 2020

It boasts a mind-bending amount of land, but now has a population of less than 3,000 people - despite being the state's eighth largest county

The relatively new concept of remote work in counties like Crockett have become more feasible, but have so far failed to stop people from leaving - all as no one new moves in

Located on the cusp of where South Texas, Central Texas, and West Texas meet, the 2,807 square-mile region named for the frontiersman famed for his coonskin hat is now home to a few thousand 

Its considerable distance from any notable cities likely contributed to its poor population showing in the new Census numbers

With this likely in mind, the Texas Legislature last year allocated some $1.5 billion to expand broadband access across the state - which is roughly the size of Puerto Rico.

That made the concept of remote work in some counties more feasible, but has so far failed to stop the exodus seen in counties like Crockett.

Located on the cusp of where South Texas, Central Texas, and West Texas meet, the 2,807 square-mile region named for the Texas frontiersman famed for his coonskin hat is now only home to a few thousand.

It sports no cities, and way of life there is decidedly rural.

But '[i]t's a great place to raise a family,' said longtime resident Marianne Maskill, who told the Standard of her life in the county's main population center. 'Everybody knows everybody here,' she said.

Sometimes dubbed the 'Biggest Little Town in the World', the county hub's official name is Ozona, an unincorporated community responsible for more than 90 percent of Crockett's residents.

Ozona is thus the county seat, and can be found on Interstate 10 some 200 miles west of San Antonio.

Maskill, a receptionist with the Ozona Chamber of Commerce, told the publication that these days, it's more like a ghost town.

'It is basically for our members to come in and just see what we've got going on,' she said of activity at the 240 member Chamber that promotes businesses in the area. 

'Our younger adults are also moving to bigger cities,' she went on, claiming to have witnessed the migration first hand.

'They don't want to stay in Ozona. What is there to do for them here?'.

It sports no cities, but has a county hub called Ozona, an unincorporated community responsible for more than 90 percent of its residents

Sometimes dubbed the 'Biggest Little Town in the World', can be found on Interstate 10 some 200 miles west of San Antonio 

The town's municipal building, where civic workers work to promote local business. These days, one staffer said, it is more like a ghost town

A statue of Texas revolutionary Davy Crockett sits in the town's square - an ode to its rich history

That means if you're not a farmer, rancher, miner, or a member of the municipal government, jobs are somewhat scarce. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDC) recently projected that as soon as 2060, Crockett's population could drop as low as 1,430, after peaking at 5,000

She's not wrong - Ozona and surrounding Crocket County is home to a litany of ranches, idyllic scenery, and history, but not much else. 

That means if you're not a farmer, rancher, miner, or a member of the municipal government, jobs are scarce.

Because of this, The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDC) recently projected that by 2060, Crockett's population could drop as low as 1,430, after peaking in the late 1980s at 5,000.

The exodus seen since 2020 and pandemic has been even more stark - though still pales in comparisons to two other little-known counties elsewhere in the state.

The county with the next highest number of goers is Sherman, another rural enclave, though this one located all the way up one the northernmost tip of the often forgotten Texas Panhandle, right by Oklahoma.

Unlike Crockett - which has the benefit of being bisected by I-10 - it sports two cities, one of which is located partially in Texas and partially in The Sooner State.

Both, however, are essentially towns, with a collective population of just over 2,000.

Billed as Texhoma and Stratford, the sister cities combine to form the lion's share of the now-waning populace of surrounding Sherman County.

While not the middle of nowhere, the area is far from bustling - mostly cattle farms and the odd gas station spread across almost 1,000 square miles.

Like Crockett - which recorded a 3.45 percent population drop within the past year - Sherman also saw its inhabitants leave at a rate of more than 3 percent over the one-year period, measuring in at 3.6 percent.

The percentage indicates a dip of at least 70 residents - adding to the plethora lost since 2000, when the county boasted some 3,186 people and 1,124 households.

As was the case in Crockett, a lack of job opportunities - as well as aging residents - likely played a part in that downturn.

Also like Crockett, the community was formed in the 1900s - meaning the infrastructure and architecture, especially if you're a city slicker, could leave much to be desired.

The county with the next highest number of goers is none other Sherman, another rural enclave, though this one located all the way up one the northernmost tip of the often forgotten Texas Panhandle, right by Oklahoma. Pictured, the plains that surround the town of Stratford

Unlike Crockett - which has the benefit of being bisected by I-10 - it sports two cities, one of which is located partially in Texas and partially in The Sooner State. Pictured, the town of Texhoma

The percentage indicates a dip of at least 70 residents - adding to the plethora lost since 2000, when the county boasted some 3,186 people and 1,124 households 

As was the case in Crockett, a lack of job opportunities - as well as aging residents - likely played a part in that downturn 

The county with the worst record when it came to keeping citizens, meanwhile, was King County, another landlocked area that already owns the distinction of being the third-least populated county in the entire US.

With just over 200 people, one might think it doesn't have much to see, but supporters of quintessential small-town Americana may disagree.

The county seat of Guthrie, which accounts for more than two-thirds of the county population, holds most if not all of King's businesses, including the 6666 Ranch made famous by the TV show Yellowstone.

The next biggest center -  the only other in the region - is the unincorporated community of Dumont, which has a population of around 50, and at one point boasted three grocery stores, three filling stations, a blacksmith, a barbershop, and a cotton gin.

However, by 1980, it reported no rated businesses, and its population had fallen to 95 from a high of  105 in the middle and late 1960s.

The region produces cotton, grain, and cattle, and like the other underperforming counties, ranching predominates

Numerous ranches, including the Four Sixes, the SMS, and the Matador, can be found in there, as well as ghost towns and history from the county's past as a farming outpost in the mid 19th century, when it had about 40 residents.

In the decades since, Dumont has remained the second largest town in the county, while Guthrie has stayed in first. 

The small populations sported by both likely contributed to its surrounding county having the largest percent decrease in population, declining by 7.3 percent according to the Census, from 234 to 217 total residents.

The county with the worst record when it came to keeping citizens, meanwhile, was King County, another landlocked area that already owns the distinction of being the third-least populated county in the entire US 

With just over 200 people, one might think it doesn't have much to see, but supporters of quintessential small-town Americana may disagree

The county seat of Guthrie, which accounts for more than two-thirds of the county population, holds most if not all of King's businesses

Among them is the 6666 Ranch, seen here, made famous by the TV show Yellowstone

The region produces cotton, grain, and cattle, and like the other underperforming counties, Ranching predominate

Numerous ranches, including the Four Sixes, the SMS, and the Matador, can be found in there, as well as ghost towns and history from the county's past as a farming outpost in the mid 19th century, not to mention rolling plains

Pictured, the county courthouse in 1913., a year before it burned down. It was erected after the previous courthouse was razed by a tornado a few years before, when the county had less than 50 residents

Located only a four hour drive from Dallas, in the heart of the Texas Panhandle plains, the county appears to be in the most danger of becoming a footnote of Texas society.

Counties in no such danger included the preeminent Dallas and Harris counties, with the latter home to the comparatively progressive Houston, which itself is home to 25 Fortune 500 companies - a number bested only by New York City.

It is also the fifth-largest US metropolis - right behind Dallas with a 7.3 million population - and is home to one of the most expansive port systems in not just the state, but the entire country.

Home to firms like Microsoft, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, ExxonMobil, Sysco, and Occidental Petroleum, each have no shortage of jobs - whether it be for a dockworker, engineer, or the most blue-collar of workers.

Billed by many as the future business capitals of the US - largely due to an influx of remote works and firms that have moved there for better property taxes-  their respective counties were not among the ten pegged as having the most arrivals.

Dallas-Fort Worth is the fastest growing metro area in the US, having added more than 170,000 people between 2021 and 2022. Seen here is downtown Dallas, a white-collar business hub

Despite not scoring in the top 3, Dallas county continues to attract workers from all across the US. More than 300 companies have move there since 2019

The nation's biggest landlocked metropolis, the region in Dallas County measures in at some 9,000 square miles - making it roughly the size of Puerto Rico

Houston, meanwhile, is home to 25 Fortune 500 companies, not to mention some 7.2 million people

The skyline of Austin, Texas, is seen at sunset from the South Congress neighborhood, a vibrant stretch known for restaurants and shopping

Continuing a trend seen in recent years, Kaufman County, located just 35 miles southeast of Dallas, earned the top spot, growing faster than any other county in the state.

Fueled by its proximity to the post-pandemic stronghold, it recorded a population change of about 7.5 percent. 

Moreover, the county was also the fastest-growing in the US, beating out Long County, Georgia, located just inland from the coast. It grew by 6.5 percent.

In second was the county set directly north, Rockwall, which along with its neighbor, benefited from its proximity to burgeoning Dallas.

Both are considered satellites to the city of 1.3million, which, along with nearby Forth Worth, is part of the fastest growing metropolitan area in the US.

Liberty, set 40 miles inland from not-quite-coastal Houston, earned the honor of third-fastest growing county, likely due to an influx of commuters.

Such was the case with the two above, and the two below - with Blanco and Chambers counties rounding out the top five.  

Each experienced growth by five percent or more, and all have an abundance of suburbs markedly less costly than that of their nearby cities.

Despite being destinations, none of those cities' respective counties were among the ten for most arrivals. Kaufman County, near Dallas, earned the top spot, due to its proximity to the burgeoning business capital 

It's located just 35 miles southeast of the city, which is fastest growing metropolitan area in the US

Fueled by its proximity to the post-pandemic stronghold, it recorded a population change of about 7.5 percent.

Rockwall - also near Dallas - scored second best. The Harbor Rockwall with surrounding Hilton, Shops, Dining, and fountain. The county is much less urban than its more business minded neighbor

Two horses stand amid lush surroundings near Cleveland in Liberty County, which came in third

Statewide, Texas’s population grew by 1.58 percent - a continuation of growth seen in the wake of the pandemic. 

Relocation trends in those years saw New Yorkers flock to Florida and Californians for the most part head to Texas - as was the case with thousands across the country. 

In 2021, some 300 Californians moved to Texas each day - or a staggering 111,000 people, other newly released data showed. 

That is double the 63,000 that made the same move in 2012, according to a new report from Storage Café.

Of those who moved in 2021, nearly half were millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, and headed to counties around major cities such as Austin, Houston and Dallas.

The study found Californians were lured from their state by a number of factors, including cheaper housing, lower taxes and booming work opportunities thanks to Texas' tech and energy industries.

Fueling that shift was the COVID pandemic which increased the number of people that could work from home, releasing them from traditional commitments that would tie them down to a specific location.

Time to go. A moving truck outside a home in Queens, in New York City. The flow of transplants shows the importance of being near a city - at least when it come to retaining a certain number of residents

More than 100 companies have moved their headquarters to Texas since 2020, with 40 percent of them coming from California, the study found.

Those trends have yet to flame out, the new statistics suggest - but have slowed slightly.

As of July 1, 2023, an estimated 30,503,301 people reside in Texas, making the state second only to California in terms of population. 

The figures show Texas' population increased by an estimated 473,453 people since July 2022 - a still impressive rate.