Hansford County

Hansford County is a rural county in the Texas Panhandle, located along the state’s northern tier near the Oklahoma border. It lies within the High Plains region, characterized by broad, open terrain and a semi-arid climate. Established in 1876 and organized in 1889, the county developed alongside Panhandle ranching and later agricultural settlement and energy production. Hansford County is small in population, with roughly five thousand residents, and has a low population density typical of the Panhandle. The local economy is centered on agriculture and livestock, supported by oil and natural gas activity, and the landscape is dominated by rangeland and cultivated fields. Community life reflects the region’s small-town character, with cultural and civic activities anchored in county institutions and local schools. The county seat is Spearman, which serves as the primary administrative and commercial center.

Hansford County is located in the northern Texas Panhandle along the Oklahoma border, within the High Plains region. The county seat is Spearman, and county-level demographic statistics are published through federal decennial census and American Community Survey (ACS) products.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Hansford County, Texas, the county’s population was 5,285 (2020), with a 2023 population estimate of 5,170.

Age & Gender

County-level age distribution and sex composition are published by the U.S. Census Bureau through QuickFacts and ACS profiles. According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Hansford County, Texas, the following age-group shares are reported (most recent ACS-based release shown in QuickFacts):

• Under 5 years: 5.3%
• Under 18 years: 25.4%
• 65 years and over: 17.0%

QuickFacts also reports the female share of the population as 47.7% (male share 52.3%) for the same ACS-based period.

Racial & Ethnic Composition

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Hansford County, Texas, the county’s racial and ethnic composition (ACS-based) includes:

• White alone: 88.4%
• Black or African American alone: 0.4%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 1.2%
• Asian alone: 0.6%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: 0.0%
• Two or more races: 9.4%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 23.2%

Household & Housing Data

Household and housing indicators are published via the U.S. Census Bureau’s county profiles. According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Hansford County, Texas, key measures include:

• Households: 1,818
• Persons per household: 2.74
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: 72.7%
• Median value of owner-occupied housing units: $123,900
• Median gross rent: $728
• Housing units: 2,147

For local government and planning resources, visit the Hansford County official website.

Hansford County is a sparsely populated, rural Texas Panhandle county where long distances between homes and service nodes can constrain broadband buildout, shaping reliance on email and other internet-based communication.

Direct county-level email usage statistics are generally not published, so email adoption is inferred from digital access and demographics. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey), key proxies include household broadband subscription and access to a computer, both of which are closely associated with routine email use. Hansford County’s age structure (also available via ACS tables on data.census.gov) is relevant because older populations tend to show lower adoption of newer digital services and may rely more on assisted access points (schools, libraries, local government offices) for online communication.

Gender distribution is typically near-balanced in ACS county profiles and is not a primary driver of email access compared with age and household connectivity.

Connectivity limitations in rural counties commonly include fewer competing providers, higher per-mile deployment costs, and coverage gaps. County-level infrastructure context is often described in local planning materials and public notices on the Hansford County official website.

Hansford County is located in the northern Texas Panhandle along the Oklahoma border (county seat: Spearman). It is predominantly rural, characterized by flat to gently rolling High Plains terrain and low population density. These conditions tend to produce larger distances between cell sites, which can reduce coverage consistency indoors and along less-traveled roads compared with urban counties, while generally supporting wide-area macrocell coverage where towers are present.

Key distinction: network availability vs. household adoption

• Network availability refers to whether mobile broadband service is reported as available at a location (coverage/capability).
• Adoption refers to whether households and individuals actually subscribe to and use mobile service (behavior/affordability/device access).

County-level adoption measures are often reported at coarser geographies (state, region, or “place”) rather than as a dedicated “mobile subscription” metric for each county. As a result, Hansford County discussions commonly rely on (1) federally reported availability datasets and (2) survey-based internet subscription statistics that are usually more reliable at state/metro levels than at very small counties.

Mobile penetration or access indicators (where available)

What is consistently available

• Population and household context used for interpreting connectivity: the U.S. Census Bureau provides official demographic and housing baselines for Hansford County via Census.gov QuickFacts for Hansford County. These indicators (population size, age structure, income, housing density) are commonly used to contextualize likely adoption constraints but do not directly measure mobile penetration.

Direct mobile-subscription indicators: limitations at county scale

• The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) focuses on household internet subscription types (e.g., cellular data plan, broadband such as cable/fiber/DSL, satellite) but county-level estimates for very small populations can have large margins of error and may be suppressed or unstable in some tabulations. The most authoritative access point for ACS internet subscription tables is data.census.gov, where “internet subscription” can be queried for Hansford County; however, interpretability may be limited by sample size and published margins of error.
• The FCC does not publish a “mobile penetration” rate by county in the same way it publishes coverage availability. The FCC’s primary county-relevant mobile metric is availability.

Mobile internet usage patterns and network availability (4G/5G)

Primary federal source for availability

• The FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC) provides provider-reported mobile broadband availability by technology and is the standard reference for coverage comparisons. The FCC’s public portal is the most direct way to view availability layers and provider footprints: FCC National Broadband Map.
  • This dataset distinguishes mobile broadband availability from fixed broadband availability and is designed to show where providers claim service can be received.

4G LTE availability (network availability)

• Rural Panhandle counties typically have broad 4G LTE coverage along highways and around population centers because LTE macro networks can cover larger areas per site than higher-frequency deployments. In Hansford County, LTE availability should be evaluated via the FCC map at address/area level rather than inferred countywide, since coverage can vary notably between town limits, highways, and remote farmland.

5G availability (network availability)

• 5G in rural counties is frequently concentrated around towns and primary travel corridors, often using low-band or mid-band deployments where available. In the FCC map, “5G” availability can be reviewed by provider; reported 5G footprints may not imply consistent high-capacity performance at the edge of coverage.
• Countywide generalizations about 5G performance (speeds, congestion) are not reliably supported by FCC availability layers alone; the FCC map is a presence/availability dataset rather than a measured performance dataset.

Important limitation: availability is not adoption

• FCC coverage does not indicate that households subscribe, that service is affordable, that indoor coverage is reliable, or that devices are 5G-capable. It indicates that providers report offering service in the mapped area.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

What can be stated confidently without overreaching county-specific device data

• Nationally and statewide, mobile internet access is predominantly via smartphones, with additional use of tablets and dedicated mobile hotspots in rural areas. However, county-specific device-type shares (smartphone vs. flip phone vs. hotspot-only) are not typically published as an official statistic for a county as small as Hansford.
• The ACS does not directly measure smartphone ownership at the county level as a standard table; it measures household internet subscription types (including “cellular data plan”) and device access questions may appear in other surveys, generally not stable for very small counties.

Practical implication for Hansford County

• In rural counties, a “cellular data plan” subscription may represent smartphone-only connectivity for some households, while others use fixed broadband at home and mobile data primarily for travel and off-premises use. Separating these patterns requires survey microdata or local studies, which are not typically available publicly for a single rural county.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage and connectivity

Geography and settlement pattern

• Low population density and dispersed housing increase per-user infrastructure costs, which can influence tower spacing and the likelihood that some areas have weaker indoor signal or fewer redundant sites.
• Flat High Plains terrain can be favorable for wide-area propagation compared with mountainous regions, but distance and sparse backhaul options can still constrain network densification.

Socioeconomic and age structure factors (contextual, not determinative)

• Census indicators such as age distribution, income, and housing characteristics can correlate with differences in smartphone upgrading cycles, data plan affordability, and reliance on mobile-only internet. County-level values are available from Census.gov QuickFacts, but they do not directly quantify mobile adoption.

Institutional and planning context

• State-level broadband initiatives and mapping can provide additional context for rural connectivity challenges and programmatic investments in the Panhandle region. Texas broadband planning and resources are centralized through the state broadband office: Texas Broadband Development Office (Texas Comptroller). These resources are generally not device- or carrier-specific at the county level but can be relevant for understanding broader access efforts.

Summary of what is known vs. not available at Hansford County granularity

• Known/available with strong standard sources: provider-reported mobile broadband availability (LTE/5G) via the FCC National Broadband Map; baseline demographic/geographic context via Census.gov QuickFacts.
• Commonly limited or unstable at this county scale: precise mobile penetration/adoption rates, detailed device-type distributions, and statistically robust breakdowns of mobile-only vs. multi-connection household strategies. The most relevant adoption proxy is ACS “internet subscription” (queried on data.census.gov), but small-county reliability constraints often apply.

Hansford County is a sparsely populated county in the Texas Panhandle on the Oklahoma border, with Spearman as the county seat. The local economy is strongly tied to agriculture and energy, and long travel distances plus dispersed settlements tend to increase reliance on digital channels for communication, local news, schools, and community coordination.

User statistics (penetration and active use)

• Local (Hansford County) statistics: Public, county-level estimates of “active social media users” are generally not published by major survey programs due to small sample sizes and privacy constraints. As a result, reliable measurement typically relies on statewide and national benchmarks rather than county-specific penetrations.
• Benchmark (U.S. adults): About 69% of U.S. adults report using at least one social media site, according to Pew Research Center’s Social Media Fact Sheet. This is the most commonly cited national baseline for overall penetration.
• Rural context benchmark: Rural adults use social media at somewhat lower rates than urban/suburban adults, but remain a majority in most Pew tracking; rurality also correlates with different platform mixes (notably higher relative use of Facebook). See Pew’s broader internet and technology reporting, including Pew Research Center internet and technology research.

Age group trends (who uses social media most)

Based on Pew’s U.S. adult patterns (Pew social media usage tables), usage is highest among younger adults and declines with age:

• Ages 18–29: Highest overall social media adoption and multi-platform use.
• Ages 30–49: High usage, often more “utility-driven” (community groups, marketplace activity, local information, and family communication).
• Ages 50–64: Moderate usage; Facebook and YouTube tend to be core platforms.
• Ages 65+: Lowest overall usage; Facebook and YouTube typically dominate among users in this age band.

Gender breakdown

Nationally, gender differences tend to be platform-specific rather than a large gap in “any social media” adoption. Pew’s platform-by-demographic reporting shows patterns such as:

• Women more likely than men to report using Pinterest and (in many survey waves) Instagram.
• Men more likely than women to report using platforms such as Reddit. These differences are documented in Pew’s platform demographic tables: Pew Research Center social media demographics.

Most-used platforms (percentages where available)

Pew’s national shares for U.S. adults (latest available in its fact sheet tables) provide the most reliable reference percentages for platform reach:

• YouTube and Facebook are consistently the highest-reach platforms among U.S. adults.
• Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat, WhatsApp, and Reddit follow with smaller overall reach, with strong age-skews on several (notably TikTok and Snapchat toward younger adults). For current, survey-based percentages by platform, see the regularly updated tables in Pew’s Social Media Fact Sheet.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and preferences)

• Community information and local groups: In rural counties and small towns, Facebook usage often centers on local groups, school and sports updates, faith/community announcements, and informal community noticeboards; this aligns with national findings showing Facebook’s broad reach among older and rural adults (see Pew platform demographics).
• Video as a dominant format: YouTube’s broad reach nationally supports heavy consumption of how-to, news, entertainment, and educational video, including content relevant to agriculture, trades, and local/regional interests.
• Age-driven platform splits: Younger adults’ higher usage rates correlate with short-form video and creator-driven feeds (notably TikTok/Instagram), while older adults concentrate more on Facebook-centric social graphs and sharing.
• Messaging and lightweight sharing: Social interaction in low-density regions commonly emphasizes quick updates, event coordination, and peer-to-peer messaging, with public posting often concentrated around community events and local issues rather than high-frequency personal broadcasting.

Hansford County family and associate-related public records include vital records (birth and death) and court records that document family relationships (marriage, divorce, probate/guardianship). Birth and death certificates for events occurring in Texas are state vital records; local issuance is commonly handled through the county clerk for eligible requestors, while statewide certified copies are maintained by the Texas Department of State Health Services Vital Statistics Section (Texas Vital Statistics). Adoption records are generally sealed under Texas law and are not available as open public records.

Hansford County provides access to official records through the Hansford County Clerk (records management, vital records services, marriage applications/records, probate filings) and the Hansford County District Clerk (district court case records such as divorce and other family-related civil matters). Online case and docket information for many Texas courts, including Hansford County, is commonly available via the Texas Judicial Branch online case search; availability varies by case type and court.

Access occurs in person at the clerk offices during business hours and, where offered, through mail or online request options published on the county pages. Privacy restrictions commonly apply to birth records (limited access periods), certain death records, adoption files, juvenile matters, and sealed or confidential court filings.

Types of records available

• Marriage license and marriage record (certificate/return)
  Hansford County maintains records for marriages licensed by the county. The core record set typically includes the marriage license application and issuance and the marriage return (proof the ceremony was performed and returned for recording).

• Divorce records (decrees and case files)
  Divorces are handled as civil court cases and result in a Final Decree of Divorce and related filings (petitions, orders, judgments, and ancillary documents) maintained as part of the court case file.

• Annulments
  Annulments are also civil court matters. Records generally include a petition for annulment and a final order/judgment (often titled as a decree or order granting annulment), plus related pleadings and orders.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

• Marriage records: Hansford County Clerk (vital records/official public records)

  • Filed/recorded by: Hansford County Clerk, which is the local registrar for county marriage license records.
  • Access: Copies are requested through the County Clerk’s office. Many Texas counties also provide public index searching and/or records request procedures through the county’s official website or in-person office services.
  • State-level option: The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Vital Statistics maintains statewide marriage indexes for certain years and can issue certain verifications, but the county clerk is the primary custodian for the county marriage license record.
  • Reference: Texas DSHS Vital Statistics

• Divorce and annulment records: District Clerk (court records) and County Clerk (limited docket/recording functions may vary by county)

  • Filed/maintained by: Hansford County District Clerk as part of the district court’s civil case records (divorce and annulment).
  • Access: Copies of decrees and case documents are requested from the District Clerk. Access to view records may be available at the clerk’s office and may also be available through statewide or local electronic access portals when implemented for the county.
  • State-level option: DSHS maintains statewide divorce indexes for certain years; the court clerk remains the custodian of the actual decree and case file.
  • Reference: Texas DSHS Vital Statistics

Typical information included in these records

• Marriage license / marriage record

  • Full names of the parties
  • Date and place the license was issued
  • County and license number (or recording reference)
  • Ages and/or dates of birth (varies by era and form)
  • Residences (often city/county/state)
  • Name of the officiant and date/place of ceremony
  • Date the marriage return was filed/recorded
  • Clerk certification, signatures, and fee/payment notations (administrative details)

• Divorce decree / divorce case file

  • Names of the parties and case number
  • Court and county of filing; filing and disposition dates
  • Findings and orders dissolving the marriage
  • Property division orders
  • Child-related orders when applicable (conservatorship/custody, possession/visitation, child support, medical support)
  • Spousal maintenance orders when applicable
  • Name of judge, signatures, and clerk file marks
  • Related filings may include pleadings, service/return, temporary orders, and settlement agreements (depending on the case)

• Annulment order / annulment case file

  • Names of the parties and case number
  • Court, county, and dates of filing and disposition
  • Findings supporting annulment under Texas law and the final order granting annulment
  • Orders regarding property and children when applicable
  • Judge’s signature and clerk file marks; related pleadings and orders as part of the case file

Privacy or legal restrictions

• Public record status with statutory limits
  In Texas, marriage license records and court records are generally public, but access can be limited by law for specific sensitive information.

• Sealed records and confidential data

  • Courts may seal certain filings or portions of case files by court order.
  • Certain information is restricted or redacted under applicable law and court rules, including sensitive personal identifiers (commonly Social Security numbers and financial account numbers) and some information relating to minors.
  • Some family-law-related documents may be treated as confidential depending on content and governing statutes (for example, documents containing protected personal information).

• Certified copies and identification requirements
  Clerks commonly distinguish between plain copies and certified copies. Certified copies are official copies for legal use and may require compliance with the clerk’s procedures and payment of statutory fees.

• State index vs. underlying records
  Statewide vital statistics indexes are not the full record; they function as an index/verification dataset. The county clerk (marriage) and district clerk (divorce/annulment) maintain the underlying documents and case files.

Hansford County is in the northern Texas Panhandle along the Oklahoma border, with Spearman as the county seat and the primary population center. It is a sparsely populated, rural county with a small-town service base and a large land area dominated by agriculture and energy-related activity; many daily needs (employment specialization, healthcare, retail variety) are often met within Spearman or by commuting to nearby regional hubs in the Panhandle.

Education Indicators

Public schools and school names

• Public school systems: The county is primarily served by Spearman Independent School District (ISD) and Gruver Independent School District (ISD).
• Number of public campuses (proxy): Hansford County generally has multiple K–12 campuses split across these two districts (typical structure includes an elementary school, a junior high/middle school, and a high school per district). A consolidated campus-by-campus count and official campus names are best verified through the district or state directory; the most consistently maintained source is the Texas Education Agency (TEA) district and campus information page.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

• Student–teacher ratio (proxy): Rural Panhandle districts commonly operate with lower student–teacher ratios than large urban districts, often in the low-to-mid teens per teacher; district-specific ratios vary by campus and year. TEA district profiles and campus report cards provide the official figures (see the Texas Academic Performance Reports (TAPR) portal).
• Graduation rates: Graduation is reported by TEA using multiple cohort measures (4-year, extended-year). District-level graduation rates for Spearman ISD and Gruver ISD are published annually in TAPR and are the appropriate county-level proxy because these districts serve most resident students.

Adult education levels

• Adult attainment (most recent standard sources): County-level adult educational attainment is most commonly reported through the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (due to small population). Key indicators include:
  • High school diploma (or equivalent) or higher
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher
• The most recent, consistently updated county tables can be accessed via data.census.gov by searching “Hansford County, Texas educational attainment.”

Notable programs (STEM, vocational training, AP)

• Advanced coursework and career pathways: Texas public high schools commonly offer Advanced Placement (AP) and/or dual credit options and Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways aligned to regional needs (ag mechanics, health science, business, welding/industrial trades, and energy-adjacent skills are common in Panhandle rural districts). The presence and breadth of AP/dual credit/CTE programs vary by district and year and are typically documented in district course catalogs and TEA accountability materials (TAPR).
• Regional vocational training (proxy): County residents often rely on nearby Panhandle institutions for postsecondary CTE and workforce programs. Regional options are typically delivered through community college service areas and workforce boards; county-level participation is not usually published as a single statistic.

School safety measures and counseling resources

• Safety requirements: Texas districts follow state requirements for emergency operations, visitor controls, and threat assessment processes; campus security practices typically include controlled entry, drills, and coordination with local law enforcement. Statewide requirements are described by TEA on Safe and Healthy Schools.
• Counseling and mental health supports: Texas districts generally provide school counseling services and may use contracted providers or regional cooperatives for specialized supports (behavioral health, special education services). Availability is usually reported at the district level rather than countywide; TEA’s mental health and counseling guidance is summarized under TEA mental health resources.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent year)

• Most recent unemployment data (standard source): County unemployment is officially tracked by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program. The most current annual average and monthly series for Hansford County are available via BLS LAUS and are often re-published in state labor-market dashboards.
• Note on small-county volatility: Monthly rates can vary notably in small counties; annual averages are generally the most stable summary measure.

Major industries and employment sectors

• Dominant sectors (county context):
  • Agriculture (crop and livestock operations and agricultural services)
  • Oil and gas / energy-related activity and supporting services common across the Panhandle
  • Local government and education (school districts and county/municipal services)
  • Health care and social assistance (basic local provision, with higher-acuity care often regional)
  • Retail and accommodation/food services concentrated in Spearman and along regional travel routes
• County industry mix and employment counts by sector are typically summarized by the U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns and regional economic profiles; a consistent starting point is County Business Patterns.

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

• In rural Panhandle counties, the occupational distribution commonly emphasizes:
  • Management and business operations (small business and public administration)
  • Transportation and material moving (ag and energy logistics)
  • Construction and extraction (construction, oil/gas support where present)
  • Installation, maintenance, and repair
  • Office/administrative support, sales, and education/healthcare roles serving local needs
• Official county occupation percentages (ACS 5-year) are available through data.census.gov by searching “Hansford County, Texas occupation.”

Commuting patterns and mean commute times

• Typical pattern: A substantial share of workers in rural counties commute within the county seat area, while specialized employment (energy services, higher-wage trades, healthcare, and regional retail) can drive out-of-county commuting to nearby Panhandle centers.
• Mean travel time to work: The standard statistic is the ACS “Mean travel time to work (minutes).” For Hansford County, the most reliable figure comes from ACS 5-year estimates on data.census.gov. Rural counties often show short in-town commutes for locally employed residents and longer commutes for those traveling to regional job sites.

Local employment vs out-of-county work

• Residence vs workplace: The ACS “Place of Work” and commuting flow data provide the best county-level proxy for:
  • Share working in county of residence
  • Share working outside the county
• Where commuting flows are suppressed due to small sample sizes, regional patterns in the Panhandle (county-seat-centered work plus cross-county commuting to larger hubs and job sites) serve as the most reasonable proxy. The Census commuting datasets and county profiles are accessible through data.census.gov.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share

• Primary source: Homeownership and tenure (owner-occupied vs renter-occupied) are best measured using ACS 5-year tenure tables for Hansford County on data.census.gov.
• Typical rural profile (proxy): Rural Panhandle counties frequently show high homeownership shares relative to metro Texas, with rentals concentrated near the county seat and around local employers.

Median property values and recent trends

• Median home value: The standard statistic is ACS “Median value (dollars) of owner-occupied housing units.” This is available for Hansford County via data.census.gov.
• Recent trends (proxy): Texas Panhandle housing markets generally experienced price increases during 2020–2022 followed by slower growth/greater variability as interest rates rose; small-county medians can move year-to-year due to low sales volume. For transaction-based trendlines (as opposed to ACS survey medians), county-level coverage can be thin and may require aggregated regional reporting.

Typical rent prices

• Median gross rent: ACS “Median gross rent” (including utilities where applicable) is the standard county indicator and is available on data.census.gov.
• Local market structure (proxy): Rentals are typically most available in Spearman and Gruver, with limited apartment inventory compared with metro areas; single-family rentals and small multifamily properties are common in small towns.

Types of housing

• Typical stock (county context):
  • Single-family detached homes dominate in town and rural settings
  • Manufactured housing often represents a noticeable share in rural areas
  • Small multifamily/apartments exist primarily in the county seat and other town centers
  • Rural lots and farm/ranch residences are common outside municipal areas
• ACS “Units in structure” tables provide the official distribution by structure type through data.census.gov.

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools or amenities)

• Spearman-focused amenities: The highest concentration of services (schools, city offices, clinics, groceries, parks) is typically in Spearman, with short in-town travel times. Gruver provides a smaller town center with its own schools and basic services. Outside these towns, housing is dispersed, and access to amenities generally requires driving.
• Countywide walkability and transit: Rural counties generally have limited fixed-route transit, and daily travel is predominantly by personal vehicle.

Property tax overview (average rate and typical homeowner cost)

• Rates and bills vary by taxing units: Property taxes in Hansford County are determined by overlapping jurisdictions (county, school districts, municipalities, and special districts). The most authoritative sources are:
  • The Texas Comptroller property tax overview (statewide framework and local comparisons)
  • The local appraisal district for assessed values and taxing unit information (commonly published as appraisal and tax rate summaries)
• Typical Texas structure (proxy): In Texas, school district M&O and I&S rates are often the largest component of a homeowner’s bill. A “typical homeowner cost” is computed from (taxable value) × (total local tax rate) and varies materially by exemption status (homestead, over-65/disabled) and by whether the property is inside city limits.

Data availability note: For Hansford County, several indicators are best represented by ACS 5-year estimates and TEA district reporting due to small population. Where county-specific point estimates are not consistently published (e.g., student–teacher ratio by county), district-level TEA reporting and rural Panhandle norms provide the most defensible proxies, as noted above.