Dry Counties In Texas: Still A Thing

Though prohibition may have ended a hundred years ago, counties still have the ability to ban liquor if they wish. As one of the criminal laws in Texas that stands out, the state has five counties that do not allow any type of alcohol to be sold in the county at all. A recent government site, which is surprisingly easy to navigate, gives the full breakdown but we’ll go through them now. Also, curtesy of that government site we show the breakdown of different cities and their current status as of August 31, 2021.

Also, it should be said that cities and precincts are allowed to have local ordinances that prevent the sale of alcohol in their jurisdiction. We’ll have the full list, in tabular form, at the bottom of the page which shows which cities/precincts/counties prohibit alcohol sales.

Borden County

With a population of 641, Borden county is one of the states smaller counties. Peaking with a population of 1,386 in 1910, the counties population as steadily declined to a population of 641 in 2010. If you’re looking to get a drink, check out Howard County to the south or Scurry County to the east.

Hemphill County

In the far north of the Texas border, right next to the Oklahoma border. Though still small, with a population of 3,807 it’s one of the larger counties to be considered ry in the state. The city was at its peak in 1980 when it was home to 5,304 Texans. Since then it’s population has hovered around the mid 3,000’s. Need to get a drink? We’d recommend traveling to nearby Gray County located to the Southwest or traveling into Oklahoma.

Kent County

This brings us to tiny Kent County in Texas. Noted as Congressional District 19, the population of Kent County is only 808 as of 2010. The county reached its peak population in 1930 when it had a population of 3,851. The county is home to the ghost town of Clairemont, Texas. If you’re looking for alcohol, your best bet is Scurry County nearby.

Roberts County

Another small county, Roberts County, Texas is home to only 929 according to the 2010 census. The counties population has been fairly consistent for the last 100 years, peaking at 1,469 in the 1920 census. At only 23,7% english, the population of Roberts County is fairly diverse with 18.4% of residents reporting as British and only 8.8% identifying as American.

Throckmorton County

A mouthful of a county name, Throckmorton County, is home to 1,641 Texans. Having been created in 1860 (at the outset of the Civil War) the population ballooned to 5,253 in the 1930s and then fell every decade from there. If you’re in Throckmorton county and looking for a drink, we’d suggest Archer County or Stephens County to the southeast.

Full List of Dry Counties, Cities and Precincts in Texas

Alas, the full list of not just the dry counties in Texas but also the cities and precincts too.