A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
Odessa, Texas | |
|---|---|
 Odessa skyline, looking east from TX-302 | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location in Texas | |
  Odessa Location in Texas  Odessa Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 31°51′48″N 102°21′56″W / 31.86333°N 102.36556°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| Counties | Ector, Midland |
| Named for | Odesa (historically also spelled "Odessa"), Ukraine |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-Manager |
| • City Council | Mayor Javier Joven Mark Matta Steven P. Thompson Detra White Tom Sprawls Mari Willis |
| • City Manager | Michael Marrero |
| • At-Large | Denise Swanner |
| Area | |
| • Total | 51.36 sq mi (133.02 km2) |
| • Land | 51.08 sq mi (132.29 km2) |
| • Water | 0.28 sq mi (0.72 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,900 ft (884 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 114,428 |
| • Density | 2,414.62/sq mi (932.29/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 79760–79769 |
| Area code | 432 |
| FIPS code | 48-53388[2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1343067[3] |
| Website | www |
Odessa (/ˌoʊˈdɛsə/) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Ector County with portions extending into Midland County.[4]
Odessa's population was 114,428 at the 2020 census, making it the 28th-most populous city in Texas; it is the principal city of the Odessa metropolitan statistical area, which includes all of Ector County. The metropolitan area is also a component of the larger Midland–Odessa combined statistical area, which had a 2020 census population of 359,001.[5]
The city is famous for being featured in the book Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream, and the movie adaption, Friday Night Lights.
In 1948, Odessa was also the home of First Lady Barbara Bush, and the onetime home of former Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush. Former President George H. W. Bush has been quoted as saying "At Odessa we became Texans and proud of it."[6]
History
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (April 2024) |
Odessa was founded in 1881 as a water stop and cattle-shipping point on the Texas and Pacific Railway. The first post office opened in 1885. Odessa became the county seat of Ector County in 1891 when the county was first organized. It was incorporated as a city in 1927, after oil was discovered in Ector County on the Connell Ranch southwest of Odessa.[7]
With the opening of the Penn Field in 1929, and the Cowden Field in 1930, oil became a major draw for new residents. In 1925, the population was just 750; by 1929, it had risen to 5,000. For the rest of the 20th century, the city's population and economy grew rapidly during each of a succession of oil booms (roughly in the 1930s–1950s, 1970s, and 2010s), often with accompanying contractions during the succeeding busts (particularly in the 1960s and 1980s).[7]
Etymology
Odessa is said to have been named after Odesa, a coastal city in Southern Ukraine, (historically spelled Odessa)[8] because of the local shortgrass prairie's resemblance to Ukraine's steppe landscape.[9]
Geography
Odessa is located along the southwestern edge of the Llano Estacado in West Texas. It is situated above the Permian Basin, a large sedimentary deposit that contains significant reserves of oil and natural gas.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 44.0 square miles (114 km2); 43.9 square miles (114 km2) are land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (0.05%) is covered by water.
Climate
Odessa has a desert climate typical of West Texas. Summers are hot and sunny, while winters are mild and dry. Most rainfall occurs in late spring and summer; snowfall is rare. The area exhibits a large diurnal temperature range and frequent high winds.[10]
| Climate data for Odessa, Texas | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 91 (33) |
98 (37) |
99 (37) |
101 (38) |
113 (45) |
112 (44) |
110 (43) |
108 (42) |
110 (43) |
102 (39) |
88 (31) |
85 (29) |
113 (45) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 57.5 (14.2) |
61.0 (16.1) |
69.9 (21.1) |
80.2 (26.8) |
88.3 (31.3) |
94.8 (34.9) |
93.8 (34.3) |
93.4 (34.1) |
86.3 (30.2) |
76.4 (24.7) |
65.5 (18.6) |
57.5 (14.2) |
77.0 (25.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 34.7 (1.5) |
38.1 (3.4) |
45.2 (7.3) |
54.2 (12.3) |
63.1 (17.3) |
70.6 (21.4) |
72.0 (22.2) |
71.8 (22.1) |
65.3 (18.5) |
55.2 (12.9) |
43.8 (6.6) |
35.4 (1.9) |
54.1 (12.3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 2 (−17) |
−5 (−21) |
19 (−7) |
27 (−3) |
33 (1) |
50 (10) |
56 (13) |
53 (12) |
43 (6) |
30 (−1) |
11 (−12) |
5 (−15) |
−5 (−21) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.50 (13) |
0.67 (17) |
0.68 (17) |
0.58 (15) |
1.77 (45) |
1.22 (31) |
1.54 (39) |
1.84 (47) |
1.97 (50) |
1.58 (40) |
0.66 (17) |
0.57 (14) |
13.57 (345) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.4 (1.0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.4 (1.0) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 2.6 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 45.0 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 66 | 69 | 73 | 78 | 78 | 81 | 81 | 77 | 77 | 72 | 74 | 65 | 74 |
| Source: NOAA (normals 1981−2010, percent sunshine through 2009)[11][12] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 2,407 | — | |
| 1940 | 9,573 | 297.7% | |
| 1950 | 29,495 | 208.1% | |
| 1960 | 80,338 | 172.4% | |
| 1970 | 78,380 | −2.4% | |
| 1980 | 90,027 | 14.9% | |
| 1990 | 89,699 | −0.4% | |
| 2000 | 90,943 | 1.4% | |
| 2010 | 99,940 | 9.9% | |
| 2020 | 114,428 | 14.5% | |
| U.S. Census Bureau[13] Texas Almanac[14] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 37,390 | 32.68% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 7,007 | 6.12% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 424 | 0.37% |
| Asian (NH) | 2,452 | 2.14% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 258 | 0.23% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 357 | 0.31% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 2,296 | 2.01% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 64,244 | 56.14% |
| Total | 114,428 |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 114,428 people, 41,942 households, and 28,218 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 census,[2] 99,940 people, 35,216 households, and 27,412 families resided in the city. The population density was 2,276.5 inhabitants per square mile (879.0/km2). There were 43,687 housing units at an average density of 995.1 per square mile (384.2/km2).
In 2010, the racial makeup of the city was 75.4% White, 5.7% Black, 1.1% Asian, 1.0% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 14.2% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race was 50.6%.[13] By 2020, the racial and ethnic makeup was 32.68% non-Hispanic white, 6.12% African American, 0.37% Native American, 2.14% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 0.31% some other race, 2.01% multiracial, and 56.14% Hispanic or Latino of any race, reflecting state and nationwide trends of greater diversification.[15][18][19]
Of the 35,216 households in 2010, 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were not families. About 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65, and the average family size was 3.21. The population was distributed as 29.8% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.
At the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the city was $31,209, and the median income for a family was $36,869. Males had a median income of $31,115 versus $21,743 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,096. About 16.0% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.9% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over. The 2020 American community Survey estimated the median household income increased to $63,829 with a mean income of $82,699.[20]
Economy
Historically, the Odessa economy has been primarily driven by the area's oil industry, booming and busting in response to rises and falls in the crude oil price. Many of the city's largest employers are oilfield supply companies and petrochemical processing companies. In recent decades, city leaders have begun trying to decrease the city's reliance on the energy industry to moderate the boom-bust cycle and develop greater economic sustainability.[7]
Odessa has also taken steps to diversify the energy it produces. In 2009, a wind farm has been constructed in northern Ector County.[21] Around the same time, a coal pollution mitigation plant had been announced for a site previously entered in the Futuregen bidding. The plant will be run by Summit Power and will be located near Penwell.[22] This plant was supposed to lead to the creation of 8,000 jobs in the area.[23] Plans were also in place for a small nuclear reactor called the High-Temperature Teaching and Test Reactor to be run as a test and teaching facility in conjunction with the nuclear engineering department at University of Texas of the Permian Basin.[24][25]
Odessa's main enclosed shopping mall, Music City Mall, used to include an indoor skating rink.
Largest employers
As in many municipalities, some of the largest employers are in the education, government, and healthcare industries. Outside of those areas, the city's major employers are concentrated in the oil industry. According to the city's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[26] the top employers in the city were: