Denver City, Texas
6 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1954 and the latest in 1992. It stands in the Denver City census division. It lies in ZIP code area 79323. The Survey maps it on the Denver City quadrangle. 4,470 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 3,573 feet above sea level.
Research this city
Population over time
3 figuresDenver City grew from 3,985 to 4,470 between 2000 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3,985 | |
| 2010 | 4,479 | +494 (+12%) |
| 2020 | 4,470 | -9 (-0%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
5 surveys from 6 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1954 USGS Hobbs quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1958 USGS Hobbs quadrangle1:250000
- 1971 USGS Denver City quadrangle1:24000
- 1985 USGS Seminole quadrangle1:100000
- 1992 USGS Seminole quadrangle1:100000
Fires near this place
35 since 2005Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 35 fires within 5 miles of Denver City between 2005 and 2020, burning about 2,364 acres in total. 3 started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 13 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 8 |
| Debris and open burning | 5 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 5 |
| Natural | 3 |
| Smoking | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 September 2011 | Debris and open burning | 75 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | GRASS FIRE (MUTUAL AID) |
| 23 September 2009 | Debris and open burning | 5.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | GRASS FIRE |
| 8 July 2011 | Power generation/transmission/distribution | 5.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | GRASS FIRE |
| 17 July 2009 | Natural | 25 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | CRAWFORD ROAD GRASS FIRE |
| 9 June 2006 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | not named |
| 25 May 2008 | Natural | 10 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | not named |
| 24 May 2011 | Equipment and vehicle use | 400 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | GRASS FIRE |
| 23 May 2008 | Natural | 10 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
1 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 1 working within 5 miles of Denver City: 1 producer. All of them still produce. What was taken out: Salt, Halite. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vulcan Materials Salt Plant | Salt, Halite | Producer |
Storms near this place
60 of 81 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Denver City in 81 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 37 hail, 35 thunderstorm wind, 5 flash flood, 2 flood. The reports record 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 1996 | Hail | Denver City | 1 hurt, $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| June 1996 | Hail | Denver City | $500,000 | no account filed |
| June 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | $250,000 | no account filed |
| April 2000 | Hail | Denver City | $150,000 | Golfball size hail broke many windows, damaged many cars, and damaged the roofs of numerous homes. |
| October 2002 | Hail | Denver City | $100,000 | Wind-driven large hail damaged numerous homes and automobiles. |
| June 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | $100,000 | Strong wind removed portions of the roof of the Denver City post office and damaged the community center. |
| October 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | $75,000 | Strong thunderstorm wind estimated at 80 mph blew over and destroyed a center pivot irrigation system, destroyed an unoccupied mobile home and a travel trailer, damaged a garage, and blew down a number of trees and power poles. |
| June 1996 | Hail | Denver City | $50,000 | no account filed |
| July 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | $50,000 | no account filed |
| July 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | $50,000 | no account filed |
| December 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | $50,000 | no account filed |
| April 2004 | Flash Flood | Denver City | $30,000 | Slow-moving thunderstorms produced locally heavy rainfall across the southern portion of the county. Several roads in and around Denver City were flooded and several cars were stranded in the high water. |
| March 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | $25,000 | A local newspaper reported that an irrigation system was destroyed by severe thunderstorm winds along Texas Highway 83 west of Denver City. The damaging winds also were accompanied by hail. |
| May 2007 | Flood | Denver City | $20,000 | |Low-lying areas across Denver City were flooded, with water more than curb-deep in most city streets. A vehicle was stalled in high water during the late morning hours. No injuries were reported. |
| August 2001 | Lightning | Denver City | $16,000 | Lightning struck a storage tank and caused a fire that engulfed two such tanks. |
| April 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | $15,000 | Local law enforcement officials reported that utility lines were blown down along Texas Highway 83 west of Denver City. The damage occurred near the path of a Doppler radar indicated mesocyclone, but the occurrence of a tornado could not be confirmed. |
| June 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | $10,000 | Strong wind blew down trees, signs and a large shed. |
| March 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | $5,000 | Downburst winds downed power lines in Denver City, according to the Denver City Police Department. |
| March 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | $3,000 | Strong wind damaged three power poles north of town. |
| October 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | $2,000 | Strong thunderstorm wind blew down numerous trees and snapped power poles. |
| October 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | $2,000 | Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power poles and trees west of town. |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured severe wind gusts from 2030 CST through 2043 CST. A peak wind gust of 65 mph was measured at 2030 CST. Additionally, the Automated Weather Observing Station at Denver City Municipal Airport measured a wind gust of 58 mph at 2035 CST. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | An Automated Weather Observing System at the Denver City Airport measured a wind gust of 60 mph. |
| May 2024 | Hail | Denver City | - | An off-duty NWS employee and numerous storm chasers reported a swath of hail from southwest of Denver City to approximately four miles north of Denver City. Hail ranged in sizes from golf balls to 3.50 inches in diameter. No damage was reported. |
| May 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured a wind gust of 59 mph. |
| May 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured severe wind gusts from 1748 CST through 1814 CST. A peak wind gust of 79 mph was measured at 1758 CST. |
| May 2023 | Flash Flood | Denver City | - | A slow moving thunderstorm over southern Yoakum County created flash flooding along Texas State Highway 83 west of Denver City. |
| May 2022 | Flood | Denver City | - | Several storms had repeatedly trained over the Denver City region causing multiple periods of heavy rainfall over a short period of time. Law enforcement in Denver City reported flooded roads in town from this heavy rainfall. |
| May 2022 | Hail | Denver City | - | Several reports were received of a swath of hail from approximately eight miles west-northwest of Denver City to the city of Denver City. The largest hail reported was baseball size. No damage was reported. |
| May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured wind gusts of 62 mph from 1859 CST through 1900 CST. |
| May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured severe wind gusts from 1511 CST through 1512 CST. A peak wind gust of 69 mph was measured at 1511 CST. |
| May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured severe wind gusts from 1553 CST through 1554 CST. A peak wind gust of 60 mph was measured at 1553 CST. |
| May 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured a wind gust to 60 mph. |
| July 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured a peak wind gust of 61 mph at 0210 CST. Severe wind gusts were measured from 0205 through 0210 CST. |
| July 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured a wind gust to 59 mph. |
| May 2019 | Hail | Denver City | - | A video was posted to social media which showed quarter size hail in Denver City. |
| July 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured a wind gust to 64 mph. |
| April 2017 | Hail | Denver City | - | A swath of hail was reported from 10 miles west of Denver City to 12 miles east of Denver City. Multiple reports were received of hail up to golf ball size. No damage was reported. |
| June 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured a wind gust to 59 mph. |
| June 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured a wind gust to 71 mph. |
| June 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet site near Denver City recorded wind gusts of 83 to 91 mph as a squall line passed through. |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured a wind gust to 60 mph. |
| May 2010 | Hail | Denver City | - | A storm chaser reported quarter size hail over rural portions of eastern Yoakum County. |
| June 2010 | Hail | Denver City | - | Law enforcement officials reported quarter size hail in Denver City just before 17:00 CST. |
| April 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | A linear multicell thunderstorm complex impacted Yoakum County in the wake of an earlier supercell storm. This second round of thunderstorms produced a severe wind gust of 60 mph that was recorded by the Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet west-northwest of Denver City. No damage was reported. |
| April 2009 | Hail | Denver City | - | Penny size hail reportedly covered the ground at a cotton gin west of Denver City along Texas Highway 83 by 15:40 CST. At 15:45 CST, quarter size hail was reported west-northwest of Denver City. |
| July 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | Severe thunderstorms moved southward out of Cochran County and impacted parts of Yoakum County. The Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet initially recorded a severe gust of 60 mph near Plains at 20:10 CST. A peak gust of 66 mph was measured there at 20:25 CST. An additional severe thunderstorm gust of 58 mph was measured by the Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet site near Denver City just before 21:00 CST. No damage was reported. |
| May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | A swath of severe winds initiated over southwestern Yoakum County at 16:30 CST as intense outflow organized in advance of a thunderstorm complex. A 60 mph gust was first recorded by the Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet site west of Denver City. By 16:35 CST, however, wind gusts had increased to 78 mph as measured by the same automated weather station. These intense winds continued as the convection spread northeastward, with a 75 mph gust measured near Plains at 16:50 CST. |
| June 2008 | Hail | Denver City | - | Yoakum County law enforcement officials reported nickel size hail east of Denver City. |
| March 2007 | Hail | Denver City | - | The public and local law enforcement officials reported ping pong ball size hail along Texas Highway 83 just east of the Texas and New Mexico state line. The hail was accompanied by damaging thunderstorm winds. |
| May 2006 | Hail | Denver City | - | Large hail ranging in size from quarters to golfballs was reported by law enforcement officials along Texas Farm to Market Road 214 north of Denver City. |
| May 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | Measured by the Texas Tech West Texas Mesonet. |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | Measured by the Texas Tech/West Texas Mesonet. |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Denver City | - | Measured by the Texas Tech/West Texas Mesonet. |
| April 2004 | Hail | Denver City | - | Periods of hail up to nickel size accumulated on roads up to a foot deep. |
| April 2004 | Flash Flood | Denver City | - | Many streets in and around town were flooded and all roads into Denver City were closed. The NWS Cooperative Observer measured 4.25 inches of rain from this event. In comparison, the area received 10.15 inches of precipitation over the entire previous year. |
| September 2004 | Flash Flood | Denver City | - | Widespread flooding around Denver City resulted in numerous road closures. |
| June 2003 | Hail | Denver City | - | Two inch diameter hail was reported at the cotton gin. |
| April 2002 | Hail | Denver City | - | The Denver City PD reported golfball size hail on Highway 213. |
| October 2002 | Hail | Denver City | - | Wind-driven golfball size hail destroyed more than 1000 acres of cotton. |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allred | 3.5 miles | 6 | |
| Sligo | 8.9 miles | 7 | |
| Pleasant Hill | 9.6 miles | 7 | |
| Plains | 15.5 miles | 7 | |
| Bronco | 23.6 miles | 6 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Denver City | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q949583 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1334272. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.




