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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

Denver City within Yoakum County

Population over time

3 figures

Denver 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.

YearPeople Change
20003,985
20104,479+494 (+12%)
20204,470-9 (-0%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

5 surveys from 6 printed sheets

Matched 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.

Fires near this place

35 since 2005

Regional 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/undetermined13
Power generation/transmission/distribution8
Debris and open burning5
Equipment and vehicle use5
Natural3
Smoking1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
23 September 2011Debris and open burning75 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceGRASS FIRE (MUTUAL AID)
23 September 2009Debris and open burning5.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceGRASS FIRE
8 July 2011Power generation/transmission/distribution5.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceGRASS FIRE
17 July 2009Natural25 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceCRAWFORD ROAD GRASS FIRE
9 June 2006Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresTexas A & M Forest Servicenot named
25 May 2008Natural10 acresTexas A & M Forest Servicenot named
24 May 2011Equipment and vehicle use400 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceGRASS FIRE
23 May 2008Natural10 acresTexas A & M Forest Servicenot named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Yoakum County

Mines and quarries near this place

1 within 5 miles

Regional 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 SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Vulcan Materials Salt PlantSalt, HaliteProducer

Every working recorded in Yoakum County

Storms near this place

60 of 81 shown

Regional 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.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 1996HailDenver City1 hurt, $2,500,000no account filed
June 1996HailDenver City$500,000no account filed
June 1997Thunderstorm WindDenver City$250,000no account filed
April 2000HailDenver City$150,000Golfball size hail broke many windows, damaged many cars, and damaged the roofs of numerous homes.
October 2002HailDenver City$100,000Wind-driven large hail damaged numerous homes and automobiles.
June 1999Thunderstorm WindDenver City$100,000Strong wind removed portions of the roof of the Denver City post office and damaged the community center.
October 2002Thunderstorm WindDenver City$75,000Strong 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 1996HailDenver City$50,000no account filed
July 1994Thunderstorm WindDenver City$50,000no account filed
July 1994Thunderstorm WindDenver City$50,000no account filed
December 1993Thunderstorm WindDenver City$50,000no account filed
April 2004Flash FloodDenver City$30,000Slow-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 2007Thunderstorm WindDenver City$25,000A 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 2007FloodDenver 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 2001LightningDenver City$16,000Lightning struck a storage tank and caused a fire that engulfed two such tanks.
April 2009Thunderstorm WindDenver City$15,000Local 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 1999Thunderstorm WindDenver City$10,000Strong wind blew down trees, signs and a large shed.
March 1993Thunderstorm WindDenver City$5,000Downburst winds downed power lines in Denver City, according to the Denver City Police Department.
March 2000Thunderstorm WindDenver City$3,000Strong wind damaged three power poles north of town.
October 2002Thunderstorm WindDenver City$2,000Strong thunderstorm wind blew down numerous trees and snapped power poles.
October 2002Thunderstorm WindDenver City$2,000Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power poles and trees west of town.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindDenver 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 2024Thunderstorm WindDenver City-An Automated Weather Observing System at the Denver City Airport measured a wind gust of 60 mph.
May 2024HailDenver 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 2023Thunderstorm WindDenver City-A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured a wind gust of 59 mph.
May 2023Thunderstorm WindDenver 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 2023Flash FloodDenver City-A slow moving thunderstorm over southern Yoakum County created flash flooding along Texas State Highway 83 west of Denver City.
May 2022FloodDenver 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 2022HailDenver 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 2022Thunderstorm WindDenver 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 2022Thunderstorm WindDenver 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 2022Thunderstorm WindDenver 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 2021Thunderstorm WindDenver City-A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured a wind gust to 60 mph.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindDenver 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 2019Thunderstorm WindDenver City-A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured a wind gust to 59 mph.
May 2019HailDenver City-A video was posted to social media which showed quarter size hail in Denver City.
July 2018Thunderstorm WindDenver City-A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured a wind gust to 64 mph.
April 2017HailDenver 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 2017Thunderstorm WindDenver City-A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured a wind gust to 59 mph.
June 2016Thunderstorm WindDenver City-A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured a wind gust to 71 mph.
June 2015Thunderstorm WindDenver 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 2013Thunderstorm WindDenver City-A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Denver City measured a wind gust to 60 mph.
May 2010HailDenver City-A storm chaser reported quarter size hail over rural portions of eastern Yoakum County.
June 2010HailDenver City-Law enforcement officials reported quarter size hail in Denver City just before 17:00 CST.
April 2009Thunderstorm WindDenver 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 2009HailDenver 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 2009Thunderstorm WindDenver 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 2008Thunderstorm WindDenver 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 2008HailDenver City-Yoakum County law enforcement officials reported nickel size hail east of Denver City.
March 2007HailDenver 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 2006HailDenver 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 2005Thunderstorm WindDenver City-Measured by the Texas Tech West Texas Mesonet.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindDenver City-Measured by the Texas Tech/West Texas Mesonet.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindDenver City-Measured by the Texas Tech/West Texas Mesonet.
April 2004HailDenver City-Periods of hail up to nickel size accumulated on roads up to a foot deep.
April 2004Flash FloodDenver 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 2004Flash FloodDenver City-Widespread flooding around Denver City resulted in numerous road closures.
June 2003HailDenver City-Two inch diameter hail was reported at the cotton gin.
April 2002HailDenver City-The Denver City PD reported golfball size hail on Highway 213.
October 2002HailDenver City-Wind-driven golfball size hail destroyed more than 1000 acres of cotton.

Every storm recorded in Yoakum County

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 PlaceDistance Sheets
Allred3.5 miles6
Sligo8.9 miles7
Pleasant Hill9.6 miles7
Plains15.5 miles7
Bronco23.6 miles6

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 CityAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q949583The 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.