Big Spring, Texas

Not to be confused with Spring, Texas.
Big Spring, Texas
City
Aerial view of Big Spring
Aerial view of Big Spring
Nickname: 
"The Spring City"
Location of Big Spring in Howard County, Texas
Location of Big Spring in Howard County, Texas
Map
Map
Map
Map
Coordinates: 32°14′36″N 101°28′31″W / 32.24333°N 101.47528°W / 32.24333; -101.47528
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountyHoward
Founded1882
Incorporated1907
Government
[1]
 • TypeCouncil-Manager
 • MayorRobert Moore
 • City managerTodd Darden
 • Assistant City ManagerLesa Gamble
 • Councilmember
  • District 1 – Nick Ornelas
  • District 2 – Diane Yanez
  • District 3 – Cody Hughes
  • District 4 – Homer Wilkerson
  • District 5 – Troy Tompkins
  • District 6 – Daniel Moreno
Area
[2]
 • Total
19.226 sq mi (49.795 km2)
 • Land19.138 sq mi (49.566 km2)
 • Water0.088 sq mi (0.229 km2)
Elevation
[3]
2,441 ft (744 m)
Population
 (2020)[4]
 • Total
26,144
 • Estimate 
(2023)[5]
22,373
 • RankTX: 140th
 • Density1,169/sq mi (451.4/km2)
Time zoneUTC–6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC–5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes
79720, 79721
Area code432
FIPS code48-08236
GNIS feature ID1330654[3]
Sales tax8.25%[6]
Websitemybigspring.com
The Municipal Auditorium in Big Spring

Big Spring is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Texas, United States, at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 87 and Interstate 20. The population was 26,144 at the 2020 census.[4] Big Spring was established as the county seat of Howard County in 1882; it is the largest community in the county.

The city took its name from the single, large spring that issued into a small gorge between the base of Scenic Mountain and a neighboring hill in the southwestern part of the city limits. Although the name is sometimes still mistakenly pluralized, it is officially singular. "To the native or established residents who may wince at the plural in Big Spring, it should be explained that until about 1916, when for some unexplained reason the name dropped the final 's', the official name of the town was indeed Big Springs."[7]

  1. ^ "City Council". City of Big Spring, Texas. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  2. ^ "2023 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  3. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Big Spring, Texas
  4. ^ a b "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference USCensusEst2023 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Big Spring (TX) sales tax rate". Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  7. ^ Pickle, Joe (1980). Gettin' Started, Howard County's first 25 years. Big Springs [sic], Tex.: Heritage Museum. ISBN 0-89015-268-3.