Hereford (Tex.)

Hereford ( HUR-fərd) is a city in and the county seat of Deaf Smith County, Texas, United States. It is 48 miles southwest of Amarillo. Its population was 14,972 at the 2020 census. It is the only incorporated locality named "Hereford" in the United States. The area is known for its semiarid climate, with heavy farming and ranching throughout the area sustained by irrigation from the Ogallala Aquifer and the saltier Santa Rosa Aquifer beneath it. Hereford's local water supply contains an unusually high level of naturally occurring fluoride. Because fluoride is used to protect against tooth decay, Hereford earned the title "The Town Without a Toothache". It is also known as the "Beef Capital of the World" because of the large number of cattle feedlots in the area. The city is named for the Hereford breed. The local economy is affected significantly by growth in the dairy and ethanol industries. Hereford is also home to the headquarters of the Deaf Smith Electric Cooperative, which serves Deaf Smith, Castro, Parmer, and Oldham Counties.