Muleshoe, TX

Located on the West Texas plains just twenty miles from the New Mexico border, Muleshoe is a quiet agricultural community of about 5,000 people. As the county seat of Bailey County, it sits right along U.S. Highway 84, giving residents a straightforward drive to larger neighboring hubs like Clovis and Lubbock. The town originally grew around the railroad and took its distinctive name from a historic cattle brand, holding onto that practical ranching heritage to this day.

ATTRLarry D. Moore / CC BY 4.0

For newcomers, Muleshoe offers an affordable, tight-knit small-town feel where neighbors quickly get to know each other. The local economy revolves around farming, grain and food processing, the public school district, and the local hospital. Outside of work and school routines, residents turn out for high school sports or head just south to the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge, which draws birdwatchers and nature lovers to see thousands of sandhill cranes every winter. Between local landmarks like the Ol' Pete mule memorial and the preserved buildings at the Heritage Center, it is a classic High Plains town with a grounded sense of community.