Carson County is one of 254 counties in Texas. It is not part of a Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Panhandle which is the agribusiness center of the area. Land uses in Carson County are "traditionally Texan": wheat, corn, sorghums, soybeans, and cattle. Carson County lies 28 miles east of Amarillo. Recreation includes visits to the Square House Museum and to the Cross in Groom. The Cross in Groom is the largest cross in the state of Texas. Government, farming, ranching, agribusiness with oil and gas production, and Pantex (a nuclear plant) are the major job sources. Wholesale and retail trade make significant contributions to the Carson County economy. Demographically, projections for Carson County in the year 2000, show little anticipated change. In 1966, its population was 6,677 and the prediction for 2000 is 6,680. In 1997, Carson County ranked 190th among Texas counties, which is not surprising since it is predominately rural and not part of a Metropolitan Area. Gender population projections are that females will outnumber males by 310 by the beginning of the millennium. The largest age group is 18 to 64, not unlike many counties throughout Texas.