Cochran County, on the southern High Plains, is bordered on the west by New Mexico, on the north by Bailey County, on the east by Hockley County, and on the south by Yoakum County. It was named for Robert Cochran who died at the Alamo. The center point of the county is 33°35' north latitude and 102°50' west longitude, some fifty miles west of Lubbock. Cochran County covers 783 square miles of level prairie with elevations varying from 3,500 to 3,800 feet above sea level; loamy or sandy soils predominate.

Many small lakes dot the county, including Silver Lake, and several small salt lakes. Rainfall in the area averages 15.62 inches a year; the average minimum temperature in January is 23 F; the average high in July is 92 F. The growing season lasts 189 days. The county's agricultural income averages $50 million a year, derived from cotton, sorghums, wheat, and cattle; county farmers irrigate more than 110,000 acres. Mesquite and grama grasses provide much of the ground cover.

Farms in the area surrounding Morton produce cotton, cattle, and grains, mainly for feed. The town serves as a banking and supply center for these farms. Its industrial activities include meat packing and gas and sulfur refining