Matador is located northeast of Lubbock between Plainview and Paducah at US 62/70 and Hwy 70 in Motley County, where it is the seat.
Matador was incorporated in 1912, and in 1940 had sixty businesses and a population of 1,302, a number that remained fairly constant until 1961, when the population was 1,217.
In 1988 Matador had nineteen businesses and a population of 1,019. The town is a commercial center for cattle, quarter horses, and farm produce. It has two hospitals, a weekly newspaper, and recreational facilities at Jameson Lake and Virginia Walton Park.
In 1990 the population was 790.