Double-row planting opens the opportunity for improving the use efficiency of radiation and water of crops through increased plant transpiration:soil evaporation ratio and solar radiation interception by the canopy. Double-row planting would lead to yield increases in dryland cotton, but this would depend on soil water availability and on the timeliness of rainfall events. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of double-row planting at three in-row planting densities 3, 4, and 5 seeds per foot-row on growth, yield, and fiber quality of cotton grown under dryland conditions. The study was conducted in Corpus Christi, Texas during 2001. The combination row configuration and in-row planting rate resulted in target plant populations of 40,000, 55,000, 70,000, 80,000, 110,000, and 140,000 plants per acre. Severe drought characterized the growing season. Higher planting density and double-row planting decreased plant growth. Plant height and HNR were decreased in most part by double row planting, while growth of sympodial branches, as measured by the number of sympodial nodes, was decreased by both double rows and increased in-row planting rate. The number of open bolls per plant decreased linearly in proportion to increased plant population per unit area, irrespective of row planting configuration. In consequence, the number of open bolls per unit area was largely unaffected by in-row planting rate and row configuration. Boll size (lint per boll) was largely unaffected by in-row planting rate and row configuration. Lint yield was not different between single- and double-row planting, but decreased with increasing in-row planting rate within single- and double-row planting. There were only minor effects of plant population and double-row planting on fiber quality. This study shows that under severe soil water deficits, cotton yield is not improved by double row planting and, moreover, yields can be damaged by increasing planting rates over 3 seeds per row foot.