Geography of Aransas County
Covering 252 square miles, Aransas County combines a regional trade center at Rockport with farm and ranch land in every direction. About 26,146 people live here.
It lies in the Central Texas region at about 28.01° N, 96.93° W and is one of the 25 smallest counties in Texas (251st of 254 by area). The county fronts the Gulf of Mexico or its bays, so the coastline, wetlands and storm-surge planning are part of everyday life. Aransas County shares boundaries with 4 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Corpus Christi (about 32 miles away in a straight line) and Victoria (about 55 miles).
Central Texas stretches across the Hill Country, the Blackland Prairie and the Cross Timbers. It includes some of the fastest-growing suburbs in the nation along the I-35 corridor, alongside quiet ranching counties with limestone creeks and live-oak savanna.
For a broader view of how Aransas County fits within the state, download our free Texas map with counties and cities PDF — a printable, high-resolution reference showing all 254 Texas counties labeled with their county seats.
Population & demographics
With approximately 26,146 residents across 252 square miles, Aransas County has a population density of about 103.8 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: Rockport
County government for Aransas County is based in Rockport. The commissioners court, made up of a county judge and four precinct commissioners, meets here and sets the county budget, roads policy and tax rate. Rockport also serves as the main shopping, school and healthcare center for much of the county.
History & name origin
Aransas County was established in 1871 and was named for Aransas Bay, named in turn for an early Spanish fort; this support was supposedly named in turn for a Spanish palace Aránzazu, possibly related to the Sanctuario de Aránzazu. (Arantzazu is Basque for "place of thorns"). It was carved from territory previously part of Refugio County.
Aransas County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Aransas County geography, population, county seat, neighboring counties, and how to use the maps on this page. Figures are sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau; answers are written and reviewed by the Texas County Map team.
Where is Aransas County, Texas located?+
Aransas County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 28.012° N, 96.932° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48007. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Aransas County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Aransas County in square miles?+
Aransas County covers approximately 252 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a compact county by Texas standards. By land area it ranks 251st out of 254 Texas counties. The full bounding box of the county is rendered to scale on the interactive map and matches the U.S. Census TIGER 2023 polygon.
What is the population of Aransas County, Texas?+
Aransas County has a population of approximately 26,146 residents. With 252 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 103.8 people per square mile, which is moderately populated for a Texas county. That makes Aransas County the 101st most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Aransas County?+
Rockport is the county seat of Aransas County, Texas, which was organized in 1871 and named for Aransas Bay, named in turn for an early Spanish fort; this support was supposedly named in turn for a Spanish palace Aránzazu, possibly related to the Sanctuario de Aránzazu. (Arantzazu is Basque for "place of thorns"). Aransas County was originally carved out of Refugio County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Aransas County are located in Rockport.
Which Texas counties border Aransas County?+
Aransas County shares borders with Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, and Calhoun counties. These 4 neighboring counties are highlighted on the schematic boundary map and linked at the bottom of this page so you can quickly compare population, area, and county seats across the Central Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Aransas County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Aransas County map on this page to save a letter-size PDF of the county boundary, neighboring counties and incorporated places, drawn from U.S. Census Bureau 2023 boundary files. The "Official TxDOT road map" button downloads the Texas Department of Transportation county road mapbook for Aransas County. Both files are stored on this site and download directly. Our free Texas map with counties and cities PDF shows all 254 counties on one sheet.
What is the FIPS code for Aransas County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Aransas County is 48007, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 007. This is the same FIPS code used by the U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line files, the American Community Survey, and most federal datasets that key on county.