Geography of Aransas County
Aransas County sits at roughly 28.01° N and 96.93° W in the Central Texas region of Texas, spanning 252 square miles of terrain that includes the landscape characteristic of the area — from open ranchland and farmland to small-town main streets. The county's centroid is near Rockport, and the county shares boundaries with 4 neighboring counties.
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
Rockport serves as the seat of government for Aransas County. The county courthouse, commissioners court, district clerk, and primary public records are located here. As with all 254 Texas counties, the county seat is the anchor of civic life and the principal address for elections, permits, and court filings.
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. Every answer is generated from the official U.S. Census data backing this site.
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?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Aransas County is available from the "Download PDF" button at the top of this page. The printable layout uses authentic U.S. Census TIGER boundary geometry for Aransas County, includes a Texas locator inset, and is sized for standard 8.5" × 11" Letter paper. For interactive use, the live Leaflet map on this page supports OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, Esri topographic, and Carto light basemaps with zoom, scale bar, and fullscreen.
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.