Geography of Bandera County
Bandera County sits at roughly 29.75° N and 99.25° W in the South Texas region of Texas, spanning 792 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 Bandera, and the county shares boundaries with 6 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 22,876 residents across 792 square miles, Bandera County has a population density of about 28.9 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Bandera
Bandera serves as the seat of government for Bandera 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
Bandera County was established in 1856 and was named for Bandera Pass, named in turn for the Spanish word for "flag". It was carved from territory previously part of Bexar County.
Bandera County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Bandera 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 Bandera County, Texas located?+
Bandera County is located in the South Texas region of Texas at approximately 29.747° N, 99.246° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48019. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Bandera County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Bandera County in square miles?+
Bandera County covers approximately 792 square miles of land in the South Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 200th 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 Bandera County, Texas?+
Bandera County has a population of approximately 22,876 residents. With 792 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 28.9 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Bandera County the 109th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Bandera County?+
Bandera is the county seat of Bandera County, Texas, which was organized in 1856 and named for Bandera Pass, named in turn for the Spanish word for "flag". Bandera County was originally carved out of Bexar County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Bandera County are located in Bandera.
Which Texas counties border Bandera County?+
Bandera County shares borders with Bexar, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, Real, and Uvalde counties. These 6 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 South Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Bandera County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Bandera 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 Bandera 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 Bandera County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Bandera County is 48019, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 019. 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.