Geography of Bandera County
Small towns and open country define Bandera County. Its 22,876 residents are spread across 792 square miles, giving the county a density typical of rural Texas.
It lies in the South Texas region at about 29.75° N, 99.25° W and is 200th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Bandera County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are San Antonio (about 51 miles away in a straight line) and Austin (about 97 miles).
South Texas covers the brush country, the Rio Grande Valley and the ranchlands south of San Antonio. Its culture is strongly shaped by its Tejano heritage and its ties to Mexico, and its economy blends citrus and vegetable farming, ranching, trade and energy.
For a broader view of how Bandera 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 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 is the county seat of Bandera County, sharing its name with the county itself. This is where the county courthouse stands and where residents go for property records, vehicle registration, marriage licenses, court cases and voter services handled by the county clerk, district clerk and tax assessor-collector. For many residents, a trip to Bandera combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
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. Figures are sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau; answers are written and reviewed by the Texas County Map team.
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?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Bandera 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 Bandera 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 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.