Geography of Brooks County
Brooks County is a rural county of 943 square miles and about 6,579 residents, where farms and ranches fill most of the space between Falfurrias and its smaller communities.
It lies in the South Texas region at about 27.03° N, 98.22° W and is 88th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Brooks County shares boundaries with 7 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are McAllen (about 57 miles away in a straight line) and Corpus Christi (about 73 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 Brooks 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 6,579 residents across 943 square miles, Brooks County has a population density of about 7.0 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Falfurrias
County government for Brooks County is based in Falfurrias. 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. For many residents, a trip to Falfurrias combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
History & name origin
Brooks County was established in 1911 and was named for James Abijah Brooks, a Texas Ranger and state legislator. It was carved from territory previously part of Starr County.
Brooks County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Brooks 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 Brooks County, Texas located?+
Brooks County is located in the South Texas region of Texas at approximately 27.032° N, 98.219° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48047. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Brooks County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Brooks County in square miles?+
Brooks County covers approximately 943 square miles of land in the South Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 88th 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 Brooks County, Texas?+
Brooks County has a population of approximately 6,579 residents. With 943 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 7.0 people per square mile, which is sparsely populated for a Texas county. That makes Brooks County the 189th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Brooks County?+
Falfurrias is the county seat of Brooks County, Texas, which was organized in 1911 and named for James Abijah Brooks, a Texas Ranger and state legislator. Brooks County was originally carved out of Starr County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Brooks County are located in Falfurrias.
Which Texas counties border Brooks County?+
Brooks County shares borders with Kenedy, Kleberg, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Starr, and Duval counties. These 7 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 Brooks County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Brooks 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 Brooks 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 Brooks County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Brooks County is 48047, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 047. 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.