Geography of Donley County
Few places in Texas are as wide open as Donley County. Only around 3,213 people live in its 930 square miles, and ranchland stretches for miles between settlements.
It lies in the Panhandle region at about 34.97° N, 100.81° W and is 100th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Donley County shares boundaries with 5 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Amarillo (about 60 miles away in a straight line) and Lubbock (about 113 miles).
The Texas Panhandle sits atop the High Plains, a nearly flat tableland cut by the Canadian River and the canyons of the Caprock. Wheat, grain sorghum, feedlots, wind energy and natural gas define the area, and winters here are the coldest in Texas.
For a broader view of how Donley 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 3,213 residents across 930 square miles, Donley County has a population density of about 3.5 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Clarendon
If you need an official record from Donley County — a deed, a birth certificate, a court filing — Clarendon is where it is kept. Like every Texas county seat, it hosts the courthouse and the main offices of county government. In a county this sparsely settled, Clarendon may be one of only a few incorporated towns.
History & name origin
Donley County was established in 1876 and was named for Stockton P. Donley, a frontier lawyer and Texas Supreme Court justice. It was carved from territory previously part of Bexar County.
Donley County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Donley 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 Donley County, Texas located?+
Donley County is located in the Panhandle region of Texas at approximately 34.965° N, 100.814° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48129. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Donley County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Donley County in square miles?+
Donley County covers approximately 930 square miles of land in the Panhandle region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 100th 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 Donley County, Texas?+
Donley County has a population of approximately 3,213 residents. With 930 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 3.5 people per square mile, which is sparsely populated for a Texas county. That makes Donley County the 215th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Donley County?+
Clarendon is the county seat of Donley County, Texas, which was organized in 1876 and named for Stockton P. Donley, a frontier lawyer and Texas Supreme Court justice. Donley County was originally carved out of Bexar County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Donley County are located in Clarendon.
Which Texas counties border Donley County?+
Donley County shares borders with Hall, Armstrong, Briscoe, Collingsworth, and Gray counties. These 5 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 Panhandle region.
Where can I download or print a map of Donley County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Donley 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 Donley 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 Donley County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Donley County is 48129, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 129. 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.