Geography of Duval County
Duval County sits at roughly 27.68° N and 98.51° W in the South Texas region of Texas, spanning 1,793 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 San Diego, and the county shares boundaries with 6 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 9,402 residents across 1,793 square miles, Duval County has a population density of about 5.2 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: San Diego
San Diego serves as the seat of government for Duval 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
Duval County was established in 1858 and was named for Burr Harrison DuVal (1809–1836), a soldier in the Texas Revolution who died in the Goliad Massacre. It was carved from territory previously part of Live Oak County, Nueces County and Starr County.
Duval County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Duval 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 Duval County, Texas located?+
Duval County is located in the South Texas region of Texas at approximately 27.681° N, 98.509° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48131. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Duval County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Duval County in square miles?+
Duval County covers approximately 1,793 square miles of land in the South Texas region — a large county by Texas standards. By land area it ranks 13th 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 Duval County, Texas?+
Duval County has a population of approximately 9,402 residents. With 1,793 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 5.2 people per square mile, which is sparsely populated for a Texas county. That makes Duval County the 169th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Duval County?+
San Diego is the county seat of Duval County, Texas, which was organized in 1858 and named for Burr Harrison DuVal (1809–1836), a soldier in the Texas Revolution who died in the Goliad Massacre. Duval County was originally carved out of Live Oak County, Nueces County and Starr County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Duval County are located in San Diego.
Which Texas counties border Duval County?+
Duval County shares borders with McMullen, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Live Oak, Webb, and Brooks 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 Duval County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Duval 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 Duval 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 Duval County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Duval County is 48131, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 131. 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.