Geography of Gillespie County
Gillespie County is a rural county of 1,061 square miles and about 28,527 residents, where farms and ranches fill most of the space between Fredericksburg and its smaller communities.
It lies in the Central Texas region at about 30.32° N, 98.95° W and is 58th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Gillespie County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are San Antonio (about 68 miles away in a straight line) and Austin (about 72 miles).
Central Texas stretches across the Hill Country, the Blackland Prairie and the Cross Timbers. It includes some of the fastest-growing suburbs in the nation along the I-35 corridor, alongside quiet ranching counties with limestone creeks and live-oak savanna.
For a broader view of how Gillespie 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 28,527 residents across 1,061 square miles, Gillespie County has a population density of about 26.9 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Fredericksburg
If you need an official record from Gillespie County — a deed, a birth certificate, a court filing — Fredericksburg is where it is kept. Like every Texas county seat, it hosts the courthouse and the main offices of county government. For many residents, a trip to Fredericksburg combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
History & name origin
Gillespie County was established in 1848 and was named for Robert Addison Gillespie, a merchant, Mexican–American War soldier, and Texas Ranger. It was carved from territory previously part of Bexar County and Travis County.
Gillespie County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Gillespie 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 Gillespie County, Texas located?+
Gillespie County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 30.318° N, 98.947° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48171. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Gillespie County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Gillespie County in square miles?+
Gillespie County covers approximately 1,061 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 58th 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 Gillespie County, Texas?+
Gillespie County has a population of approximately 28,527 residents. With 1,061 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 26.9 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Gillespie County the 99th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Gillespie County?+
Fredericksburg is the county seat of Gillespie County, Texas, which was organized in 1848 and named for Robert Addison Gillespie, a merchant, Mexican–American War soldier, and Texas Ranger. Gillespie County was originally carved out of Bexar County and Travis County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Gillespie County are located in Fredericksburg.
Which Texas counties border Gillespie County?+
Gillespie County shares borders with Mason, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Llano, and Blanco 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 Central Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Gillespie County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Gillespie 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 Gillespie 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 Gillespie County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Gillespie County is 48171, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 171. 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.