Geography of Glasscock County
Glasscock County is classic frontier Texas: 901 square miles of open land with only about 1,128 residents, which makes it one of the most thinly settled counties in the state (239th of 254 by density).
It lies in the West Texas region at about 31.87° N, 101.52° W and is 148th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Glasscock County shares boundaries with 5 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Midland (about 34 miles away in a straight line) and San Angelo (about 70 miles).
West Texas is a land of long horizons: rolling plains, mesas and desert grassland where cotton farms, cattle ranches and the oilfields of the Permian Basin are the main sources of work. Distances between towns are measured in hours, not minutes.
For a broader view of how Glasscock 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 1,128 residents across 901 square miles, Glasscock County has a population density of about 1.3 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Garden City
Garden City is the county seat of Glasscock County. 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. In a county this sparsely settled, Garden City may be one of only a few incorporated towns.
History & name origin
Glasscock County was established in 1887 and was named for George Washington Glasscock (1810–1868), an early Texian settler, businessman, soldier, and state representative. It was carved from territory previously part of Tom Green County.
Glasscock County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Glasscock 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 Glasscock County, Texas located?+
Glasscock County is located in the West Texas region of Texas at approximately 31.869° N, 101.521° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48173. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Glasscock County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Glasscock County in square miles?+
Glasscock County covers approximately 901 square miles of land in the West Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 148th 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 Glasscock County, Texas?+
Glasscock County has a population of approximately 1,128 residents. With 901 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 1.3 people per square mile, which is sparsely populated for a Texas county. That makes Glasscock County the 244th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Glasscock County?+
Garden City is the county seat of Glasscock County, Texas, which was organized in 1887 and named for George Washington Glasscock (1810–1868), an early Texian settler, businessman, soldier, and state representative. Glasscock County was originally carved out of Tom Green County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Glasscock County are located in Garden City.
Which Texas counties border Glasscock County?+
Glasscock County shares borders with Howard, Reagan, Martin, Sterling, and Midland 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 West Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Glasscock County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Glasscock 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 Glasscock 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 Glasscock County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Glasscock County is 48173, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 173. 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.