Geography of Hale County
Hale County is a rural county of 1,005 square miles and about 31,819 residents, where farms and ranches fill most of the space between Plainview and its smaller communities.
It lies in the West Texas region at about 34.07° N, 101.83° W and is 72nd in size among Texas's 254 counties. Hale County shares boundaries with 5 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Lubbock (about 34 miles away in a straight line) and Amarillo (about 79 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 Hale 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 31,819 residents across 1,005 square miles, Hale County has a population density of about 31.7 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Plainview
Plainview is the county seat of Hale 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. For many residents, a trip to Plainview combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
History & name origin
Hale County was established in 1876 and was named for John C. Hale, a lieutenant killed in action at the Battle of San Jacinto. It was carved from territory previously part of Bexar County.
Hale County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Hale 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 Hale County, Texas located?+
Hale County is located in the West Texas region of Texas at approximately 34.071° N, 101.827° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48189. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Hale County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Hale County in square miles?+
Hale County covers approximately 1,005 square miles of land in the West Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 72nd 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 Hale County, Texas?+
Hale County has a population of approximately 31,819 residents. With 1,005 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 31.7 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Hale County the 92nd most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Hale County?+
Plainview is the county seat of Hale County, Texas, which was organized in 1876 and named for John C. Hale, a lieutenant killed in action at the Battle of San Jacinto. Hale County was originally carved out of Bexar County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Hale County are located in Plainview.
Which Texas counties border Hale County?+
Hale County shares borders with Floyd, Lamb, Lubbock, Swisher, and Castro 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 Hale County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Hale 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 Hale 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 Hale County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Hale County is 48189, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 189. 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.