Geography of Jim Wells County
Jim Wells County is built around Alice and a handful of smaller towns, with about 38,804 residents across 865 square miles of mixed town and countryside.
It lies in the South Texas region at about 27.73° N, 98.09° W and is 180th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Jim Wells County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Corpus Christi (about 42 miles away in a straight line) and Laredo (about 88 miles).
South Texas covers the brush country, the Rio Grande Valley and the ranchlands south of San Antonio. Its culture is strongly shaped by its Tejano heritage and its ties to Mexico, and its economy blends citrus and vegetable farming, ranching, trade and energy.
For a broader view of how Jim Wells 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 38,804 residents across 865 square miles, Jim Wells County has a population density of about 44.9 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Alice
Alice is the county seat of Jim Wells 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. Alice also serves as the main shopping, school and healthcare center for much of the county.
History & name origin
Jim Wells County was established in 1911 and was named for James Babbage Wells Jr., judge and Democratic party boss in southern Texas. It was carved from territory previously part of Nueces County.
Jim Wells County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Jim Wells 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 Jim Wells County, Texas located?+
Jim Wells County is located in the South Texas region of Texas at approximately 27.731° N, 98.090° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48249. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Jim Wells County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Jim Wells County in square miles?+
Jim Wells County covers approximately 865 square miles of land in the South Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 180th 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 Jim Wells County, Texas?+
Jim Wells County has a population of approximately 38,804 residents. With 865 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 44.9 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Jim Wells County the 84th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Jim Wells County?+
Alice is the county seat of Jim Wells County, Texas, which was organized in 1911 and named for James Babbage Wells Jr., judge and Democratic party boss in southern Texas. Jim Wells County was originally carved out of Nueces County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Jim Wells County are located in Alice.
Which Texas counties border Jim Wells County?+
Jim Wells County shares borders with Kleberg, Nueces, San Patricio, Live Oak, Brooks, and Duval 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 Jim Wells County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Jim Wells 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 Jim Wells 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 Jim Wells County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Jim Wells County is 48249, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 249. 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.