Geography of Kenedy County
Kenedy County sits at roughly 26.93° N and 97.73° W in the Central Texas region of Texas, spanning 1,457 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 Sarita, and the county shares boundaries with 4 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 319 residents across 1,457 square miles, Kenedy County has a population density of about 0.2 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Sarita
Sarita serves as the seat of government for Kenedy 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
Kenedy County was established in 1921 and was named for Mifflin Kenedy, an early rancher and land speculator. It was carved from territory previously part of Hidalgo County and Willacy County (Due to a reorganization of Willacy County).
Kenedy County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Kenedy 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 Kenedy County, Texas located?+
Kenedy County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 26.930° N, 97.733° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48261. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Kenedy County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Kenedy County in square miles?+
Kenedy County covers approximately 1,457 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 25th 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 Kenedy County, Texas?+
Kenedy County has a population of approximately 319 residents. With 1,457 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 0.2 people per square mile, which is sparsely populated for a Texas county. That makes Kenedy County the 252nd most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Kenedy County?+
Sarita is the county seat of Kenedy County, Texas, which was organized in 1921 and named for Mifflin Kenedy, an early rancher and land speculator. Kenedy County was originally carved out of Hidalgo County and Willacy County (Due to a reorganization of Willacy County). County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Kenedy County are located in Sarita.
Which Texas counties border Kenedy County?+
Kenedy County shares borders with Kleberg, Hidalgo, Willacy, and Brooks counties. These 4 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 Kenedy County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Kenedy 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 Kenedy 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 Kenedy County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Kenedy County is 48261, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 261. 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.