Geography of Kinney County
Kinney County is classic frontier Texas: 1,364 square miles of open land with only about 3,128 residents, which makes it one of the most thinly settled counties in the state (224th of 254 by density).
It lies in the South Texas region at about 29.35° N, 100.42° W and is 28th in size among Texas's 254 counties. It is a border county, touching Mexico (along the Rio Grande). Kinney County shares boundaries with 4 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are San Antonio (about 116 miles away in a straight line) and Laredo (about 139 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 Kinney 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 3,128 residents across 1,364 square miles, Kinney County has a population density of about 2.3 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Brackettville
Brackettville is the county seat of Kinney 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, Brackettville may be one of only a few incorporated towns.
History & name origin
Kinney County was established in 1850 and was named for Henry Lawrence Kinney, a Texas state senator and unsuccessful land speculator. It was carved from territory previously part of Bexar County.
Kinney County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Kinney 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 Kinney County, Texas located?+
Kinney County is located in the South Texas region of Texas at approximately 29.350° N, 100.418° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48271. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Kinney County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Kinney County in square miles?+
Kinney County covers approximately 1,364 square miles of land in the South Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 28th 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 Kinney County, Texas?+
Kinney County has a population of approximately 3,128 residents. With 1,364 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 2.3 people per square mile, which is sparsely populated for a Texas county. That makes Kinney County the 221st most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Kinney County?+
Brackettville is the county seat of Kinney County, Texas, which was organized in 1850 and named for Henry Lawrence Kinney, a Texas state senator and unsuccessful land speculator. Kinney County was originally carved out of Bexar County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Kinney County are located in Brackettville.
Which Texas counties border Kinney County?+
Kinney County shares borders with Maverick, Uvalde, Val Verde, and Edwards 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 South Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Kinney County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Kinney 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 Kinney 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 Kinney County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Kinney County is 48271, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 271. 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.