Geography of Kleberg County
Kleberg County is a rural county of 871 square miles and about 30,315 residents, where farms and ranches fill most of the space between Kingsville and its smaller communities.
It lies in the Central Texas region at about 27.43° N, 97.75° W and is 179th in size among Texas's 254 counties. The county fronts the Gulf of Mexico or its bays, so the coastline, wetlands and storm-surge planning are part of everyday life. Kleberg County shares boundaries with 4 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Corpus Christi (about 33 miles away in a straight line) and McAllen (about 90 miles).
Central Texas stretches across the Hill Country, the Blackland Prairie and the Cross Timbers. It includes some of the fastest-growing suburbs in the nation along the I-35 corridor, alongside quiet ranching counties with limestone creeks and live-oak savanna.
For a broader view of how Kleberg 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 30,315 residents across 871 square miles, Kleberg County has a population density of about 34.8 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Kingsville
County government for Kleberg County is based in Kingsville. The commissioners court, made up of a county judge and four precinct commissioners, meets here and sets the county budget, roads policy and tax rate. For many residents, a trip to Kingsville combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
History & name origin
Kleberg County was established in 1913 and was named for Robert Justus Kleberg (1803–1888), an early German settler and soldier at the Battle of San Jacinto. It was carved from territory previously part of Nueces County.
Kleberg County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Kleberg 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 Kleberg County, Texas located?+
Kleberg County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 27.432° N, 97.749° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48273. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Kleberg County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Kleberg County in square miles?+
Kleberg County covers approximately 871 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 179th 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 Kleberg County, Texas?+
Kleberg County has a population of approximately 30,315 residents. With 871 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 34.8 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Kleberg County the 96th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Kleberg County?+
Kingsville is the county seat of Kleberg County, Texas, which was organized in 1913 and named for Robert Justus Kleberg (1803–1888), an early German settler and soldier at the Battle of San Jacinto. Kleberg County was originally carved out of Nueces County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Kleberg County are located in Kingsville.
Which Texas counties border Kleberg County?+
Kleberg County shares borders with Kenedy, Nueces, Jim Wells, 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 Kleberg County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Kleberg 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 Kleberg 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 Kleberg County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Kleberg County is 48273, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 273. 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.