Geography of Medina County
Medina County is built around Hondo and a handful of smaller towns, with about 56,881 residents across 1,328 square miles of mixed town and countryside.
It lies in the South Texas region at about 29.36° N, 99.11° W and is 30th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Medina County shares boundaries with 5 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are San Antonio (about 38 miles away in a straight line) and Austin (about 104 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 Medina 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 56,881 residents across 1,328 square miles, Medina County has a population density of about 42.8 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Hondo
If you need an official record from Medina County — a deed, a birth certificate, a court filing — Hondo is where it is kept. Like every Texas county seat, it hosts the courthouse and the main offices of county government. Hondo also serves as the main shopping, school and healthcare center for much of the county.
History & name origin
Medina County was established in 1848 and was named for The Medina River, named for Spanish engineer Pedro de Medina. It was carved from territory previously part of Bexar County.
Medina County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Medina 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 Medina County, Texas located?+
Medina County is located in the South Texas region of Texas at approximately 29.356° N, 99.110° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48325. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Medina County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Medina County in square miles?+
Medina County covers approximately 1,328 square miles of land in the South Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 30th 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 Medina County, Texas?+
Medina County has a population of approximately 56,881 residents. With 1,328 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 42.8 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Medina County the 65th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Medina County?+
Hondo is the county seat of Medina County, Texas, which was organized in 1848 and named for The Medina River, named for Spanish engineer Pedro de Medina. Medina County was originally carved out of Bexar County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Medina County are located in Hondo.
Which Texas counties border Medina County?+
Medina County shares borders with Bexar, Uvalde, Atascosa, Bandera, and Frio 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 South Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Medina County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Medina 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 Medina 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 Medina County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Medina County is 48325, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 325. 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.