Geography of Motley County
Motley County is classic frontier Texas: 989 square miles of open land with only about 1,043 residents, which makes it one of the most thinly settled counties in the state (241st of 254 by density).
It lies in the North Texas region at about 34.07° N, 100.78° W and is 78th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Motley County shares boundaries with 5 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Lubbock (about 70 miles away in a straight line) and Amarillo (about 99 miles).
North Texas runs from the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex out to the Red River and the Rolling Plains. It mixes one of America's largest urban regions with wheat fields, cattle country and small towns that grew up along railroads.
For a broader view of how Motley 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 1,043 residents across 989 square miles, Motley County has a population density of about 1.1 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Matador
Matador is the county seat of Motley 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, Matador may be one of only a few incorporated towns.
History & name origin
Motley County was established in 1876 and was named for Junius William Mottley, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. It was carved from territory previously part of Bexar County.
Motley County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Motley 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 Motley County, Texas located?+
Motley County is located in the North Texas region of Texas at approximately 34.074° N, 100.780° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48345. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Motley County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Motley County in square miles?+
Motley County covers approximately 989 square miles of land in the North Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 78th 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 Motley County, Texas?+
Motley County has a population of approximately 1,043 residents. With 989 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 1.1 people per square mile, which is sparsely populated for a Texas county. That makes Motley County the 246th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Motley County?+
Matador is the county seat of Motley County, Texas, which was organized in 1876 and named for Junius William Mottley, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Motley County was originally carved out of Bexar County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Motley County are located in Matador.
Which Texas counties border Motley County?+
Motley County shares borders with Hall, Cottle, Dickens, Floyd, and Briscoe 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 North Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Motley County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Motley 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 Motley 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 Motley County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Motley County is 48345, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 345. 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.