Geography of Motley County
Motley County sits at roughly 34.07° N and 100.78° W in the North Texas region of Texas, spanning 989 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 Matador, and the county shares boundaries with 5 neighboring counties.
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 serves as the seat of government for Motley 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
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. Every answer is generated from the official U.S. Census data backing this site.
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?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Motley 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 Motley 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 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.