Geography of Refugio County
Refugio County sits at roughly 28.32° N and 97.16° W in the Central Texas region of Texas, spanning 770 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 Refugio, and the county shares boundaries with 6 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 6,657 residents across 770 square miles, Refugio County has a population density of about 8.6 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Refugio
Refugio serves as the seat of government for Refugio 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
Refugio County was established in 1836 and was named for Its county seat, which was named for the Spanish mission Nuestra Señora del Refugio, "Our Lady of Refuge". It was carved from territory previously part of One of the original 23 counties.
Refugio County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Refugio 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 Refugio County, Texas located?+
Refugio County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 28.325° N, 97.165° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48391. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Refugio County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Refugio County in square miles?+
Refugio County covers approximately 770 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 206th 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 Refugio County, Texas?+
Refugio County has a population of approximately 6,657 residents. With 770 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 8.6 people per square mile, which is sparsely populated for a Texas county. That makes Refugio County the 187th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Refugio County?+
Refugio is the county seat of Refugio County, Texas, which was organized in 1836 and named for Its county seat, which was named for the Spanish mission Nuestra Señora del Refugio, "Our Lady of Refuge". Refugio County was originally carved out of One of the original 23 counties. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Refugio County are located in Refugio.
Which Texas counties border Refugio County?+
Refugio County shares borders with San Patricio, Victoria, Aransas, Bee, Calhoun, and Goliad counties. These 6 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 Refugio County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Refugio 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 Refugio 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 Refugio County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Refugio County is 48391, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 391. 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.