Geography of San Patricio County
San Patricio County is built around Sinton and a handful of smaller towns, with about 72,053 residents across 692 square miles of mixed town and countryside.
It lies in the Central Texas region at about 28.01° N, 97.52° W and is 219th 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. San Patricio County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Corpus Christi (about 16 miles away in a straight line) and Victoria (about 63 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 San Patricio 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 72,053 residents across 692 square miles, San Patricio County has a population density of about 104.1 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: Sinton
County government for San Patricio County is based in Sinton. 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. Sinton also serves as the main shopping, school and healthcare center for much of the county.
History & name origin
San Patricio County was established in 1836 and was named for Its former county seat San Patricio de Hibernia, an Irish colony named for Saint Patrick. It was carved from territory previously part of One of the original 23 counties.
San Patricio County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about San Patricio 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 San Patricio County, Texas located?+
San Patricio County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 28.008° N, 97.518° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48409. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for San Patricio County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is San Patricio County in square miles?+
San Patricio County covers approximately 692 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a compact county by Texas standards. By land area it ranks 219th 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 San Patricio County, Texas?+
San Patricio County has a population of approximately 72,053 residents. With 692 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 104.1 people per square mile, which is moderately populated for a Texas county. That makes San Patricio County the 52nd most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of San Patricio County?+
Sinton is the county seat of San Patricio County, Texas, which was organized in 1836 and named for Its former county seat San Patricio de Hibernia, an Irish colony named for Saint Patrick. San Patricio County was originally carved out of One of the original 23 counties. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for San Patricio County are located in Sinton.
Which Texas counties border San Patricio County?+
San Patricio County shares borders with Nueces, Refugio, Aransas, Bee, Jim Wells, and Live Oak 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 San Patricio County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the San Patricio 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 San Patricio 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 San Patricio County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for San Patricio County is 48409, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 409. 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.