Geography of Terry County
Terry County is a rural county of 890 square miles and about 11,720 residents, where farms and ranches fill most of the space between Brownfield and its smaller communities.
It lies in the West Texas region at about 33.17° N, 102.34° W and is 165th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Terry County shares boundaries with 5 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Lubbock (about 40 miles away in a straight line) and Midland (about 83 miles).
West Texas is a land of long horizons: rolling plains, mesas and desert grassland where cotton farms, cattle ranches and the oilfields of the Permian Basin are the main sources of work. Distances between towns are measured in hours, not minutes.
For a broader view of how Terry 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 11,720 residents across 890 square miles, Terry County has a population density of about 13.2 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Brownfield
If you need an official record from Terry County — a deed, a birth certificate, a court filing — Brownfield is where it is kept. Like every Texas county seat, it hosts the courthouse and the main offices of county government. For many residents, a trip to Brownfield combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
History & name origin
Terry County was established in 1876 and was named for Frank Terry, a Confederate colonel and commander of Terry's Texas Rangers. It was carved from territory previously part of Bexar County.
Terry County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Terry 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 Terry County, Texas located?+
Terry County is located in the West Texas region of Texas at approximately 33.174° N, 102.335° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48445. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Terry County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Terry County in square miles?+
Terry County covers approximately 890 square miles of land in the West Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 165th 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 Terry County, Texas?+
Terry County has a population of approximately 11,720 residents. With 890 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 13.2 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Terry County the 158th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Terry County?+
Brownfield is the county seat of Terry County, Texas, which was organized in 1876 and named for Frank Terry, a Confederate colonel and commander of Terry's Texas Rangers. Terry County was originally carved out of Bexar County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Terry County are located in Brownfield.
Which Texas counties border Terry County?+
Terry County shares borders with Hockley, Lynn, Yoakum, Dawson, and Gaines 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 West Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Terry County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Terry 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 Terry 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 Terry County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Terry County is 48445, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 445. 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.