Geography of Upton County
Upton County is classic frontier Texas: 1,242 square miles of open land with only about 3,131 residents, which makes it one of the most thinly settled counties in the state (223rd of 254 by density).
It lies in the West Texas region at about 31.37° N, 102.04° W and is 37th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Upton County shares boundaries with 5 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Midland (about 43 miles away in a straight line) and San Angelo (about 95 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 Upton 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 3,131 residents across 1,242 square miles, Upton County has a population density of about 2.5 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Rankin
Rankin is the county seat of Upton 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, Rankin may be one of only a few incorporated towns.
History & name origin
Upton County was established in 1887 and was named for John C. & William F. Upton, brothers and lieutenant colonels in the Confederate army during the Civil War. It was carved from territory previously part of Tom Green County.
Upton County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Upton 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 Upton County, Texas located?+
Upton County is located in the West Texas region of Texas at approximately 31.369° N, 102.043° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48461. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Upton County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Upton County in square miles?+
Upton County covers approximately 1,242 square miles of land in the West Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 37th 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 Upton County, Texas?+
Upton County has a population of approximately 3,131 residents. With 1,242 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 2.5 people per square mile, which is sparsely populated for a Texas county. That makes Upton County the 220th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Upton County?+
Rankin is the county seat of Upton County, Texas, which was organized in 1887 and named for John C. & William F. Upton, brothers and lieutenant colonels in the Confederate army during the Civil War. Upton County was originally carved out of Tom Green County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Upton County are located in Rankin.
Which Texas counties border Upton County?+
Upton County shares borders with Reagan, Crane, Crockett, Ector, and Midland 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 Upton County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Upton 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 Upton 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 Upton County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Upton County is 48461, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 461. 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.