Geography of Willacy County
Small towns and open country define Willacy County. Its 19,971 residents are spread across 597 square miles, giving the county a density typical of rural Texas.
It lies in the Central Texas region at about 26.47° N, 97.68° W and is one of the 25 smallest counties in Texas (230th of 254 by area). The county fronts the Gulf of Mexico or its bays, so the coastline, wetlands and storm-surge planning are part of everyday life. Willacy County shares boundaries with 3 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are McAllen (about 39 miles away in a straight line) and Brownsville (about 41 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 Willacy 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 19,971 residents across 597 square miles, Willacy County has a population density of about 33.5 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Raymondville
Raymondville is the county seat of Willacy 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. For many residents, a trip to Raymondville combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
History & name origin
Willacy County was established in 1911 and was named for John G. Willacy, Texas state senator who was the author of the bill that established the county. It was carved from territory previously part of Cameron County and Hidalgo County.
Willacy County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Willacy 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 Willacy County, Texas located?+
Willacy County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 26.469° N, 97.680° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48489. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Willacy County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Willacy County in square miles?+
Willacy County covers approximately 597 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a compact county by Texas standards. By land area it ranks 230th 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 Willacy County, Texas?+
Willacy County has a population of approximately 19,971 residents. With 597 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 33.5 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Willacy County the 124th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Willacy County?+
Raymondville is the county seat of Willacy County, Texas, which was organized in 1911 and named for John G. Willacy, Texas state senator who was the author of the bill that established the county. Willacy County was originally carved out of Cameron County and Hidalgo County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Willacy County are located in Raymondville.
Which Texas counties border Willacy County?+
Willacy County shares borders with Kenedy, Hidalgo, and Cameron counties. These 3 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 Willacy County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Willacy 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 Willacy 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 Willacy County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Willacy County is 48489, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 489. 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.