Geography of Willacy County
Willacy County sits at roughly 26.47° N and 97.68° W in the Central Texas region of Texas, spanning 597 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 Raymondville, and the county shares boundaries with 3 neighboring counties.
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 serves as the seat of government for Willacy 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
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. Every answer is generated from the official U.S. Census data backing this site.
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?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Willacy 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 Willacy 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 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.