Geography of Winkler County
Winkler County sits at roughly 31.85° N and 103.05° W in the West Texas region of Texas, spanning 841 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 Kermit, and the county shares boundaries with 4 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 7,540 residents across 841 square miles, Winkler County has a population density of about 9.0 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Kermit
Kermit serves as the seat of government for Winkler 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
Winkler County was established in 1887 and was named for Clinton Winkler, an appeals court judge, Texas state representative, and Confederate colonel. It was carved from territory previously part of Tom Green County.
Winkler County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Winkler 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 Winkler County, Texas located?+
Winkler County is located in the West Texas region of Texas at approximately 31.850° N, 103.048° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48495. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Winkler County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Winkler County in square miles?+
Winkler County covers approximately 841 square miles of land in the West Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 188th 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 Winkler County, Texas?+
Winkler County has a population of approximately 7,540 residents. With 841 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 9.0 people per square mile, which is sparsely populated for a Texas county. That makes Winkler County the 179th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Winkler County?+
Kermit is the county seat of Winkler County, Texas, which was organized in 1887 and named for Clinton Winkler, an appeals court judge, Texas state representative, and Confederate colonel. Winkler County was originally carved out of Tom Green County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Winkler County are located in Kermit.
Which Texas counties border Winkler County?+
Winkler County shares borders with Loving, Ward, Andrews, and Ector counties. These 4 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 Winkler County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Winkler 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 Winkler 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 Winkler County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Winkler County is 48495, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 495. 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.