Geography of Winkler County
Winkler County is a rural county of 841 square miles and about 7,540 residents, where farms and ranches fill most of the space between Kermit and its smaller communities.
It lies in the West Texas region at about 31.85° N, 103.05° W and is 188th in size among Texas's 254 counties. It is a border county, touching New Mexico. Winkler County shares boundaries with 4 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Midland (about 58 miles away in a straight line) and Lubbock (about 138 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 Winkler 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 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
County government for Winkler County is based in Kermit. The commissioners court, made up of a county judge and four precinct commissioners, meets here and sets the county budget, roads policy and tax rate. For many residents, a trip to Kermit combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
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. Figures are sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau; answers are written and reviewed by the Texas County Map team.
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?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Winkler 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 Winkler 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 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.