How many counties are in the West Texas region of Texas?

The West Texas region contains 51 of the 254 Texas counties.

What is the largest county in West Texas by population?

El Paso County is the most populous county in the West Texas region, with about 877,858 residents.

What is the total population of the West Texas region?

The West Texas region has a combined population of approximately 2,224,941 across 65,306 square miles.

Texas region · 51 counties

West Texas Region

West Texas runs from the Permian Basin oilfields to the wide-open mesas approaching the Davis Mountains. Midland, Odessa, and San Angelo lead a region defined by energy production, ranching, and some of the darkest night skies in the lower 48.

Counties

Population

2,224,941

Total area

65,306 sq mi

Density

34.1 /sq mi

Region

West Texas

Big Bend

Panhandle

North Texas

Central Texas

East Texas

Gulf Coast

South Texas

Drag to pan · Scroll/pinch to zoom on supported devices · Click a county for the full profile

Counties in the West Texas region are highlighted. Toggle Roads, Terrain, or Satellite to compare with the real geography.

Counties in the West Texas region

All 51 counties, sorted alphabetically. Click any county for its full profile, map, and demographics.

Andrews County

Seat: Andrews · 1,501 sq mi

18,914

Armstrong County

Seat: Claude · 914 sq mi

1,843

Bailey County

Seat: Muleshoe · 827 sq mi

6,963

Borden County

Seat: Gail · 899 sq mi

567

Briscoe County

Seat: Silverton · 900 sq mi

1,474

Carson County

Seat: Panhandle · 923 sq mi

5,805

Castro County

Seat: Dimmitt · 898 sq mi

7,295

Cochran County

Seat: Morton · 775 sq mi

2,546

Crane County

Seat: Crane · 786 sq mi

4,554

Crockett County

Seat: Ozona · 2,808 sq mi

2,769

Crosby County

Seat: Crosbyton · 900 sq mi

4,852

Culberson County

Seat: Van Horn · 3,813 sq mi

2,267

Dallam County

Seat: Dalhart · 1,505 sq mi

7,508

Dawson County

Seat: Lamesa · 902 sq mi

11,776

Deaf Smith County

Seat: Hereford · 1,497 sq mi

18,626

Ector County

Seat: Odessa · 901 sq mi

173,801

El Paso County

Seat: El Paso · 1,013 sq mi

877,858

Floyd County

Seat: Floydada · 992 sq mi

4,881

Gaines County

Seat: Seminole · 1,502 sq mi

23,956

Garza County

Seat: Post · 896 sq mi

4,510

Glasscock County

Seat: Garden City · 901 sq mi

1,128

Hale County

Seat: Plainview · 1,005 sq mi

31,819

Hansford County

Seat: Spearman · 920 sq mi

4,944

Hartley County

Seat: Channing · 1,462 sq mi

4,904

Hockley County

Seat: Levelland · 908 sq mi

21,600

Howard County

Seat: Big Spring · 903 sq mi

30,504

Hudspeth County

Seat: Sierra Blanca · 4,571 sq mi

3,433

Hutchinson County

Seat: Stinnett · 887 sq mi

19,633

Jeff Davis County

Seat: Fort Davis · 2,265 sq mi

1,711

Lamb County

Seat: Littlefield · 1,016 sq mi

12,579

Loving County

Seat: Mentone · 673 sq mi

Lubbock County

Seat: Lubbock · 900 sq mi

328,906

Lynn County

Seat: Tahoka · 892 sq mi

6,017

Martin County

Seat: Stanton · 915 sq mi

5,284

Midland County

Seat: Midland · 900 sq mi

187,855

Moore County

Seat: Dumas · 900 sq mi

21,891

Oldham County

Seat: Vega · 1,501 sq mi

1,783

Parmer County

Seat: Farwell · 882 sq mi

9,678

Pecos County

Seat: Fort Stockton · 4,764 sq mi

14,560

Potter County

Seat: Amarillo · 909 sq mi

114,453

Randall County

Seat: Canyon · 914 sq mi

152,351

Reagan County

Seat: Big Lake · 1,175 sq mi

3,166

Reeves County

Seat: Pecos · 2,636 sq mi

12,138

Sherman County

Seat: Stratford · 923 sq mi

2,781

Sterling County

Seat: Sterling City · 923 sq mi

1,349

Swisher County

Seat: Tulia · 900 sq mi

6,703

Terry County

Seat: Brownfield · 890 sq mi

11,720

Upton County

Seat: Rankin · 1,242 sq mi

3,131

Ward County

Seat: Monahans · 836 sq mi

11,125

Winkler County

Seat: Kermit · 841 sq mi

7,540

Yoakum County

Seat: Plains · 800 sq mi

7,438

Geography & character of West Texas

Together, the 51 counties of the West Texas region cover roughly 65,306 square miles — that's 24.3% of Texas's total land area — and are home to about 2,224,941 residents, or roughly 34.1 people per square mile. The most populous county in the region is El Paso County (about 877,858 residents), while the largest by land area is Pecos County (4,764 sq mi).

Frequently asked questions

How many counties are in the West Texas region?+

The West Texas region contains 51 of Texas's 254 counties.

Which is the largest county in West Texas by population?+

El Paso County, with about 877,858 residents.

Which is the smallest county in West Texas by population?+

Loving County, with about 52 residents.

What is the total area of the West Texas region?+

Approximately 65,306 square miles across all 51 counties.

How can I see a real map of the West Texas region?+

Use the interactive map at the top of this page — toggle Roads, Terrain, or Satellite basemaps to view authentic geography from Esri imagery, with all 51 county boundaries drawn from Census TIGER data.

West Texas population trends since 2020

Using Census Bureau estimates, the 51 counties of the West Texas region had 2,172,555 residents in April 2020 and an estimated 2,224,941 in July 2025, a change of +52,386 people (+2.4%). For comparison, Texas as a whole grew +8.8%. The region is home to about 7.0% of all Texans.

The median county here has 6,963 residents, and 29 of the 51 counties lost population over the period.

Fastest-growing counties in West Texas

County	April 2020	July 2025	Change	%
Gaines	21,599	23,956	+2,357	+10.9%
Midland	170,341	187,855	+17,514	+10.3%
Randall	140,670	152,351	+11,681	+8.3%
Lynn	5,593	6,017	+424	+7.6%
Hudspeth	3,200	3,433	+233	+7.3%

Counties with fewer residents in 2025 than in 2020: Garza (-22.4%), Reeves (-17.7%), Loving (-16.1%), Jeff Davis (-14.4%), Howard (-12.5%), Crockett (-10.6%), Borden (-9.9%), Floyd (-9.6%), Hartley (-8.6%), Reagan (-7.6%), Hansford (-6.3%), Dawson (-5.5%), Crosby (-5.4%), Upton (-5.4%), Hutchinson (-4.7%), Ward (-4.5%), Pecos (-4.2%), Swisher (-3.9%), Lamb (-3.5%), Potter (-3.5%), Yoakum (-3.3%), Winkler (-3.2%), Crane (-2.5%), Hale (-2.2%), Parmer (-2.0%), Sterling (-1.6%), Terry (-0.9%), Castro (-0.9%), Armstrong (-0.2%).

Getting around the West Texas region

I-10 runs through El Paso, I-20 links Midland, Odessa and Big Spring, I-27 connects Lubbock with Plainview and Amarillo, and I-40 crosses Amarillo in Potter County. Distances are long, so county seats often serve as the main stop for fuel and services.

Each county profile links to the official TxDOT county road map as a free PDF, which shows every state highway, farm-to-market road and county road in detail.

County seats of the West Texas region

Every county has one county seat, where its courthouse, county clerk and commissioners court are located. Here are all 51 seats in the West Texas region, with 2025 county population estimates.

County	County seat	Established	Population (2025)
Andrews	Andrews	1876	18,914
Armstrong	Claude	1876	1,843
Bailey	Muleshoe	1876	6,963
Borden	Gail	1876	567
Briscoe	Silverton	1876	1,474
Carson	Panhandle	1876	5,805
Castro	Dimmitt	1876	7,295
Cochran	Morton	1876	2,546
Crane	Crane	1887	4,554
Crockett	Ozona	1875	2,769
Crosby	Crosbyton	1876	4,852
Culberson	Van Horn	1911	2,267
Dallam	Dalhart	1876	7,508
Dawson	Lamesa	1876	11,776
Deaf Smith	Hereford	1876	18,626
Ector	Odessa	1887	173,801
El Paso	El Paso	1848	877,858
Floyd	Floydada	1876	4,881
Gaines	Seminole	1876	23,956
Garza	Post	1876	4,510
Glasscock	Garden City	1887	1,128
Hale	Plainview	1876	31,819
Hansford	Spearman	1876	4,944
Hartley	Channing	1876	4,904
Hockley	Levelland	1876	21,600
Howard	Big Spring	1876	30,504
Hudspeth	Sierra Blanca	1917	3,433
Hutchinson	Stinnett	1876	19,633
Jeff Davis	Fort Davis	1887	1,711
Lamb	Littlefield	1876	12,579
Loving	Mentone	1887	52
Lubbock	Lubbock	1876	328,906
Lynn	Tahoka	1876	6,017
Martin	Stanton	1876	5,284
Midland	Midland	1885	187,855
Moore	Dumas	1876	21,891
Oldham	Vega	1876	1,783
Parmer	Farwell	1876	9,678
Pecos	Fort Stockton	1871	14,560
Potter	Amarillo	1876	114,453
Randall	Canyon	1876	152,351
Reagan	Big Lake	1903	3,166
Reeves	Pecos	1883	12,138
Sherman	Stratford	1876	2,781
Sterling	Sterling City	1891	1,349
Swisher	Tulia	1876	6,703
Terry	Brownfield	1876	11,720
Upton	Rankin	1887	3,131
Ward	Monahans	1887	11,125
Winkler	Kermit	1887	7,540
Yoakum	Plains	1876	7,438

How West Texas compares with the rest of Texas

Region	Counties	Population (2025)	Change since 2020
Big Bend	4	63,428	-0.9%
Central Texas	76	6,157,232	+8.9%
East Texas	44	2,859,145	+11.4%
Gulf Coast	7	7,159,882	+8.2%
North Texas	36	9,088,115	+10.7%
Panhandle	10	56,961	-3.3%
South Texas	26	4,100,117	+7.6%
West Texas	51	2,224,941	+2.4%

Regions on this site are groupings for browsing. Texas has no official set of regions, and state agencies each draw their own, so a county's region can differ from one source to another.

More about the West Texas region

Is the West Texas region growing or shrinking?+

Census Bureau estimates show the West Texas region's 51 counties went from 2,172,555 residents in April 2020 to 2,224,941 in July 2025, a change of +2.4%. Texas as a whole grew +8.8% over the same period.

Which West Texas county is growing fastest?+

Gaines County, which changed +10.9% between 2020 and 2025 (from 21,599 to 23,956 residents).

How many county seats are in the West Texas region?+

51. Every Texas county has exactly one county seat, where its courthouse and county offices are located. They are all listed on this page.

What share of Texans live in the West Texas region?+

About 7.0% of the state's estimated 31,709,821 residents in 2025. The median county in the region has 6,963 residents.

Written and reviewed by Colton Boudreau, editor of Texas County Map (Austin, Texas). Last reviewed October 3, 2026. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files and U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 county population estimates (July 1, 2025). Found an error? Tell us.