All 254 Texas Counties

About the 254 Texas counties

Texas has 254 counties, more than any U.S. state — a legacy of its origins as an independent republic and the rapid 19th-century expansion that followed annexation in 1845. The earliest Texas counties were organized in 1836 from existing Mexican municipios, and new counties were carved out steadily as settlement pushed west and south. The last county to be organized, Kenedy County in deep South Texas, was created in 1921.

Counties range dramatically in scale. Brewster County in the Big Bend covers roughly 6,193 square miles — larger than Connecticut and Rhode Island combined — while Rockwall County, just east of Dallas, is the smallest at about 149 square miles. Population is even more uneven: Harris County (Houston) is home to more than 4.7 million residents, whereas Loving County in West Texas has fewer than 100, making it the least-populous county in the entire United States.

Every county is governed by a commissioners court — a five-member body of one county judge and four precinct commissioners — and is anchored by a county seat with a courthouse that handles records, courts, and elections. Use the directory above to jump into any county's profile, or browse the regions of Texas, the largest counties by area, or the complete population guide.