List of counties in Texas
Encyclopedia
The state of Texas
is divided into 254 counties
, more than any other U.S. state
. Texas was originally divided into municipalities
, a unit of local government
under Spanish
and Mexican
rule. When the Republic of Texas
gained its independence in 1836, there were 23 municipalities, which became the original Texas counties. Many of these would later be divided into new counties. The last county to be initially created was Kenedy County in 1921, but Loving County
is the newest county; it was first created in 1893, abolished in 1897, then re-created in 1931.
Each county is run by a commissioners court consisting of four elected commissioners (one from each of four precincts drawn based on population) and a county judge
elected from all the voters of the county. In smaller counties, the county judge actually does perform judicial duties, but in larger counties the judge's role is limited to serving on the commissioners court. Certain officials, such as the sheriff
and tax collector
, are elected separately by the voters, but the commissioners' court determines their office budgets
, and sets overall county policy. All county elections are partisan.
While the counties have eminent domain
power and control all unincorporated
land within their boundaries, they have neither home rule authority nor zoning
power. The county is responsible for providing essential services (except for fire and ambulance, which are often done by volunteer fire departments).
Unlike other states, Texas does not allow for consolidated city-county
governments. Cities and counties (as well as other political entities) are permitted to enter "interlocal agreements" to share services (as an example, a city and a school district
may enter into agreements with the county whereby the county bills for and collects property tax
es for the city and school district; thus, only one tax bill is sent instead of three). School districts are independent of county and city government (with the exception of the Stafford Municipal School District
, which is city controlled).
The Federal Information Processing Standard
(FIPS) code, which is used by the United States government to uniquely identify states and counties, is provided with each entry. Texas's code is 48, which when combined with any county code would be written as 48XXX. The FIPS code for each county links to census data for that county.
J.R. Gonzales of the Houston Chronicle
stated that in county seat
s in many small towns in Texas, the county courthouses have very prominent roles in the town's government and society. Gonzales said "For anyone who has ever driven through a small Texas county seat, it’s easy to see how important the county courthouse is to the community. Ideas and concepts like politics, government, commerce and law all take root around that building." Gonzales said that in large urbanized areas like Harris County
, "especially today, that notion tends to get lost when living in such a large area."
|}
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
is divided into 254 counties
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
, more than any other U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
. Texas was originally divided into municipalities
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
, a unit of local government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
under Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
rule. When the Republic of Texas
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
gained its independence in 1836, there were 23 municipalities, which became the original Texas counties. Many of these would later be divided into new counties. The last county to be initially created was Kenedy County in 1921, but Loving County
Loving County, Texas
US Census 2000Of the 67 residents, 60 were White, 6 of "some other race", and 1 person of two or more races. There were 7 residents who were Hispanic or Latino of any race...
is the newest county; it was first created in 1893, abolished in 1897, then re-created in 1931.
Each county is run by a commissioners court consisting of four elected commissioners (one from each of four precincts drawn based on population) and a county judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
elected from all the voters of the county. In smaller counties, the county judge actually does perform judicial duties, but in larger counties the judge's role is limited to serving on the commissioners court. Certain officials, such as the sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
and tax collector
Tax collector
A tax collector is a person who collects unpaid taxes from other people or corporations. Tax collectors are often portrayed in fiction as being evil, and in the modern world share a somewhat similar stereotype to that of lawyers....
, are elected separately by the voters, but the commissioners' court determines their office budgets
Government budget
A government budget is a legal document that is often passed by the legislature, and approved by the chief executive-or president. For example, only certain types of revenue may be imposed and collected...
, and sets overall county policy. All county elections are partisan.
While the counties have eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
power and control all unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
land within their boundaries, they have neither home rule authority nor zoning
Zoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
power. The county is responsible for providing essential services (except for fire and ambulance, which are often done by volunteer fire departments).
Unlike other states, Texas does not allow for consolidated city-county
Consolidated city-county
In United States local government, a consolidated city–county is a city and county that have been merged into one unified jurisdiction. As such it is simultaneously a city, which is a municipal corporation, and a county, which is an administrative division of a state...
governments. Cities and counties (as well as other political entities) are permitted to enter "interlocal agreements" to share services (as an example, a city and a school district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
may enter into agreements with the county whereby the county bills for and collects property tax
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
es for the city and school district; thus, only one tax bill is sent instead of three). School districts are independent of county and city government (with the exception of the Stafford Municipal School District
Stafford Municipal School District
Stafford Municipal School District is a school district based in Stafford, Texas, United States. The district covers all of the city of Stafford and is controlled by the city, the only school district in Texas that is not an independent school district operated by an independent school board.There...
, which is city controlled).
The Federal Information Processing Standard
Federal Information Processing Standard
A Federal Information Processing Standard is a publicly announced standardization developed by the United States federal government for use in computer systems by all non-military government agencies and by government contractors, when properly invoked and tailored on a contract...
(FIPS) code, which is used by the United States government to uniquely identify states and counties, is provided with each entry. Texas's code is 48, which when combined with any county code would be written as 48XXX. The FIPS code for each county links to census data for that county.
J.R. Gonzales of the Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
stated that in county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
s in many small towns in Texas, the county courthouses have very prominent roles in the town's government and society. Gonzales said "For anyone who has ever driven through a small Texas county seat, it’s easy to see how important the county courthouse is to the community. Ideas and concepts like politics, government, commerce and law all take root around that building." Gonzales said that in large urbanized areas like Harris County
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
, "especially today, that notion tends to get lost when living in such a large area."
List
|}
Defunct counties
There have been at least thirty-two counties established by Texas law that no longer exist. These fall into five categories: judicial counties; counties established by the Constitutional Convention of 1868–69; counties never organized which were abolished by legislative act; counties whose territory is no longer considered part of the state; and counties whose names have been changed.- Buchel CountyBuchel County, TexasBuchel County is a defunct county in the U.S. state of Texas.-History:On March 15, 1887 the Texas legislature passed legislation that divided Presidio County into four counties: Presidio, Jeff Davis, Foley and Buchel...
, formed in 1887 from Presidio CountyPresidio County, TexasPresidio County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 7,304. Its county seat is Marfa. Presidio County is in the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas and is named for the ancient border settlement of Presidio del Norte.-Geography:Presidio County is triangular in...
. Annexed in 1897 to Brewster CountyBrewster County, TexasBrewster County is a county located in western part of the US state of Texas, along the border with Mexico. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. As of the 2000 census, the population is 8,866. In 2009, the population was estimated to be 9,481. Its...
. - Dawson County, formed in 1858 in what is now Kinney County and Uvalde County and abolished in 1866. Not to be confounded with Dawson County
- Encinal CountyEncinal County, TexasEncinal County in the U.S. state of Texas was established on 1 February 1856 and was to consist of the eastern portion of Webb County. Encinal was to be its county seat. The county was never organized and was finally dissolved on 12 March 1899. The territory was absorbed into Webb County.-External...
, formed in 1856. Abolished in 1899 and annexed to Webb County. - Foley CountyFoley County, TexasFoley County is a defunct county in the U.S. state of Texas. It was located in the Big Bend area of far West Texas in what is now Brewster County.-History:...
, formed in 1887 from Presidio CountyPresidio County, TexasPresidio County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 7,304. Its county seat is Marfa. Presidio County is in the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas and is named for the ancient border settlement of Presidio del Norte.-Geography:Presidio County is triangular in...
. Annexed in 1897 to Brewster CountyBrewster County, TexasBrewster County is a county located in western part of the US state of Texas, along the border with Mexico. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. As of the 2000 census, the population is 8,866. In 2009, the population was estimated to be 9,481. Its...
. - Greer CountyGreer County, TexasGreer County, was a county created by the Texas legislature on February 8, 1860 , was land claimed by both Texas and the United States.-Origin of the dispute:...
, formed in 1860. Separated from Texas by U.S. Supreme CourtSupreme Court of the United StatesThe Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
ruling in United States v. State of Texas, . - Perdido CountyPerdido County, TexasPerdido County was the name of a now defunct county in Texas. Created in the 1820s, prior to the Texas Revolution, the county was all but forgotten in the post-revolution land grants and general confusion of the following decades. It was thought to be abolished in 1858, but was not officially...
, formed in 1824 and forgotten during the upheavals of the 1840s. Perdido was reportedly abolished in 1858 and again in 1871. Records of annexation to Dawson County are also inconclusive. - Santa Fe County, formed in 1848 from lands ceded by MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. It included the area of New Mexico east of the Rio Grande. Abolished under the Compromise of 1850. - Wegefarth CountyWegefarth County, TexasWegefarth County was a Texas county established on June 2, 1873 and abolished on August 21, 1876. It was named after C. Wegefarth.- External links :* in the Handbook of Texas Online...
, formed in 1873 in the Texas PanhandleTexas PanhandleThe Texas Panhandle is a region of the U.S. state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state. The panhandle is a rectangular area bordered by New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the north and east...
and abolished in 1876. - Worth County, formed in 1850 from part of Santa Fe County. Abolished under the Compromise of 1850Compromise of 1850The Compromise of 1850 was a package of five bills, passed in September 1850, which defused a four-year confrontation between the slave states of the South and the free states of the North regarding the status of territories acquired during the Mexican-American War...
.
See also
- Analysis of Texas county namesakesAnalysis of Texas county namesakesThis is a categorized list of Texas county namesakes.Below are categorized the names of counties by their sources. Each county is counted only once in the main entries, unless where the origin is not certain. Those listed under "plus" appeared in previous categories, e.g...
- Texas census statistical areasTexas census statistical areasthumb|An enlargeable map of the [[List of counties in Texas|254 counties]] of the [[State of Texas]]The United States Census Bureau has defined 8 Combined Statistical Areas , 25 Metropolitan Statistical Areas , and 43 Micropolitan Statistical Areas in the State of Texas. The following table...
- List of Texas county seat name etymologies