Brewster County is a county in Texas, United States, the largest county by land area in the state, covering the Big Bend region along the Rio Grande. It had a population of 9,546 at the 2020 census and covers 6,192 square miles (16,040 km2) centred near 29°48′N 103°15′W.
Alpine is the county seat, and its postal code is 79830. The county has one incorporated city, three census-designated places, and several unincorporated communities. Brewster County sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Brewster County
Brewster County has one incorporated city (Alpine, the seat) and three census-designated places recognized at the 2020 census (Marathon, Study Butte, Terlingua), plus a scatter of unincorporated communities and historic ranch stops across its 6,192 square miles — among the lowest population densities of any county in the continental United States. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no formal census count.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine | City · seat | 6,035 | 79830 |
| Marathon | CDP | 410 | 79842 |
| Study Butte | CDP | 200 | 79852 |
| Terlingua | CDP | 78 | 79852 |
| Lajitas | Unincorp. | — | 79852 |
| Altuda | Unincorp. | — | 79830 |
| Panther Junction | Unincorp. | — | 79834 |
| Rosenfeld | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tesnus | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Boquillas | Unincorp. | — | — |
Terlingua and Study Butte sit only about two miles apart at the western edge of Big Bend National Park and are often referred to together as the “Terlingua area.” Both share the same ZIP code with Lajitas, another 12 miles west along FM 170.
ZIP Codes
- 79830 — Alpine (also serves Altuda; standard delivery)
- 79831 — Alpine (PO Box only)
- 79832 — Alpine, unique code for Sul Ross State University
- 79834 — Big Bend National Park headquarters at Panther Junction (PO Box only)
- 79842 — Marathon (PO Box)
- 79852 — Terlingua (also serves Study Butte and Lajitas)
The 79830 Alpine ZIP alone covers more than four in five county residents.
Geography
Brewster County lies in the Trans-Pecos region of far West Texas, straddling the Big Bend of the Rio Grande. Terrain ranges from Chihuahuan Desert basin floor to the volcanic Chisos Mountains, the only mountain range entirely contained within a U.S. national park. The Rio Grande forms the county’s entire southern boundary with Mexico; of the county’s 6,192 square miles, 8.5 square miles are water. Big Bend National Park occupies more than 800,000 acres in the county’s south.
Brewster County borders Pecos County to the north, Terrell County to the east, Presidio County to the west, and Jeff Davis County to the northwest. To the south and southwest, across the Rio Grande, lie the Mexican municipalities of Acuña and Ocampo in Coahuila and Manuel Benavides in Chihuahua.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 9,546 residents, making Brewster County one of the least densely populated counties in Texas at roughly 1.5 people per square mile. Alpine, home to Sul Ross State University, is by far the largest community; Marathon is the county’s second-largest population center. Brewster County’s median household income runs well below the Texas median of $75,780, reflecting a rural, ranching- and tourism-based economy rather than industrial employment.
Economy & Local Life
Tourism tied to Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park anchors the county’s economy, alongside cattle and sheep ranching on the county’s large private spreads. Alpine is home to Sul Ross State University, the county’s largest employer and a hub for range-management and border-studies research. Terlingua hosts the Terlingua International Chili Championship each November, a decades-old cook-off that draws thousands to the ghost-town community. Historic cinnabar (mercury) mining, once centered on Terlingua, drove the county’s early-20th-century population boom but ended by the 1940s.
History
Brewster County was organized in 1887 out of Presidio County and named for Colonel Henry Percy Brewster, Secretary of War for the Republic of Texas. The county’s population swelled from 710 in 1890 to 5,220 by 1910 as cinnabar mining took off around Terlingua, which at its peak produced roughly 40 percent of the nation’s quicksilver. Big Bend National Park opened to the public in 1944, and tourism gradually replaced mining as the county’s economic base over the following decades.
Getting There
U.S. Highways 67, 90, and 385 and State Highways 118 and 223 cross the county, with Alpine at their hub.
- Marathon — 30 miles east of Alpine on US 90
- Big Bend National Park headquarters (Panther Junction) — about 70 miles south of Alpine on US 385
- Terlingua/Study Butte — about 80 miles southwest of Alpine via SH 118
- Marfa (Presidio County) — about 26 miles west of Alpine on US 90
The county has no scheduled commercial air service; the nearest regional airports are several hours’ drive away, making Alpine’s own small municipal airport the most practical general-aviation option for the area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Brewster County?
It is in the Trans-Pecos region of far West Texas, along the Rio Grande and the Mexican border, in the Big Bend region.
What is the population of Brewster County?
9,546 people, as of the 2020 census.
How big is Brewster County?
6,192 square miles (16,040 km2), the largest county by land area in Texas.
What is the county seat of Brewster County?
Alpine is the county seat.
How many towns are in Brewster County?
One incorporated city (Alpine) and three census-designated places (Marathon, Study Butte, and Terlingua), plus several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Brewster County?
79830-79832 (Alpine), 79834 (Big Bend National Park), 79842 (Marathon), and 79852 (Terlingua/Study Butte/Lajitas).
Where is Big Bend National Park?
It occupies more than 800,000 acres in southern Brewster County along the Rio Grande and opened to the public in 1944.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.