Coleman County is a county in Texas, United States, in the Concho Valley region of the state’s central plains. It had a population of 7,684 people at the 2020 census and covers 1,281 square miles (3,320 km2) of land and water, centred near 31°46′N 99°27′W.
Coleman is the county seat, and its postal code is 76834. The county has two incorporated cities, one incorporated town, and one census-designated place, alongside a scatter of unincorporated communities. Coleman County observes Central time and does not use civil townships.
Towns & Villages in Coleman County
Coleman County has four incorporated or census-recognized places and about two dozen unincorporated communities, hamlets, and crossroads. Cities and the town carry their own municipal government; the CDP is a Census Bureau statistical area with no local government; the rest are unincorporated place names on the map, some no more than a store and a cemetery.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coleman | City · seat | 3,912 | 76834 |
| Santa Anna | Town | 1,014 | 76878 |
| Novice | City | 122 | 79538 |
| Valera | CDP | — | 76884 |
| Buffalo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Burkett | Unincorp. | — | 76828 |
| Chaffin Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cleveland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Echo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fisk | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Glen Cove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Goldsboro | Unincorp. | — | 79519 |
| Gouldbusk | Unincorp. | — | 76845 |
| Hamrick | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hays Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Liberty | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mozelle | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Obregon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rockwood | Unincorp. | — | 76873 |
| San Angelo Junction | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shields | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Silver Valley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Talpa | Unincorp. | — | 76882 |
| Trickham | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Voss | Unincorp. | — | 76888 |
| Webbville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Whon | Unincorp. | — | — |
Talpa sits on the Coleman–Runnels county line and is sometimes listed as Talpa-Centennial; the settlement itself lies inside Coleman County.
ZIP Codes
- 76834 — Coleman (also serves the surrounding rural county seat area)
- 76878 — Santa Anna
- 76882 — Talpa
- 79538 — Novice
- 76828 — Burkett
- 76845 — Gouldbusk
- 76888 — Voss
- 76884 — Valera
- 76873 — Rockwood
- 79519 — Goldsboro
Smaller unincorporated places such as Buffalo, Cleveland, Echo, Fisk, Glen Cove, Hamrick, Liberty, Mozelle, Obregon, Shields, Silver Valley, Trickham, and Webbville have no post office of their own and are served by the ZIP code of the nearest listed town.
Geography
Coleman County lies on the divide between the Colorado and Concho river watersheds, on rolling plains typical of the Concho Valley. Hords Creek, dammed to form Hords Creek Lake near Coleman, is the county’s principal water body. The county is bordered by Callahan County to the north, Brown County to the east, McCulloch County to the south, Concho County to the southwest, Runnels County to the west, and Taylor County to the northwest.
Demographics
Coleman County had 7,684 residents at the 2020 census. Coleman, the county seat, is the largest community with 3,912 people, followed by Santa Anna at 1,014. Median household income in the county runs below the Texas median of $75,780, consistent with the county’s ranching- and oil-dependent rural economy. Population density is about 6 people per square mile, among the more sparsely settled counties in the region.
Economy & Local Life
Cattle and sheep ranching have anchored the county’s economy since the 19th century, and oil production — which peaked at more than 1 million barrels a year in 1948 — remains active alongside newer wind-power development on the county’s ridgelines. Coleman County Medical Center in Coleman serves as the county’s hospital. Coleman markets itself as “The Friendliest Town in Texas” and its downtown square anchors local commerce for the surrounding ranch country.
History
Coleman County was created in 1858 and organized in 1864, named for Robert M. Coleman, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence and a participant in the Battle of San Jacinto. Coleman, the county seat, was established in 1876 on a 160-acre site donated on Hords Creek. The Santa Fe Railway built a spur line into Coleman in 1886, and the county’s first oil well came in near Trickham in 1908, opening decades of oil-field activity across the county.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 84 and U.S. Highway 283 cross at Coleman, with State Highway 206 running north–south through the county.
- Brownwood — 30 miles east
- Abilene — 45 miles northwest
- San Angelo — 55 miles southwest
- Ballinger — 25 miles west
The nearest commercial airport is San Angelo Regional Airport, about an hour’s drive southwest of Coleman.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Coleman County?
It is in central Texas, in the Concho Valley region, about 45 miles southeast of Abilene.
What is the population of Coleman County?
7,684 people, according to the 2020 census.
How big is Coleman County?
1,281 square miles (3,320 km2), including 19 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Coleman County?
Coleman is the county seat.
How many towns are in Coleman County?
Two incorporated cities (Coleman, Novice), one town (Santa Anna), one CDP (Valera), and about two dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Coleman County?
Ten ZIP codes, led by 76834 for Coleman and 76878 for Santa Anna.
Why is Coleman County called “the friendliest town in Texas”?
That motto belongs to the city of Coleman itself, the county seat, which has used the slogan for decades to promote its downtown and community events.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.