Galveston County, Texas

Galveston County is a county in Texas, United States, on the Gulf Coast about 45 miles southeast of downtown Houston. It had a population of 350,682 at the 2020 census, an estimated 372,207 by 2025, and covers 378 square miles (980 km2) of land centred near 29°23′N 94°52′W. Another 495 square miles of bay and Gulf water lie within the county line, making it 57 percent water.

Galveston is the county seat; its postal code is 77550. League City, not Galveston, is the county’s largest city — it overtook the island city in population between 2000 and 2005 as Houston’s suburbs pushed south along Interstate 45. The county holds 12 incorporated cities and towns and several unincorporated communities, and it runs on Central time. Its FIPS code is 48167.

Towns & Villages in Galveston County

Galveston County has 14 places worth knowing: 12 incorporated cities and towns, one large census-designated place covering the Bolivar Peninsula, and one CDP-classed suburb that straddles the Harris County line. Texas has no civil townships, so this table skips that column.

Friendswood straddles the county line: its southern half, south of Clear Creek, sits in Galveston County and feeds Friendswood ISD, while its northern half is Harris County and feeds Clear Creek ISD. The Bolivar Peninsula CDP is the Census Bureau’s combined figure for five unincorporated communities — Crystal Beach, Port Bolivar, Caplen, Gilchrist and High Island — and the Bureau does not publish separate 2020 counts for Crystal Beach or Port Bolivar individually, so this table lists the CDP total rather than a guessed split. Kemah and Clear Lake Shores share ZIP 77565, and Tiki Island and Jamaica Beach share 77554.

ZIP Codes

• 77550, 77551, 77554 — Galveston (island, downtown and West End; also serves Jamaica Beach and Tiki Island)
• 77573 — League City
• 77590 — Texas City (north side)
• 77568 — La Marque
• 77539 — Dickinson (also serves part of Santa Fe)
• 77546 — Friendswood
• 77510 — Santa Fe
• 77563 — Hitchcock
• 77565 — Kemah and Clear Lake Shores
• 77650 — Port Bolivar and Crystal Beach (Bolivar Peninsula)

Bayou Vista shares its ZIP with neighboring Hitchcock rather than holding its own; it has no post office of its own.

Geography

The county sits almost entirely at sea level on the low, marshy Gulf Coastal Plain. Galveston Bay dominates the eastern half of the county, separating the mainland from Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula, and Clear Creek forms much of the northern boundary with Harris County. The mainland is flat coastal prairie, cut by bayous and drainage channels built after the 1900 hurricane, and much of the shoreline is protected wetland or beach.

Galveston County borders Harris County to the north, Chambers County across the bay to the northeast, and Brazoria County to the southwest. The Gulf of Mexico forms its entire southeastern edge.

Demographics

Galveston County had a population of 350,682 at the 2020 census, up from around 291,000 in 2010, and the Census Bureau’s latest estimate puts it near 372,207. League City (114,392) and Galveston (53,695) are the two largest communities, followed by Texas City (51,898). Density stands at 928 people per square mile, concentrated along the I-45 corridor between League City and Texas City — the barrier-island and peninsula communities stay far sparser because of flood risk and limited buildable land.

Economy & Local Life

Petrochemical refining anchors the mainland economy: Marathon’s Galveston Bay Refinery in Texas City is the third-largest refinery in the United States. Healthcare is the other major employer — the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, the state’s oldest medical school, employs roughly 15,000 people. American National Insurance Company, headquartered at One Moody Plaza in Galveston, employs about 2,700. Tourism drives the island and the Kemah Boardwalk, a waterfront dining and amusement district that draws visitors from across the Houston metro. The Galveston County Fair & Rodeo, based in Hitchcock since 1984, is the county’s biggest annual event.

History

Galveston County was organized in 1838, formed from land previously part of Harrisburg, Liberty and Brazoria counties, and named for Bernardo de Gálvez, the Spanish colonial governor for whom Galveston Bay was already named. On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger read General Order No. 3 from Galveston, announcing the end of slavery in Texas — the event now marked nationally as Juneteenth.

The county’s defining catastrophe struck on September 8, 1900, when a hurricane killed an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 people on Galveston Island, still the deadliest natural disaster in United States history. The city rebuilt behind a 10-mile seawall and raised its own grade by several feet. Almost half a century later, on April 16, 1947, the freighter Grandcamp exploded in the port of Texas City, killing 581 people in what remains the deadliest industrial accident in US history. Hurricane Ike struck the county again in September 2008, driving a storm surge of more than 20 feet across the Bolivar Peninsula and heavily damaging the Kemah Boardwalk.

Getting There

Interstate 45 runs the length of the county from League City south to Galveston, the primary route to Houston. State Highway 6 serves Hitchcock and Santa Fe, and State Highway 87 runs the Bolivar Peninsula. A free ferry operated by the Texas Department of Transportation connects Port Bolivar to Galveston across the bay entrance.

• Houston — 45 miles north
• Freeport — 35 miles southwest
• Beaumont — 75 miles northeast

The nearest major commercial airport is William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, about 30 miles north of League City; George Bush Intercontinental is about 55 miles north. There is no Amtrak station in the county; the closest is Houston’s station, served by the Sunset Limited.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Galveston County?
It is a coastal county in Texas, United States, on the Gulf of Mexico about 45 miles southeast of Houston.

What is the population of Galveston County?
350,682 at the 2020 census, estimated at 372,207 as of 2025.

How big is Galveston County?
378 square miles of land, plus 495 square miles of bay and Gulf water — 873 square miles total.

What is the county seat of Galveston County?
Galveston is the county seat, though League City is the largest city.

How many towns are in Galveston County?
12 incorporated cities and towns, plus the unincorporated Bolivar Peninsula communities.

What ZIP codes are in Galveston County?
Codes range from 77510 to 77650, including 77550 (Galveston), 77573 (League City) and 77590 (Texas City); see the ZIP Codes section above for the full list.

Did Juneteenth start in Galveston County?
Yes. General Gordon Granger announced the end of slavery in Texas from Galveston on June 19, 1865, the origin of the Juneteenth holiday.

More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.