Medina County is a county in Texas, United States, on the western edge of the San Antonio metropolitan area. It had a population of 50,748 at the 2020 census and covers 1,335 square miles (3,460 km2) centred near 29°21′N 99°07′W.
Hondo is the county seat, and its postal code is 78861. The county has five incorporated cities and towns, three census-designated places, and a dozen smaller unincorporated communities. Medina County observes Central time and lies about 40 miles west of downtown San Antonio.
Towns & Villages in Medina County
Medina County has 21 named places on record, split between five incorporated cities, three Census Bureau-designated places (CDPs), and thirteen unincorporated communities without their own municipal government. Population figures below are the 2020 census count where verified; unincorporated places are generally not separately counted by the Census Bureau.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hondo | City · seat | 8,289 | 78861 |
| Devine | City | 4,324 | 78016 |
| Castroville | City | — | 78009 |
| Natalia | City | — | 78059 |
| La Coste | City | — | 78039 |
| Lytle | Unincorp. | — | — |
| D’Hanis | CDP | — | 78850 |
| Lake Medina Shores | CDP | — | — |
| Yancey | CDP | — | 78886 |
| Mico | Unincorp. | — | 78056 |
| Rio Medina | Unincorp. | — | 78066 |
| Quihi | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Fountain | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bader | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Biry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Coal Mine | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dunlay | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Flatrock Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Noonan | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pearson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Valdina Farms | Unincorp. | — | — |
A small portion of the city of San Antonio extends into eastern Medina County, but its population and ZIP codes are counted under Bexar County and are not listed here. Lytle likewise sits mostly across the Medina–Atascosa–Bexar county line, with only part of the townsite inside Medina County.
ZIP Codes
- 78861 — Hondo
- 78016 — Devine
- 78009 — Castroville
- 78059 — Natalia
- 78056 — Mico
- 78039 — La Coste
- 78850 — D’Hanis
- 78886 — Yancey
- 78066 — Rio Medina
Smaller unincorporated communities such as Quihi, New Fountain, Bader and Coal Mine have no post office of their own and use the ZIP code of their nearest larger neighbor.
Geography
Medina County’s northern edge rises onto the Edwards Plateau and the Texas Hill Country, while the southern two-thirds of the county flattens into the South Texas brush country. The Medina River, dammed in 1913 to form Medina Lake, is the county’s dominant waterway and gave the county its name. The county covers 1,335 square miles, of which about 9.2 square miles is water.
Medina County borders Bandera County to the north, Bexar County to the east, Atascosa County to the southeast, Frio County to the south, and Uvalde County to the west.
Demographics
Medina County’s population was 50,748 at the 2020 census, up from earlier decades as San Antonio’s growth pushes westward along US 90 and I-35. Hondo (8,289) and Devine (4,324) are the county’s two largest communities. Median household income in the county runs below the Texas median of $75,780, reflecting the county’s largely agricultural and ranching economic base outside the San Antonio commuter belt. Population density is roughly 38 people per square mile of land.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture and ranching remain central to Medina County’s economy — cattle, peanuts, corn, cotton and pecans are grown across the county’s flatter southern half, while the Hill Country north of Hondo supports hunting leases and rural residential development. Medina Lake draws boaters and lake-house owners from San Antonio on weekends. Hondo is home to South Texas Regional Airport, a former World War II Army Air Forces navigator-training field, and the Hondo Independent School District is the county’s largest public employer in its namesake city. Growing numbers of Medina County residents commute east into San Antonio for work via I-35 and US 90.
History
Medina County was organized on February 12, 1848, one of the earliest counties formed after Texas statehood, and was named for the Medina River, itself named in 1689 by Spanish explorer Alonso de León after cartographer Pedro de Medina. The county seat was originally Castroville, one of Texas’s Alsatian settlement colonies founded by empresario Henri Castro in 1844, before the seat moved to Hondo in 1892 following the arrival of the railroad. The Medina Dam, completed in 1913 to form Medina Lake, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Getting There
US Highway 90 runs east–west through Hondo and Castroville, while Interstate 35 crosses the county’s eastern edge through Natalia, Devine and Lytle. Reference distances from Hondo:
- San Antonio — 40 miles east
- Castroville — 14 miles east
- Devine — 16 miles southeast
- Uvalde — 30 miles west
San Antonio International Airport is the nearest commercial airport, about 45 miles east of Hondo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Medina County, Texas?
Medina County is in south-central Texas, just west of San Antonio, in the transition zone between the Hill Country and the South Texas brush country.
What is the population of Medina County?
Medina County had a population of 50,748 at the 2020 census.
How big is Medina County?
Medina County covers 1,335 square miles (3,460 km2), including about 9.2 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Medina County?
Hondo is the county seat and the county’s largest city.
How many towns are in Medina County?
Medina County has five incorporated cities and towns — Hondo, Castroville, Devine, La Coste and Natalia — plus several census-designated places and unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Medina County?
Medina County’s main ZIP codes are 78861 (Hondo), 78016 (Devine), 78009 (Castroville), 78059 (Natalia), 78056 (Mico), 78039 (La Coste), 78850 (D’Hanis), 78886 (Yancey) and 78066 (Rio Medina).
Where did Medina County get its name?
The county takes its name from the Medina River, which Spanish explorer Alonso de León named in 1689 after cartographer Pedro de Medina.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.