Wilson County is a county in Texas, United States, on the upper coastal plain southeast of San Antonio, with a population of 49,753 at the 2020 census. Floresville is the county seat, the county covers 2,090 km² (808 square miles), and its centre lies near 29°10′N 98°05′W.
Cities, Towns and Communities
Wilson County has five incorporated cities, one incorporated town and a long tail of farming communities founded by German, Polish and Tejano settlers. Populations below are 2020 census figures for incorporated places; unincorporated communities are not counted separately by the census.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floresville | City · seat | 7,203 | 78114 |
| Nixon | City · part | 2,341 | 78140 |
| Elmendorf | City · part | 1,862 | 78112 |
| Poth | Town | 1,819 | 78147 |
| Stockdale | City | 1,413 | 78160 |
| La Vernia | City | 1,077 | 78121 |
| Sutherland Springs | Unincorp. | — | 78161 |
| Pandora | Unincorp. | — | 78143 |
| Alum | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Caddo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Calaveras | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Carpenter | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Denhawken | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fairview | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Graytown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kicaster | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kosciusko | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Loire | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Loma Vista | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nockenut | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Saspamco | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Union | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dewees | Ghost town | — | — |
| Doseido Colony | Ghost town | — | — |
| Grass Pond Colony | Ghost town | — | — |
| Sandy Hills | Ghost town | — | — |
Nixon straddles the county line and lies mostly in Gonzales County, though its main employers sit along the eastern Wilson County edge. Elmendorf is split between Bexar and Wilson counties.
ZIP Codes
The main postal code is 78114, which covers Floresville and much of the surrounding countryside. Six ZIP codes are assigned to addresses inside the county:
- 78114 — Floresville
- 78121 — La Vernia
- 78143 — Pandora
- 78147 — Poth
- 78160 — Stockdale
- 78161 — Sutherland Springs
Two more codes reach across the line from neighbouring counties: 78140 serves Nixon from Gonzales County and 78112 serves Elmendorf from Bexar County.
Geography
The terrain is nearly flat to gently undulating, with deep loamy soils and elevations between 300 and 600 feet. Cibolo Creek runs along the northern edge, and the San Antonio River crosses the county past Floresville. Five counties border Wilson County: Guadalupe County to the north, Gonzales County to the northeast, Karnes County to the southeast, Atascosa County to the southwest and Bexar County to the northwest.
Distances inside the county are short. La Vernia sits 15 miles north of Floresville, Denhawken 14 miles east, Kicaster 12 miles northwest, Fairview 10 miles west, and Nockenut 20 miles northeast. Of the total 808 square miles, 804 are land and 4.7 are water, so surface water covers only 0.6 percent.
Wilson County belongs to the San Antonio–New Braunfels metropolitan and combined statistical area. That places its western communities, including Elmendorf, Saspamco and Graytown, inside the commuter belt of a city of well over a million people, while the eastern half around Pandora and Nockenut stays farmland.
Demographics
The county recorded 49,753 residents in 2020, up from 42,918 in 2010 — growth of about 16 percent in a decade. The Census Bureau estimated 56,139 residents in 2025, reflecting continued spillover from San Antonio. Median age is 41.3 years, older than the Texas figure.
At the 2020 count, 69.3 percent of residents identified as White alone and 38.7 percent as Hispanic or Latino of any race. Wilson County remains overwhelmingly rural: 87.3 percent of residents live outside urban areas, and 83.7 percent of occupied homes are owner-occupied. Texas as a whole reported a median household income of $76,292 in the 2023 American Community Survey five-year estimates.
Economy and Local Life
Farming and ranching still anchor the county. Peanuts, watermelons and grain sorghum are the leading crops, alongside beef cattle and dairy herds. Joe T. Sheehy introduced commercial peanut growing here in 1916, and the crop outlasted the cotton economy it replaced.
Oil and gas production began in 1941 and expanded again with Eagle Ford Shale drilling across the region. Clay products manufacturing has been a second industrial base since the railway era. Holmes Foods, a poultry processing plant operating at Nixon since 1925, and the Blue Dolphin Energy refinery are among the larger employers on the eastern side.
Six school districts serve county families: Floresville, La Vernia, Poth, Stockdale, Falls City and Nixon-Smiley Consolidated. Stockdale has held its Watermelon Jubilee since 1937. Many working residents commute to San Antonio, a pattern that has driven housing growth around La Vernia and Floresville.
Retail trade is the largest single employment sector in La Vernia, where the school district and Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative are the biggest local employers. Ranching survives on the sandier soils, and county fair and rodeo events still set the calendar in the smaller communities.
History
The Texas legislature created Wilson County on 13 February 1860 from parts of Bexar and Karnes counties. It is named for James Charles Wilson, an English-born legislator. Sutherland Springs served as the first county seat; the seat moved to Floresville in 1873.
Mexican ranchers held land here before 1830, and the Flores de Abrego family, descended from Canary Islanders, gave Floresville its name. Anglo settlers arrived in the late 1840s, followed by German and Polish immigrants who founded Kosciusko, Fairview and Nockenut. The Fence Cutting Wars of 1883 to 1888 played out on local ranches after barbed wire enclosed the open range.
The San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway reached Floresville in 1886 and reshaped trade routes. Cotton dominated county farms from the 1890s to the 1920s, then collapsed under boll weevil damage, which pushed growers towards peanuts and livestock.
On 5 November 2017, a gunman killed 26 people at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs. It was the deadliest attack on a place of worship recorded in the country. The church now stands as a memorial to the victims.
John Connally, governor of Texas from 1963 to 1969 and later U.S. Treasury Secretary, grew up in Floresville. Parts of Steven Spielberg’s 1974 film The Sugarland Express were shot in the town. An EF2 tornado struck Floresville in October 2015 and badly damaged the high school.
Getting There
Floresville lies about 35 miles southeast of downtown San Antonio by road. U.S. Highway 181 is the main route in from San Antonio and continues southeast towards Karnes City. U.S. Highway 87 crosses the north of the county through La Vernia and on to Nixon.
State Highway 97 links Floresville with Poth and Kenedy, while State Highway 123 and State Highway 119 serve the northeast. San Antonio International Airport, roughly 45 miles from Floresville, is the nearest commercial airport. There is no scheduled passenger rail or intercity bus service to the county seat.
Farm to Market roads carry most local traffic. FM 775 runs from La Vernia to Floresville, FM 536 heads west through Fairview and Loire, and FM 1347 reaches Denhawken from State Highway 119. FM 3335 serves Caddo and FM 1681 serves Nockenut in the northeast.
FAQ
What is the county seat of Wilson County, Texas?
Floresville is the county seat. It had 7,203 residents at the 2020 census and has held the seat since 1873.
How many cities and towns are in Wilson County?
Six incorporated municipalities: the cities of Floresville, Stockdale, La Vernia, Nixon and Elmendorf, plus the town of Poth. Nixon and Elmendorf extend into neighbouring counties.
What is the population of Wilson County?
The 2020 census counted 49,753 residents. The Census Bureau estimated 56,139 for 2025.
What ZIP code is Floresville, Texas?
Floresville uses 78114. Other county codes are 78121, 78143, 78147, 78160 and 78161.
Which counties border Wilson County?
Guadalupe, Gonzales, Karnes, Atascosa and Bexar counties.
How far is Wilson County from San Antonio?
Floresville is roughly 35 miles southeast of downtown San Antonio, about a 45-minute drive on U.S. Highway 181.
Who was Wilson County named after?
James Charles Wilson, an English-born Texas legislator. The county was created on 13 February 1860 from Bexar and Karnes counties.