Pecos County is a county in Texas, United States, the second-largest county by land area in the state and one of nine counties that make up the Trans-Pecos region. It had a population of 15,193 at the 2020 census and covers 4,765 square miles (12,340 km2), centred near 30°47′N 102°43′W.
Fort Stockton is the county seat, and its postal code is 79735. The county has 2 incorporated cities, 3 census-designated places, and 2 unincorporated communities. It sits in the Central time zone. Texas has no civil townships.
Towns & Villages in Pecos County
Pecos County’s 12 named places range from Fort Stockton, home to nearly nine in ten county residents, to open-range hamlets along the Pecos River and US 67/US 190. Below, City · seat and City are incorporated municipalities; CDP marks a Census Bureau-defined place with no municipal government; Unincorp. covers everything else, including the old rural colonias northwest of Fort Stockton.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Stockton | City · seat | 8,283 | 79735 |
| Iraan | City | 1,262 | 79744 |
| Imperial | CDP | 334 | 79743 |
| Coyanosa | CDP | 317 | 79730 |
| Sheffield | CDP | 239 | 79781 |
| Bakersfield | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Girvin | Unincorp. | — | 79740 |
| Alamo Ranchettes | Unincorp. | — | 79735 |
| Bodieville | Unincorp. | — | 79735 |
| Longfellow | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Adobe Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Buena Vista | Unincorp. | — | — |
Alamo Ranchettes and Bodieville are colonias — low-income, largely unregulated subdivisions platted in the 1970s and 1980s outside Fort Stockton — and both use the Fort Stockton ZIP. Girvin, a near-ghost ranching stop on the Pecos River, once had its own post office and still carries its own ZIP.
ZIP Codes
- 79735 — Fort Stockton (also serves Alamo Ranchettes and Bodieville)
- 79744 — Iraan
- 79743 — Imperial
- 79730 — Coyanosa
- 79781 — Sheffield
- 79740 — Girvin
Bakersfield, Longfellow, Adobe Crossing and Buena Vista have no dedicated post office and are served by their nearest incorporated neighbor’s ZIP.
Geography
Pecos County lies on the western edge of the Edwards Plateau where it meets the Chihuahuan Desert basin-and-range country of the Trans-Pecos, terrain that runs from flat brush rangeland in the east to broken hills toward the Glass Mountains foothills in the southwest. The Pecos River crosses the county’s northeast corner, and Comanche Creek and Toyah Creek feed it from the west; only 1.0 square mile (2.6 km2) of the county’s area is water. The county borders Ward County and Crane County to the north, Crockett County to the east, Terrell County and Brewster County to the south, Jeff Davis County to the southwest, and Reeves County to the northwest.
Live neighboring pages: Ward County, Crockett County, and Terrell County. Crane, Brewster, Jeff Davis, and Reeves counties are named for reference but not linked here.
Demographics
Pecos County counted 15,193 residents at the 2020 census, with Fort Stockton (8,283) and Iraan (1,262) the two largest communities. The Census Bureau reports the county’s population as roughly 71% Hispanic or Latino, well above the statewide share. Median household income runs below the Texas median of $75,780, reflecting the county’s oil-field and ranching economic base. Density works out to about 3.2 people per square mile, typical for the sparsely settled Trans-Pecos.
Economy & Local Life
Oil and gas anchor the county’s economy: the Yates Oil Field, discovered in 1926 straddling the Pecos–Crockett county line, has produced more than a billion barrels of crude and still supports drilling and service jobs around Iraan. Ranching remains the other mainstay across the county’s open range, and Fort Stockton serves as the retail and government hub, with Pecos County Memorial Hospital and the county courthouse among its largest employers. Interstate 10 traffic supports truck stops and motels along the Fort Stockton corridor.
History
Pecos County was created in 1871 and organized in 1875, taking its name from the Pecos River that forms part of its northeastern boundary. Fort Stockton grew up around a U.S. Army post first established in 1858 to guard travelers and mail routes against Comanche and Apache raids; the fort was garrisoned again after the Civil War before closing in 1886. Iraan, platted in the 1920s during the Yates Field oil boom, is known locally as the boyhood setting claimed by the creators of the newspaper comic strip Alley Oop.
Getting There
Interstate 10 and US Highway 285 cross at Fort Stockton, and US Highway 67 runs south toward Alpine. Fort Stockton–Pecos County Airport handles general aviation; the nearest commercial air service is at Midland International Air and Space Port.
- Midland — 85 miles northeast
- Odessa — 75 miles northeast
- Alpine — 65 miles south
- Del Rio — 160 miles southeast
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Pecos County?
It is in the Trans-Pecos region of far West Texas, along Interstate 10 between Midland-Odessa and Big Bend country.
What is the population of Pecos County?
15,193 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Pecos County?
4,765 square miles (12,340 km2), the second-largest county in Texas by area.
What is the county seat of Pecos County?
Fort Stockton.
How many towns are in Pecos County?
Two incorporated cities (Fort Stockton and Iraan), three census-designated places, and several smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Pecos County?
79735 (Fort Stockton), 79744 (Iraan), 79743 (Imperial), 79730 (Coyanosa), 79781 (Sheffield), and 79740 (Girvin).
Why is it called Pecos County?
It is named for the Pecos River, which crosses its northeast corner and forms part of the county line.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.