Willacy County is a county in Texas, United States, on the Gulf of Mexico coast in the Rio Grande Valley. It had a population of 20,164 at the 2020 census and covers 785 square miles (2,033 km2), of which 194 square miles (500 km2) are water, centred near 26°29′N 97°36′W.
Raymondville is the county seat, and its postal code is 78580. The county has three incorporated cities, several census-designated places and a scattering of colonias, sits in the Central time zone, and carries FIPS code 48489.
Towns & Villages in Willacy County
Raymondville anchors the county’s population; Lyford and San Perlita are the only other incorporated cities. The rest of the county is unincorporated — ranch land, farmland and small colonias strung along the Kenedy and Hidalgo county lines and the Laguna Madre shoreline.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raymondville | City · seat | 10,236 | 78580 |
| Lyford | City | 2,249 | 78569 |
| San Perlita | City | 538 | 78590 |
| Sebastian | CDP | — | — |
| Port Mansfield | CDP | — | — |
| Lasara | CDP | — | — |
| Santa Monica | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Willamar | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Yturria | Unincorp. | — | — |
Willacy County also has a long list of small colonias — informal, low-income subdivisions platted along rural roads, some carrying developer names such as Benitez Colonia, Bausell and Ellis Colonia and Ranchette Estates Colonia. They have no separate ZIP or census population figure and are served by the nearest incorporated post office.
ZIP Codes
- 78580 — Raymondville (also serves the surrounding rural county and, per USPS routing, Port Mansfield)
- 78569 — Lyford
- 78590 — San Perlita
Sebastian, Lasara, Santa Monica and the colonias use a neighbouring town’s ZIP rather than one of their own.
Geography
Willacy County sits on the coastal plain of deep South Texas, flat and low-lying, with brushland and irrigated farmland giving way to barrier-island dune and marsh along the coast. The Gulf of Mexico and the Laguna Madre form the county’s entire eastern edge, and the county holds part of the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge and part of Padre Island National Seashore. Bordering counties:
- Kenedy County — north
- Hidalgo County — west
- Cameron County — south
- Gulf of Mexico — east
Demographics
Willacy County had a population of 20,164 at the 2020 census. Raymondville and Lyford are its two largest communities, together accounting for more than half the county’s residents. The county’s median household income runs well below the Texas figure of $75,780, reflecting an economy still built on agriculture and a state prison payroll rather than the trade and energy jobs that lift income in nearby Hidalgo and Cameron counties. Population density is light for the Rio Grande Valley, at roughly 34 people per square mile of land.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture has defined Willacy County since Bermuda onions became its signature crop in 1912; cotton, grain sorghum and citrus are grown alongside it today. Oil and gas production, dating to the Willamar Oil Field discovery in 1940, still contributes county revenue, and wind turbines have gone up across the rural county since the early 2010s. Corrections and county government are significant employers in Raymondville. Port Mansfield, on the Laguna Madre, is a small commercial and recreational fishing community and draws anglers for redfish and trout in spring and summer.
History
The Texas Legislature created Willacy County in 1911 out of parts of Cameron and Hidalgo counties, naming it for state senator John G. Willacy. The new county initially included the land that became Kenedy County in 1921, when Willacy’s boundaries were reduced to their present shape. Raymondville was named county seat at organization and has held that role ever since.
Getting There
U.S. Route 77 (now co-signed as Interstate 69E) runs the length of the county north to south and is the main route in and out; U.S. Route 186 crosses east to Port Mansfield.
- Harlingen — south via US 77/I-69E
- Kingsville — north via US 77/I-69E
- McAllen — west via US 186 and US 281
- Raymondville — the county’s own hub, at the US 77 and SH 186 junction
Valley International Airport in Harlingen is the nearest commercial airport. Amtrak does not serve Willacy County; the nearest station is in San Antonio.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Willacy County?
In far South Texas, on the Gulf of Mexico coast between Kenedy, Hidalgo and Cameron counties, in the Rio Grande Valley.
What is the Raymondville postcode?
Raymondville’s postal code is 78580; a second ZIP, 78598, also routes to Port Mansfield.
What is the population of Willacy County?
20,164 at the 2020 census.
What is the county seat of Willacy County?
Raymondville is the county seat.
How did Willacy County get its name?
It is named for John G. Willacy, a Texas state senator, when the county was organized in 1911.
What is Willacy County’s main industry?
Agriculture — historically Bermuda onions, plus cotton and sorghum — alongside oil, gas and, more recently, wind power.
Is there a coastal town in Willacy County?
Yes — Port Mansfield, a small fishing community on the Laguna Madre.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.