County · code 48209
Hays CountyTexas
Hays County is a county in Texas with its seat in San Marcos, formed in 1848. The county was named after John Coffee Hays.
- Founded1848
- County seatSan Marcos
- Named forJohn Coffee Hays
- Land area677 sq mi + 2 sq mi water
- Population241,067 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped122,622 checked 15 October 2026
Where it is
Hays on the map of Texas
Texas has 254 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1848 from Travis County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Hays County was created from Travis County on March 1, 1848, though it was not fully organized until August 7, 1848. In 1858, Hays County gained territory from Guadalupe County but lost land to the creation of Blanco County; Hays lost additional territory to Blanco County in 1862.
- 1848Hays County created Hays created from Travis; Hays not fully organized. · Texas Laws 1847, 2d leg., ch. 57/p. 48
- 1848Changed Hays fully organized. · HRS Texas, Hays, 7
- 1858Gained territory Hays gained from Guadalupe, lost to creation of Blanco. · Texas Laws 1857, 7th leg., ch. 130/pp. 198-200
- 1862
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Hays
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 122,622 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 15 October 2026 · checked 15 October 2026 -
Address points Official
One point per address, 119,102 in all from Texas Geographic Information Office (TxGIO, formerly TNRIS), a division of the Texas Water Development Board; StratMap program.
checked 14 October 2026 -
Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Hays by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Hays County's official site
We have found the county's site but not its offices yet; start there.
County government
- County government
The official website of Hays County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Hays County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Hays County
- When was Hays County founded?
- Hays County was founded in 1848, formed from Travis County, and named after John Coffee Hays.
- What is the county seat of Hays County?
- The county seat of Hays County is San Marcos.
- Is there an online parcel map for Hays County?
- Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 122,622 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Hays County's boundary or name changed?
- Hays County was created in 1848 from Travis County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 3 later changes, chiefly involving Blanco County and Guadalupe County.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Hays County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby