Real County
Real County, Texas
Real County is in southwest Texas, bounded on the north and west by Edwards County, on the east by Kerr and Bandera counties, and on the south by Uvalde County. The center of the county lies at 29°50' north latitude and 99°50' west longitude, 100 miles northwest of San Antonio. The area was named for Julius Real, the only Republican in the Texas Senate when the county was formed in 1913. Real County encompasses 622 square miles of the Balcones Escarpment on the southern edge of the Edwards Plateau; its terrain is characterized by sharply dissected canyonlands crossed by numerous streams, which flow from perennial springs in the water-bearing strata of the Edwards and Glen Rose limestone formations and descend the escarpment over beds of limestone, gravel, and calcareous soils. Headwaters of both the Frio and the Nueces rivers lie within Real County; the Nueces forms the county's western boundary with Edwards County. Elevations range from 1,500 feet in the valleys to 2,400 feet in the northern part of the county at the edge of the plateau; the mountains and ridges in the western half of the county, the eastern edge of the Nueces Canyon, are steeper and more rugged than those along the Frio Canyon to the east. Rainfall averages 23.88 inches annually. Temperatures range from an average low of 35° F in January to an average high of 96° F in July; the growing season lasts about 235 days. Although agriculture has been of limited significance to the area since the earliest periods of human occupation, arable land is found in the valleys, where pecan trees are plentiful. It is believed that until the middle of the nineteenth century forestation in the area was confined to the bottoms, while the uplands were covered with rich grasslands, which, coupled with the abundance of water, ensured a constant supply of game animals, birds, and fish as well as berries, nuts, and roots. Today the area is heavily forested with live oak, Ashe juniper, and mesquite on the ridges and uplands as well as on the hills and escarpment. In the early 1980s much of Real County's economy revolved around ranching. In 1982, 83 percent of the county's land was in farms and ranches; about 2 percent of the land was irrigated, and 97 percent of the county's agricultural receipts derived from livestock, especially cattle, sheep, and angora goats. Only about 3 percent of the county's workforce was engaged in manufactures; tourism supported 117 workers, more than any other industry in the area.
Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.
Real County at a Glance
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County Map of Texas
Real County
- Real County
Currently Exists
Yes
Place type
Real County is classified as a County
Altitude Range
1400 ft – 2400 ft
Places of Real County
Noteworthy | Place | Type |
---|---|---|
Auld | Town | |
Big Paint | Town | |
Buck Den | Town | |
Bull Head | Town | |
Camp Wood | Town | |
Exile | Town | |
Floral | Town | |
Frio Water Hole | Town | |
Happy Hollow | Town | |
Leakey | Town | |
Lula | Town | |
Prade Ranch | Town | |
Rio Frio | Town | |
Shackelford Ranch | Town | |
The Ditch | Town | |
Vance | Town |
Photos of Real County and surrounding areas
Real County, Texas
The Real County Historical Museum is located in Leakey, Texas, the county seat. Photograph by Billy Hathorn.

Real County, Texas
Map of Real County, Texas. Map Credit: Robert Plocheck.
Leakey, Texas
Leakey, Texas, the seat of Real County houses the county courthouse. Photograph by Billy Hathorn. Leakey
Camp Wood, Texas
Camp wood is a small ctiy in the Texas Hill Country within Real County, Texas. Photograph by Billy Hathorn. Camp Wood

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Real County by the Numbers
Population & Civilian Labor Counts
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Population Counts
Real County
Pop. | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
3,452 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |
Civilian Labor Counts
Real County
People | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
945 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Per Capita Income
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Per Capita Income (USD) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
$34,687 | 2019 | U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis |
Property Values, Retail Sales, and Wages
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Property Values
Real County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
1,175,641,566 | 2019 | State Property Tax Board |
Retail Sales
Real County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
29,791,590 | 2019 | State Comptroller of Public Accounts |
Wages
Real County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
5,490,281 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Unemployment
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Unemployment Percentage | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
8.0 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Rainfall
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Rainfall (inches) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
27.4 | 2019 | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Temperature Ranges
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Min. (January Average, °F) | Max. (July Average, °F) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|---|
33.6 | 93.0 | 2019 | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Land Area & Total Area
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Land Area
Real County
Area (square miles) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
699.2 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |
Total Area
Real County
Area (square miles) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
700.1 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |