Texas Porch

City vs. County

Four Cities Share the County—Know Which Jurisdiction You're In

Wichita County has four incorporated cities—Wichita Falls, Burkburnett, Iowa Park, and Electra—each with its own rules, and unincorporated areas fall under county authority.

Wichita Falls is the county seat and by far the largest city, with about 102,000 people. Burkburnett (about 10,900) and Iowa Park (about 6,500) are smaller cities in the county. Electra (about 2,300) is in the western part. Each city sets its own zoning, building codes, and utility rules.

Wichita Falls also has an ETJ—extraterritorial jurisdiction. This is a buffer zone just outside city limits. The city can control how land is divided and developed there, even though you are not inside city limits yet. If you buy land in the ETJ, city rules on roads and lot layouts may still apply to you. Land outside any city limits falls under county rules instead. Before you buy or build, check with the city or county to find out which rules apply to your address.

Source to confirm: City of Wichita Falls – City Limits Map

More Wichita County notes