[4][5] Bexar County is included in the San Antonio–New Braunfels, TX metropolitan statistical area.

[7] Bexar County was created on December 20, 1836, and encompassed almost the entire western portion of the Republic of Texas.

The county was named for San Antonio de Béxar, one of the 23 Mexican municipalities (administrative divisions) of Texas at the time of its independence.

Specifically, the municipality was created in 1731 when 55 Canary Islanders settled near the system of missions that had been established around the source of the San Antonio River.

The new settlement was named after the Presidio San Antonio de Béjar, the Spanish military outpost that protected the missions.

The presidio, located at the San Pedro Springs, was founded in 1718 and named for Viceroy Balthasar Manuel de Zúñiga y Guzmán Sotomayor y Sarmiento, second son of the Duke of Béjar (a town in Spain).

Natives that lived in the county included the Lipan Apache, Payaya, Tonkawa, and Comanche.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,256 square miles (3,250 km2), of which 16 sq mi (41 km2) (1.3%) are covered by water.

A Williams Institute analysis of 2010 census data found there were about 6.2 same-sex couples per 1,000 households in the county.

[22][23] The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates the Dominguez Unit, a state jail for men, in an unincorporated section of Bexar County.

Most will hence find their property taxes will increase for the year, with higher payments for some beginning as early as November 1.

Former Governor of Texas George W. Bush remains the last Republican to carry the county in presidential elections.

Republicans' strength is concentrated around the military bases plus wealthier enclaves such as Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills, and the far northern section of the county.