San Antonio

San Antonio
Nickname(s): 
San Antone Alamo City, Military City USA, River City, The 210, S.A., Countdown City, Something to Remember
Motto: 
Latin: Libertatis cunabula ("Cradle of Freedom")
Interactive map of San Antonio
San Antonio
Location in Texas
San Antonio
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 29°25′30″N 98°29′38″W / 29.42500°N 98.49389°W / 29.42500; -98.49389
Country United States
State Texas
CountiesBexar, Comal, Medina
FoundationMay 1, 1718 (1718-05-01)
IncorporatedJune 5, 1837 (1837-06-05)
Named afterSaint Anthony of Padua
Government
  TypeCouncil-Manager
  BodySan Antonio City Council
  MayorGina Ortiz Jones (D)
  City ManagerErik Walsh
  City Council
List
Area
  City
504.64 sq mi (1,307.00 km2)
  Land498.85 sq mi (1,292.02 km2)
  Water5.79 sq mi (14.98 km2)
Elevation
722 ft (220 m)
Population
 (2020)
  City
1,434,625
  Estimate 
(2024)
1,526,656
  Rank
  • 17th in North America
  • 7th in the United States
  • 2nd in Texas
  Density2,800/sq mi (1,100/km2)
  Urban
1,992,689 (US: 24th)
  Metro
2,601,788 (US: 24th)
DemonymSan Antonian
GDP
  Metro$163.061 billion (2022)
Time zoneUTC−6 (CST)
  Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes
78201–78266, 78268–78270, 78275, 78278–78280, 78283–78285, 78288–89, 78291–78299
Area codes210 (majority), 830 (portions), 726
FIPS code48-65000
GNIS feature ID2411774
Websitesa.gov

San Antonio (/ˌsæn ænˈtni/ SAN an-TOH-nee-oh; Spanish for "Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the seventh-most populous city in the United States, second-most populous city in Texas and second-most populous city in the Southern United States, with a population of 1.43 million at the 2020 census. The San Antonio metropolitan area, with an estimated 2.76 million residents, ranks as the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest in the nation. It is the county seat of Bexar County.

Founded in 1718 as a Spanish mission and colonial outpost, San Antonio became the first chartered civil settlement in present-day Texas in 1731. The city was named in 1691 by a Spanish expedition in honor of Saint Anthony of Padua. It was part of the Spanish Empire, then the Mexican Republic from 1821 to 1836, before joining the United States. Straddling the regional divide between South and Central Texas, San Antonio anchors the southwestern corner of an urban megaregion colloquially known as the Texas Triangle. It lies about 80 miles (130 km) from downtown Austin along the I-35 corridor, and together the San Antonio–Austin metroplex is home to approximately 5 million people.

San Antonio is home to five 18th-century Spanish frontier missions, including the Alamo and those preserved in San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, which were collectively designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2015. Major attractions include the River Walk, Tower of the Americas, SeaWorld San Antonio, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and the Alamo Bowl. The city also hosts the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo and is home to the five-time National Basketball Association (NBA) champion San Antonio Spurs. San Antonio welcomes approximately 32 million visitors annually and is a key military hub, hosting several major U.S. Armed Forces facilities, including Fort Sam Houston and nearby bases such as Lackland and Randolph Air Force Bases. The city is also home to four Fortune 500 companies, the South Texas Medical Center, and one of the largest majority-Hispanic populations in the U.S., with 64% of residents identifying as Hispanic.