A Guide to Port Mansfield Subdivisions and Areas
Port Mansfield is a small town, but it is not all one thing. Where a lot sits changes the lease rate, the view, the wind, the boat access, and the rules for what you can build. We live here and we walk these streets, so here is the plain guide to how the town lays out. Tap an area on the map to jump to its details, then call us and we will talk through which area actually fits what you want to do.
Tap a colored area to read about it. Pinch to zoom.
How lease rates work across town
Every lot in Port Mansfield is leased from the Willacy County Navigation District, and the district prices leases by zone. Under the district's 2025 revised rates, annual lease fees run per front foot of your lot: waterfront residential lots are $14 per front foot, secondary residential lots one row back are $10, interior residential lots are $8, some residential blocks are $7, and harbor waterfront is $24 per foot. Every lease also carries a $75 annual heavy debris fee. As a real world example, a typical 50 foot interior lot runs $400 plus $75 per year, and a 50 foot open waterfront lot runs $700 plus $75. For the full picture of how district leases work, see our Navigation District page.
The Original Townsite
The oldest and largest part of Port Mansfield, platted when the town was established as a port development. This is the core of town around the harbor and the streets between the water and Highway 186, and it spans every price zone: open bayfront blocks along North Shore and Bayshore, harbor blocks, and the interior grid. Mix of older fishing cabins, remodeled homes, and new builds. Building rules here come from the district's lease and ordinances rather than recorded deed restrictions, so requirements are confirmed lot by lot when you build. Base lease fees run by zone: Zone 1 (waterfront) $14 per foot, Zone 2 $10 per foot, Zone 6 $8 per foot, and Zone 7 $7 per foot annually.
Port South
An established subdivision in the southern part of town along Port South Drive, with open Laguna Madre waterfront on its east side and some of the town's stronger recent sale prices. Deed restrictions recorded in 1983: residential use only, minimum 1,000 square feet, no mobile homes or house trailers, new construction only, and all plumbing connected to the utility district sewer. Setback lines follow the district's lease requirements. Base lease fees are $10 per foot annually.
East Port Drive
A district developed subdivision near the harbor side of town, restrictions recorded in Volume 3, Page 74 of the Map Records of Willacy County with the Navigation District itself as developer. Residential use only, minimum 1,500 square feet, no mobile homes, and new construction only with no relocated buildings permitted. Base lease fees are $24 per foot annually.
East Port Drive No. 2
A district developed subdivision near the harbor side of town, restrictions recorded in 2017 with the Navigation District itself as developer. Residential use only, minimum 1,500 square feet, no mobile homes, new construction only, concrete docks and bulkheads, and pier length capped at 40 feet unless a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers or the district allows more. Base lease fees are $36 per foot annually.
West Harbor
The district's newest waterfront recorded subdivision, with restrictions signed in June 2026. Part of the Original Townsite near the harbor. Residential use only with a minimum build of 2,000 square feet, the largest minimum in town. New construction only, docks and bulkheads must be concrete or a district approved equivalent, pier length capped at 40 feet unless permitted longer, and district permits required for any structure, including work in the adjacent harbor. Base lease fees are $24 per foot annually.
Serenity Harbor
A small harbor subdivision platted in 1999, home to newer built waterfront homes on protected water with private boat lifts. Restrictions: residential only, minimum 1,000 square feet, no mobile homes, new construction only. One of the strongest resale areas in town on a price per square foot basis. Base lease fees are $24 per foot annually.
Warm Wind Drive
A district developed subdivision from 2002 with a minimum build of 1,600 square feet, no mobile homes, and new construction only. Interior zone lease rates apply, which makes it one of the more affordable ways to build something substantial. Base lease fees here are $8 per foot annually.
New Port Subdivision
The newest district addition: Phase 1 opened 47 lots along Gulf Street, Baffin Street, and Bayview Drive, offered first come first served with no waiting list. Minimum build is 1,200 square feet, and barndominiums are expressly allowed, which is rare here. Interior zone lease rates apply ($8 per front foot per year). See our district lots page for how the process works.
Mansfield Point
The town's gated community, run by a homeowners association on district leasehold. It has the most detailed rules in Port Mansfield, and they are specific: front setback 20 feet (12 feet for porches), rear setback 14 feet on the water and 10 feet off the water, side setbacks 5 feet. Minimum 800 square feet on the ground floor, with 1,600 total required for two story homes on lots 1 through 9 and 1,200 on lots 10 through 13. A front porch of at least 8 by 12 feet is required, foundations sit 12 inches above street level, and the design code prohibits mobile homes, portable sheds, above ground pools, chain link fencing, and timber pilings. Plan review runs $400 in fees plus a $1,000 builder deposit. HOA governance: three member board, annual elections, 51 percent quorum.
Harbour Estates No. 1 and No. 2 and other areas
Harbour Estates No. 1 and No. 2 sit in the interior zone near the water tower along Seaspray and Ranch Drive. Because these lots fall under the base district ground lease without separately recorded deed restrictions, manufactured homes can typically be placed here, which is why you see them concentrated in this area (and along White Drive) and why it is one of the most affordable footholds in town. The L and J Torres Subdivision is a small interior addition. Locals also describe areas simply by the water: open bayfront, the harbor, and the interior grid. Base lease fees are $8 per foot annually.
South Harbour
South Harbour covers the blocks along the south side of the harbor entrance and is home to a mix of single family residences and the town's condo buildings. This area offers waterfront living directly on the fishing channel, with side tie boat slips and pools available at several of the condo properties. Some of the condos also feature HOA style amenities. Whether you are looking for a standalone home or the low maintenance lifestyle of a waterfront condo, South Harbour puts the water right at your doorstep.
Flood zones and insurance
Flood zones in Port Mansfield vary lot by lot, and it matters for both insurance costs and build requirements. Waterfront and canal adjacent properties generally fall in FEMA zone AE with base flood elevations around 7 to 8 feet, and the most exposed Gulf side lots sit in the higher hazard velocity zone VE. Much of the interior of town is designated zone X, an area of minimal flood hazard shown unshaded on FEMA maps, which can be a meaningful cost difference for buyers weighing insurance. The current effective FIRM covering Port Mansfield is panel 48489C0125E, effective April 5, 2017, and a handful of individual properties have received Letters of Map Amendment revising their designation since then. Because designations shift block by block and even lot by lot, we always recommend verifying a specific property directly through the FEMA Map Service Center before making any decisions based on flood zone assumptions.
Building in each area
Because Port Mansfield is unincorporated, construction rules come from the Willacy County Navigation District ordinances, your lease agreement, Willacy County, and any recorded restrictions specific to your subdivision, not from a city. Before you begin designing your build, work through this practical checklist: review your lease terms, confirm the minimum square footage and any restrictions for your specific subdivision, secure your district permit, obtain your Willacy County building permit, and set up utility connections through the Port Mansfield Public Utility District.
Common Questions
What subdivisions are in Port Mansfield TX?
The Original Townsite is the core of town, joined by Port South, East Port Drive and East Port Drive No. 2, West Harbor, Serenity Harbor, Warm Wind Drive, New Port, Harbour Estates No. 1 and 2, the L and J Torres Subdivision, and the gated Mansfield Point community.
How much does a lot lease cost in Port Mansfield?
Every lot in Port Mansfield is leased from the Willacy County Navigation District, priced per front foot per year under the 2025 revised rates, plus a $75 annual heavy debris fee on every lease. Rates run from $7 per foot in the most discounted interior blocks up to $36 per foot in East Port Drive No. 2. Standard interior residential is $8, secondary residential one row back from the water is $10, open waterfront is $14, and harbor waterfront subdivisions like East Port Drive, West Harbor, and Serenity Harbor run $24. As a real world example, a 50 foot interior lot runs $475 per year all in, and a 50 foot open waterfront lot runs $775. The condominium complexes governed by HOAs roll lease fees into those memberships, so the HOA fees should be confirmed separately.
What is the minimum size house I can build in Port Mansfield?
It depends on the subdivision: 1,000 square feet in Port South and Serenity Harbor, 1,200 in New Port, 1,500 in East Port Drive and East Port Drive No. 2, 1,600 in Warm Wind, and 2,000 in West Harbor. Mansfield Point uses its own design code. The Original Townsite is governed by the district lease rather than recorded minimums.
Can I build a barndominium in Port Mansfield?
Yes in New Port Subdivision and L and J Torres Subdivision, where the recorded restrictions expressly allow barndominiums. Elsewhere it depends on the subdivision's restrictions and district approval, so ask us about the specific lot.
Are there HOAs in Port Mansfield?
Mansfield Point is the town's only gated single family community with an HOA, governing private residences under a detailed set of design and setback restrictions. Beyond that, a handful of waterfront condo complexes operate their own HOAs covering shared amenities like pools, boat slips, and common areas. Everywhere else in Port Mansfield, building rules come from Navigation District ordinances, your lease, and recorded subdivision restrictions rather than an association.
Is Port Mansfield in a flood zone?
Flood zones vary lot by lot. Waterfront and canal properties are typically FEMA zone AE (with the most exposed Gulf side lots in zone VE), which is why waterfront homes stand on pilings and carry flood insurance. Much of the interior of town is zone X, an area of minimal flood hazard. Verify any specific property at the FEMA Map Service Center.