Geography of Anderson County
Anderson County is built around Palestine and a handful of smaller towns, with about 59,805 residents across 1,071 square miles of mixed town and countryside.
It lies in the East Texas region at about 31.81° N, 95.65° W and is 54th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Anderson County shares boundaries with 5 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Tyler (about 42 miles away in a straight line) and Waco (about 90 miles).
East Texas is the state's forested corner — the Piney Woods, red-clay hills, lakes and river bottoms that have more in common with the Deep South than with the open West. Timber, poultry, oil and gas, and growing retirement and lake communities shape its economy.
For a broader view of how Anderson County fits within the state, download our free Texas map with counties and cities PDF — a printable, high-resolution reference showing all 254 Texas counties labeled with their county seats.
Population & demographics
With approximately 59,805 residents across 1,071 square miles, Anderson County has a population density of about 55.8 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: Palestine
County government for Anderson County is based in Palestine. The commissioners court, made up of a county judge and four precinct commissioners, meets here and sets the county budget, roads policy and tax rate. Palestine also serves as the main shopping, school and healthcare center for much of the county.
History & name origin
Anderson County was established in 1846 and was named for Kenneth Lewis Anderson (1805–1845), the last vice president of the Republic of Texas. It was carved from territory previously part of Houston County.
Anderson County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Anderson County geography, population, county seat, neighboring counties, and how to use the maps on this page. Figures are sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau; answers are written and reviewed by the Texas County Map team.
Where is Anderson County, Texas located?+
Anderson County is located in the East Texas region of Texas at approximately 31.813° N, 95.653° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48001. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Anderson County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Anderson County in square miles?+
Anderson County covers approximately 1,071 square miles of land in the East Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 54th out of 254 Texas counties. The full bounding box of the county is rendered to scale on the interactive map and matches the U.S. Census TIGER 2023 polygon.
What is the population of Anderson County, Texas?+
Anderson County has a population of approximately 59,805 residents. With 1,071 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 55.8 people per square mile, which is moderately populated for a Texas county. That makes Anderson County the 59th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Anderson County?+
Palestine is the county seat of Anderson County, Texas, which was organized in 1846 and named for Kenneth Lewis Anderson (1805–1845), the last vice president of the Republic of Texas. Anderson County was originally carved out of Houston County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Anderson County are located in Palestine.
Which Texas counties border Anderson County?+
Anderson County shares borders with Henderson, Houston, Leon, Cherokee, and Freestone counties. These 5 neighboring counties are highlighted on the schematic boundary map and linked at the bottom of this page so you can quickly compare population, area, and county seats across the East Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Anderson County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Anderson County map on this page to save a letter-size PDF of the county boundary, neighboring counties and incorporated places, drawn from U.S. Census Bureau 2023 boundary files. The "Official TxDOT road map" button downloads the Texas Department of Transportation county road mapbook for Anderson County. Both files are stored on this site and download directly. Our free Texas map with counties and cities PDF shows all 254 counties on one sheet.
What is the FIPS code for Anderson County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Anderson County is 48001, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 001. This is the same FIPS code used by the U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line files, the American Community Survey, and most federal datasets that key on county.