Geography of Austin County
Austin County is built around Bellville and a handful of smaller towns, with about 33,625 residents across 653 square miles of mixed town and countryside.
It lies in the Central Texas region at about 29.89° N, 96.28° W and is 224th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Austin County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are College Station (about 51 miles away in a straight line) and Houston (about 55 miles).
Central Texas stretches across the Hill Country, the Blackland Prairie and the Cross Timbers. It includes some of the fastest-growing suburbs in the nation along the I-35 corridor, alongside quiet ranching counties with limestone creeks and live-oak savanna.
For a broader view of how Austin 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 33,625 residents across 653 square miles, Austin County has a population density of about 51.5 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: Bellville
County government for Austin County is based in Bellville. 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. Bellville also serves as the main shopping, school and healthcare center for much of the county.
History & name origin
Austin County was established in 1836 and was named for Stephen F. Austin (1793–1836), known as the Father of Texas. It was carved from territory previously part of One of the original 23 counties.
Austin County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Austin 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 Austin County, Texas located?+
Austin County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 29.887° N, 96.278° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48015. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Austin County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Austin County in square miles?+
Austin County covers approximately 653 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a compact county by Texas standards. By land area it ranks 224th 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 Austin County, Texas?+
Austin County has a population of approximately 33,625 residents. With 653 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 51.5 people per square mile, which is moderately populated for a Texas county. That makes Austin County the 89th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Austin County?+
Bellville is the county seat of Austin County, Texas, which was organized in 1836 and named for Stephen F. Austin (1793–1836), known as the Father of Texas. Austin County was originally carved out of One of the original 23 counties. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Austin County are located in Bellville.
Which Texas counties border Austin County?+
Austin County shares borders with Waller, Wharton, Fort Bend, Colorado, Fayette, and Washington counties. These 6 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 Central Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Austin County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Austin 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 Austin 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 Austin County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Austin County is 48015, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 015. 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.