Geography of Bowie County
Bowie County sits at roughly 33.45° N and 94.42° W in the East Texas region of Texas, spanning 888 square miles of terrain that includes the landscape characteristic of the area — from open ranchland and farmland to small-town main streets. The county's centroid is near New Boston, and the county shares boundaries with 3 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 92,696 residents across 888 square miles, Bowie County has a population density of about 104.4 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: New Boston
New Boston serves as the seat of government for Bowie County. The county courthouse, commissioners court, district clerk, and primary public records are located here. As with all 254 Texas counties, the county seat is the anchor of civic life and the principal address for elections, permits, and court filings.
History & name origin
Bowie County was established in 1840 and was named for James Bowie (1796–1836), the legendary knife fighter who died at the Battle of the Alamo. It was carved from territory previously part of Red River County.
Bowie County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Bowie County geography, population, county seat, neighboring counties, and how to use the maps on this page. Every answer is generated from the official U.S. Census data backing this site.
Where is Bowie County, Texas located?+
Bowie County is located in the East Texas region of Texas at approximately 33.446° N, 94.424° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48037. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Bowie County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Bowie County in square miles?+
Bowie County covers approximately 888 square miles of land in the East Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 167th 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 Bowie County, Texas?+
Bowie County has a population of approximately 92,696 residents. With 888 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 104.4 people per square mile, which is moderately populated for a Texas county. That makes Bowie County the 44th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Bowie County?+
New Boston is the county seat of Bowie County, Texas, which was organized in 1840 and named for James Bowie (1796–1836), the legendary knife fighter who died at the Battle of the Alamo. Bowie County was originally carved out of Red River County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Bowie County are located in New Boston.
Which Texas counties border Bowie County?+
Bowie County shares borders with Morris, Red River, and Cass counties. These 3 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 Bowie County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Bowie County is available from the "Download PDF" button at the top of this page. The printable layout uses authentic U.S. Census TIGER boundary geometry for Bowie County, includes a Texas locator inset, and is sized for standard 8.5" × 11" Letter paper. For interactive use, the live Leaflet map on this page supports OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, Esri topographic, and Carto light basemaps with zoom, scale bar, and fullscreen.
What is the FIPS code for Bowie County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Bowie County is 48037, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 037. 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.