Geography of Bowie County
Bowie County is built around New Boston and a handful of smaller towns, with about 92,696 residents across 888 square miles of mixed town and countryside.
It lies in the East Texas region at about 33.45° N, 94.42° W and is 167th in size among Texas's 254 counties. It is a border county, touching Oklahoma and Arkansas. Bowie County shares boundaries with 3 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Texarkana (about 22 miles away in a straight line) and Tyler (about 91 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 Bowie 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 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
If you need an official record from Bowie County — a deed, a birth certificate, a court filing — New Boston is where it is kept. Like every Texas county seat, it hosts the courthouse and the main offices of county government. New Boston also serves as the main shopping, school and healthcare center for much of the county.
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. Figures are sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau; answers are written and reviewed by the Texas County Map team.
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?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Bowie 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 Bowie 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 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.