Geography of Brazos County
Brazos County sits at roughly 30.66° N and 96.30° W in the Central Texas region of Texas, spanning 586 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 Bryan, and the county shares boundaries with 5 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 249,088 residents across 586 square miles, Brazos County has a population density of about 425.1 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: Bryan
Bryan serves as the seat of government for Brazos 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
Brazos County was established in 1841 and was named for The Brazos River (from Spanish Los Brazos de Dios, the arms of God). It was carved from territory previously part of Washington County. Named Navasota County until 1842.
Brazos County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Brazos 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 Brazos County, Texas located?+
Brazos County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 30.661° N, 96.302° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48041. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Brazos County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Brazos County in square miles?+
Brazos County covers approximately 586 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a compact county by Texas standards. By land area it ranks 232nd 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 Brazos County, Texas?+
Brazos County has a population of approximately 249,088 residents. With 586 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 425.1 people per square mile, which is densely populated for a Texas county. That makes Brazos County the 24th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Brazos County?+
Bryan is the county seat of Brazos County, Texas, which was organized in 1841 and named for The Brazos River (from Spanish Los Brazos de Dios, the arms of God). Brazos County was originally carved out of Washington County. Named Navasota County until 1842. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Brazos County are located in Bryan.
Which Texas counties border Brazos County?+
Brazos County shares borders with Grimes, Madison, Burleson, Robertson, and Washington 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 Central Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Brazos County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Brazos 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 Brazos 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 Brazos County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Brazos County is 48041, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 041. 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.