Geography of Callahan County
Callahan County is a rural county of 899 square miles and about 14,491 residents, where farms and ranches fill most of the space between Baird and its smaller communities.
It lies in the Central Texas region at about 32.30° N, 99.37° W and is 156th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Callahan County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Abilene (about 23 miles away in a straight line) and San Angelo (about 85 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 Callahan 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 14,491 residents across 899 square miles, Callahan County has a population density of about 16.1 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Baird
If you need an official record from Callahan County — a deed, a birth certificate, a court filing — Baird is where it is kept. Like every Texas county seat, it hosts the courthouse and the main offices of county government. For many residents, a trip to Baird combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
History & name origin
Callahan County was established in 1858 and was named for James Hughes Callahan, a soldier during the Texas Revolution. It was carved from territory previously part of Bexar County, Bosque County, and Travis County.
Callahan County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Callahan 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 Callahan County, Texas located?+
Callahan County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 32.298° N, 99.374° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48059. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Callahan County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Callahan County in square miles?+
Callahan County covers approximately 899 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 156th 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 Callahan County, Texas?+
Callahan County has a population of approximately 14,491 residents. With 899 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 16.1 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Callahan County the 141st most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Callahan County?+
Baird is the county seat of Callahan County, Texas, which was organized in 1858 and named for James Hughes Callahan, a soldier during the Texas Revolution. Callahan County was originally carved out of Bexar County, Bosque County, and Travis County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Callahan County are located in Baird.
Which Texas counties border Callahan County?+
Callahan County shares borders with Coleman, Jones, Shackelford, Taylor, Brown, and Eastland 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 Callahan County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Callahan 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 Callahan 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 Callahan County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Callahan County is 48059, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 059. 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.