Geography of Callahan County
Callahan County sits at roughly 32.30° N and 99.37° W in the Central Texas region of Texas, spanning 899 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 Baird, and the county shares boundaries with 6 neighboring counties.
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
Baird serves as the seat of government for Callahan 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
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. Every answer is generated from the official U.S. Census data backing this site.
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?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Callahan 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 Callahan 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 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.