Geography of Collin County
Collin County sits at roughly 33.19° N and 96.57° W in the North Texas region of Texas, spanning 848 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 McKinney, and the county shares boundaries with 6 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 1,297,179 residents across 848 square miles, Collin County has a population density of about 1529.7 people per square mile. It ranks among the more densely populated counties in Texas — a clear sign of metropolitan urbanization.
County seat: McKinney
McKinney serves as the seat of government for Collin 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
Collin County was established in 1846 and was named for Collin McKinney (1766–1861), an author of the Texas Declaration of Independence and the oldest person to sign it. It was carved from territory previously part of Fannin County.
Collin County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Collin 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 Collin County, Texas located?+
Collin County is located in the North Texas region of Texas at approximately 33.188° N, 96.572° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48085. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Collin County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Collin County in square miles?+
Collin County covers approximately 848 square miles of land in the North Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 186th 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 Collin County, Texas?+
Collin County has a population of approximately 1,297,179 residents. With 848 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 1529.7 people per square mile, which is highly urban for a Texas county. That makes Collin County the 6th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Collin County?+
McKinney is the county seat of Collin County, Texas, which was organized in 1846 and named for Collin McKinney (1766–1861), an author of the Texas Declaration of Independence and the oldest person to sign it. Collin County was originally carved out of Fannin County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Collin County are located in McKinney.
Which Texas counties border Collin County?+
Collin County shares borders with Hunt, Dallas, Rockwall, Denton, Fannin, and Grayson 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 North Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Collin County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Collin 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 Collin 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 Collin County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Collin County is 48085, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 085. 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.