Geography of Collin County
With roughly 1,297,179 residents, Collin County is among the most heavily populated places in Texas — a metropolitan county where city limits, suburbs and highways now cover much of its 848 square miles.
It lies in the North Texas region at about 33.19° N, 96.57° W and is 186th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Collin County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Dallas (about 31 miles away in a straight line) and Fort Worth (about 53 miles).
North Texas runs from the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex out to the Red River and the Rolling Plains. It mixes one of America's largest urban regions with wheat fields, cattle country and small towns that grew up along railroads.
For a broader view of how Collin 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 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
If you need an official record from Collin County — a deed, a birth certificate, a court filing — McKinney is where it is kept. Like every Texas county seat, it hosts the courthouse and the main offices of county government. In a county this large, many services are also offered at satellite offices across the county.
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. Figures are sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau; answers are written and reviewed by the Texas County Map team.
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?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Collin 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 Collin 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 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.