Geography of Colorado County
Colorado County sits at roughly 29.62° N and 96.53° W in the Central Texas region of Texas, spanning 963 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 Columbus, and the county shares boundaries with 5 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 21,439 residents across 963 square miles, Colorado County has a population density of about 22.3 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Columbus
Columbus serves as the seat of government for Colorado 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
Colorado County was established in 1836 and was named for The Colorado River of Texas (Colorado is Spanish for "colored"). It was carved from territory previously part of One of the original 23 counties.
Colorado County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Colorado 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 Colorado County, Texas located?+
Colorado County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 29.621° N, 96.526° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48089. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Colorado County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Colorado County in square miles?+
Colorado County covers approximately 963 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 82nd 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 Colorado County, Texas?+
Colorado County has a population of approximately 21,439 residents. With 963 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 22.3 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Colorado County the 115th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Colorado County?+
Columbus is the county seat of Colorado County, Texas, which was organized in 1836 and named for The Colorado River of Texas (Colorado is Spanish for "colored"). Colorado County was originally carved out of One of the original 23 counties. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Colorado County are located in Columbus.
Which Texas counties border Colorado County?+
Colorado County shares borders with Wharton, Austin, Jackson, Lavaca, and Fayette 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 Colorado County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Colorado 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 Colorado 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 Colorado County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Colorado County is 48089, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 089. 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.