Geography of Dallas County
With roughly 2,661,397 residents, Dallas County is among the most heavily populated places in Texas — a metropolitan county where city limits, suburbs and highways now cover much of its 880 square miles.
It lies in the North Texas region at about 32.77° N, 96.78° W and is 174th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Dallas County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Dallas (about 2 miles away in a straight line) and Fort Worth (about 32 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 Dallas 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 2,661,397 residents across 880 square miles, Dallas County has a population density of about 3024.3 people per square mile. It ranks among the more densely populated counties in Texas — a clear sign of metropolitan urbanization.
County seat: Dallas
Dallas is the county seat of Dallas County, sharing its name with the county itself. This is where the county courthouse stands and where residents go for property records, vehicle registration, marriage licenses, court cases and voter services handled by the county clerk, district clerk and tax assessor-collector. In a county this large, many services are also offered at satellite offices across the county.
History & name origin
Dallas County was established in 1846 and was named for George Mifflin Dallas, the eleventh vice president of the United States (1845–1849)(Disputed). It was carved from territory previously part of Nacogdoches County and Robertson County.
Dallas County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Dallas 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 Dallas County, Texas located?+
Dallas County is located in the North Texas region of Texas at approximately 32.767° N, 96.778° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48113. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Dallas County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Dallas County in square miles?+
Dallas County covers approximately 880 square miles of land in the North Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 174th 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 Dallas County, Texas?+
Dallas County has a population of approximately 2,661,397 residents. With 880 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 3024.3 people per square mile, which is highly urban for a Texas county. That makes Dallas County the 2nd most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Dallas County?+
Dallas is the county seat of Dallas County, Texas, which was organized in 1846 and named for George Mifflin Dallas, the eleventh vice president of the United States (1845–1849)(Disputed). Dallas County was originally carved out of Nacogdoches County and Robertson County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Dallas County are located in Dallas.
Which Texas counties border Dallas County?+
Dallas County shares borders with Kaufman, Rockwall, Tarrant, Denton, Collin, and Ellis 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 Dallas County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Dallas 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 Dallas 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 Dallas County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Dallas County is 48113, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 113. 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.