Geography of Denton County
Denton County is one of the urban anchors of Texas. Its 888 square miles hold a population of about 1,069,346, and the county ranks 7th in the state by population.
It lies in the North Texas region at about 33.21° N, 97.12° W and is 168th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Denton County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Fort Worth (about 34 miles away in a straight line) and Dallas (about 35 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 Denton 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 1,069,346 residents across 888 square miles, Denton County has a population density of about 1204.2 people per square mile. It ranks among the more densely populated counties in Texas — a clear sign of metropolitan urbanization.
County seat: Denton
Denton is the county seat of Denton 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
Denton County was established in 1846 and was named for John Bunyan Denton (1806–1841), a preacher, lawyer, and soldier killed during a raid on a Native American camp. It was carved from territory previously part of Fannin County.
Denton County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Denton 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 Denton County, Texas located?+
Denton County is located in the North Texas region of Texas at approximately 33.205° N, 97.117° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48121. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Denton County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Denton County in square miles?+
Denton County covers approximately 888 square miles of land in the North Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 168th 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 Denton County, Texas?+
Denton County has a population of approximately 1,069,346 residents. With 888 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 1204.2 people per square mile, which is highly urban for a Texas county. That makes Denton County the 7th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Denton County?+
Denton is the county seat of Denton County, Texas, which was organized in 1846 and named for John Bunyan Denton (1806–1841), a preacher, lawyer, and soldier killed during a raid on a Native American camp. Denton County was originally carved out of Fannin County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Denton County are located in Denton.
Which Texas counties border Denton County?+
Denton County shares borders with Dallas, Tarrant, Wise, Cooke, Collin, 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 Denton County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Denton 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 Denton 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 Denton County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Denton County is 48121, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 121. 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.