Geography of Denton County
Denton County sits at roughly 33.21° N and 97.12° W in the North Texas region of Texas, spanning 888 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 Denton, and the county shares boundaries with 6 neighboring counties.
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 serves as the seat of government for Denton 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
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. Every answer is generated from the official U.S. Census data backing this site.
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?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Denton 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 Denton 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 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.