Geography of Dickens County
Few places in Texas are as wide open as Dickens County. Only around 1,692 people live in its 904 square miles, and ranchland stretches for miles between settlements.
It lies in the North Texas region at about 33.62° N, 100.78° W and is 135th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Dickens County shares boundaries with 4 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Lubbock (about 62 miles away in a straight line) and Abilene (about 101 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 Dickens 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 1,692 residents across 904 square miles, Dickens County has a population density of about 1.9 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Dickens
Dickens is the county seat of Dickens 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 sparsely settled, Dickens may be one of only a few incorporated towns.
History & name origin
Dickens County was established in 1876 and was named for J.A. Dickens, who died at the Battle of the Alamo. It was carved from territory previously part of Bexar County.
Dickens County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Dickens 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 Dickens County, Texas located?+
Dickens County is located in the North Texas region of Texas at approximately 33.617° N, 100.779° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48125. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Dickens County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Dickens County in square miles?+
Dickens County covers approximately 904 square miles of land in the North Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 135th 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 Dickens County, Texas?+
Dickens County has a population of approximately 1,692 residents. With 904 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 1.9 people per square mile, which is sparsely populated for a Texas county. That makes Dickens County the 236th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Dickens County?+
Dickens is the county seat of Dickens County, Texas, which was organized in 1876 and named for J.A. Dickens, who died at the Battle of the Alamo. Dickens County was originally carved out of Bexar County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Dickens County are located in Dickens.
Which Texas counties border Dickens County?+
Dickens County shares borders with Kent, King, Motley, and Crosby counties. These 4 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 Dickens County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Dickens 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 Dickens 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 Dickens County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Dickens County is 48125, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 125. 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.