Geography of Ellis County
Ellis County sits at roughly 32.35° N and 96.79° W in the North Texas region of Texas, spanning 940 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 Waxahachie, and the county shares boundaries with 7 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 240,867 residents across 940 square miles, Ellis County has a population density of about 256.2 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: Waxahachie
Waxahachie serves as the seat of government for Ellis 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
Ellis County was established in 1849 and was named for Richard Ellis (1781–1846), president of the convention that produced the Texas Declaration of Independence. It was carved from territory previously part of Navarro County.
Ellis County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Ellis 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 Ellis County, Texas located?+
Ellis County is located in the North Texas region of Texas at approximately 32.348° N, 96.794° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48139. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Ellis County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Ellis County in square miles?+
Ellis County covers approximately 940 square miles of land in the North Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 89th 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 Ellis County, Texas?+
Ellis County has a population of approximately 240,867 residents. With 940 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 256.2 people per square mile, which is densely populated for a Texas county. That makes Ellis County the 25th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Ellis County?+
Waxahachie is the county seat of Ellis County, Texas, which was organized in 1849 and named for Richard Ellis (1781–1846), president of the convention that produced the Texas Declaration of Independence. Ellis County was originally carved out of Navarro County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Ellis County are located in Waxahachie.
Which Texas counties border Ellis County?+
Ellis County shares borders with Henderson, Navarro, Hill, Dallas, Johnson, Kaufman, and Tarrant counties. These 7 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 Ellis County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Ellis 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 Ellis 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 Ellis County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Ellis County is 48139, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 139. 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.