Geography of Falls County
Falls County is a rural county of 769 square miles and about 17,869 residents, where farms and ranches fill most of the space between Marlin and its smaller communities.
It lies in the Central Texas region at about 31.25° N, 96.94° W and is 207th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Falls County shares boundaries with 5 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Waco (about 24 miles away in a straight line) and College Station (about 56 miles).
Central Texas stretches across the Hill Country, the Blackland Prairie and the Cross Timbers. It includes some of the fastest-growing suburbs in the nation along the I-35 corridor, alongside quiet ranching counties with limestone creeks and live-oak savanna.
For a broader view of how Falls 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 17,869 residents across 769 square miles, Falls County has a population density of about 23.2 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Marlin
County government for Falls County is based in Marlin. The commissioners court, made up of a county judge and four precinct commissioners, meets here and sets the county budget, roads policy and tax rate. For many residents, a trip to Marlin combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
History & name origin
Falls County was established in 1850 and was named for The Falls on the Brazos. It was carved from territory previously part of Limestone County and Milam County.
Falls County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Falls 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 Falls County, Texas located?+
Falls County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 31.253° N, 96.936° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48145. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Falls County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Falls County in square miles?+
Falls County covers approximately 769 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 207th 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 Falls County, Texas?+
Falls County has a population of approximately 17,869 residents. With 769 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 23.2 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Falls County the 134th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Falls County?+
Marlin is the county seat of Falls County, Texas, which was organized in 1850 and named for The Falls on the Brazos. Falls County was originally carved out of Limestone County and Milam County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Falls County are located in Marlin.
Which Texas counties border Falls County?+
Falls County shares borders with McLennan, Limestone, Milam, Bell, and Robertson counties. These 5 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 Central Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Falls County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Falls 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 Falls 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 Falls County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Falls County is 48145, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 145. 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.