Geography of Fort Bend County
Fort Bend County sits at roughly 29.53° N and 95.77° W in the Gulf Coast region of Texas, spanning 875 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 Richmond, and the county shares boundaries with 5 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 975,191 residents across 875 square miles, Fort Bend County has a population density of about 1114.5 people per square mile. It ranks among the more densely populated counties in Texas — a clear sign of metropolitan urbanization.
County seat: Richmond
Richmond serves as the seat of government for Fort Bend 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
Fort Bend County was established in 1837 and was named for A blockhouse positioned in a bend of the Brazos River. It was carved from territory previously part of Austin County, Brazoria County and Harris County.
Fort Bend County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Fort Bend 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 Fort Bend County, Texas located?+
Fort Bend County is located in the Gulf Coast region of Texas at approximately 29.527° N, 95.771° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48157. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Fort Bend County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Fort Bend County in square miles?+
Fort Bend County covers approximately 875 square miles of land in the Gulf Coast region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 175th 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 Fort Bend County, Texas?+
Fort Bend County has a population of approximately 975,191 residents. With 875 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 1114.5 people per square mile, which is highly urban for a Texas county. That makes Fort Bend County the 8th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Fort Bend County?+
Richmond is the county seat of Fort Bend County, Texas, which was organized in 1837 and named for A blockhouse positioned in a bend of the Brazos River. Fort Bend County was originally carved out of Austin County, Brazoria County and Harris County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Fort Bend County are located in Richmond.
Which Texas counties border Fort Bend County?+
Fort Bend County shares borders with Harris, Waller, Wharton, Austin, and Brazoria 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 Gulf Coast region.
Where can I download or print a map of Fort Bend County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Fort Bend 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 Fort Bend 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 Fort Bend County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Fort Bend County is 48157, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 157. 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.