Geography of Franklin County
Franklin County sits at roughly 33.18° N and 95.22° W in the East Texas region of Texas, spanning 286 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 Mount Vernon, and the county shares boundaries with 6 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 10,994 residents across 286 square miles, Franklin County has a population density of about 38.4 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon serves as the seat of government for Franklin 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
Franklin County was established in 1875 and was named for Benjamin Cromwell Franklin (1805–1873), a judge and Texas State Senator. It was carved from territory previously part of Titus County.
Franklin County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Franklin 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 Franklin County, Texas located?+
Franklin County is located in the East Texas region of Texas at approximately 33.175° N, 95.218° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48159. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Franklin County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Franklin County in square miles?+
Franklin County covers approximately 286 square miles of land in the East Texas region — a compact county by Texas standards. By land area it ranks 246th 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 Franklin County, Texas?+
Franklin County has a population of approximately 10,994 residents. With 286 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 38.4 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Franklin County the 160th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Franklin County?+
Mount Vernon is the county seat of Franklin County, Texas, which was organized in 1875 and named for Benjamin Cromwell Franklin (1805–1873), a judge and Texas State Senator. Franklin County was originally carved out of Titus County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Franklin County are located in Mount Vernon.
Which Texas counties border Franklin County?+
Franklin County shares borders with Hopkins, Red River, Wood, Camp, Delta, and Titus 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 East Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Franklin County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Franklin County is 48159, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 159. 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.