Geography of Grimes County
Covering 794 square miles, Grimes County combines a regional trade center at Anderson with farm and ranch land in every direction. About 34,252 people live here.
It lies in the East Texas region at about 30.54° N, 95.99° W and is 198th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Grimes County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are College Station (about 21 miles away in a straight line) and Houston (about 65 miles).
East Texas is the state's forested corner — the Piney Woods, red-clay hills, lakes and river bottoms that have more in common with the Deep South than with the open West. Timber, poultry, oil and gas, and growing retirement and lake communities shape its economy.
For a broader view of how Grimes 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 34,252 residents across 794 square miles, Grimes County has a population density of about 43.1 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Anderson
County government for Grimes County is based in Anderson. 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. Anderson also serves as the main shopping, school and healthcare center for much of the county.
History & name origin
Grimes County was established in 1846 and was named for Jesse Grimes (1788–1866), a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence and early settler of the future county. It was carved from territory previously part of Montgomery County.
Grimes County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Grimes 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 Grimes County, Texas located?+
Grimes County is located in the East Texas region of Texas at approximately 30.544° N, 95.986° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48185. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Grimes County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Grimes County in square miles?+
Grimes County covers approximately 794 square miles of land in the East Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 198th 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 Grimes County, Texas?+
Grimes County has a population of approximately 34,252 residents. With 794 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 43.1 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Grimes County the 88th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Grimes County?+
Anderson is the county seat of Grimes County, Texas, which was organized in 1846 and named for Jesse Grimes (1788–1866), a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence and early settler of the future county. Grimes County was originally carved out of Montgomery County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Grimes County are located in Anderson.
Which Texas counties border Grimes County?+
Grimes County shares borders with Madison, Montgomery, Waller, Brazos, Walker, and Washington 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 Grimes County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Grimes 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 Grimes 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 Grimes County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Grimes County is 48185, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 185. 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.