Geography of Hardin County
Hardin County sits at roughly 30.33° N and 94.39° W in the East Texas region of Texas, spanning 894 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 Kountze, and the county shares boundaries with 6 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 58,723 residents across 894 square miles, Hardin County has a population density of about 65.7 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: Kountze
Kountze serves as the seat of government for Hardin 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
Hardin County was established in 1858 and was named for The Hardin family, earliest settlers of Liberty County. It was carved from territory previously part of Jefferson County and Liberty County.
Hardin County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Hardin 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 Hardin County, Texas located?+
Hardin County is located in the East Texas region of Texas at approximately 30.332° N, 94.390° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48199. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Hardin County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Hardin County in square miles?+
Hardin County covers approximately 894 square miles of land in the East Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 162nd 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 Hardin County, Texas?+
Hardin County has a population of approximately 58,723 residents. With 894 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 65.7 people per square mile, which is moderately populated for a Texas county. That makes Hardin County the 61st most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Hardin County?+
Kountze is the county seat of Hardin County, Texas, which was organized in 1858 and named for The Hardin family, earliest settlers of Liberty County. Hardin County was originally carved out of Jefferson County and Liberty County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Hardin County are located in Kountze.
Which Texas counties border Hardin County?+
Hardin County shares borders with Jasper, Polk, Tyler, Jefferson, Liberty, and Orange 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 Hardin County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Hardin 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 Hardin 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 Hardin County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Hardin County is 48199, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 199. 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.