Geography of Hardin County
Hardin County is built around Kountze and a handful of smaller towns, with about 58,723 residents across 894 square miles of mixed town and countryside.
It lies in the East Texas region at about 30.33° N, 94.39° W and is 162nd in size among Texas's 254 counties. Hardin County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Beaumont (about 23 miles away in a straight line) and Houston (about 71 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 Hardin 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 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
County government for Hardin County is based in Kountze. 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. Kountze also serves as the main shopping, school and healthcare center for much of the county.
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. Figures are sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau; answers are written and reviewed by the Texas County Map team.
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?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Hardin 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 Hardin 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 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.