Geography of Harris County
With roughly 5,045,026 residents, Harris County is among the most heavily populated places in Texas — a metropolitan county where city limits, suburbs and highways now cover much of its 1,729 square miles.
It lies in the Gulf Coast region at about 29.86° N, 95.39° W and is one of the 25 largest counties in Texas (14th of 254). Harris County shares boundaries with 7 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Houston (about 7 miles away in a straight line) and Beaumont (about 77 miles).
The Gulf Coast region is low, flat and closely tied to the water — bays, barrier islands, rice fields and coastal prairie, along with ports, refineries and petrochemical plants that are central to the Texas economy. Hurricanes and flooding are real planning concerns here.
For a broader view of how Harris 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 5,045,026 residents across 1,729 square miles, Harris County has a population density of about 2917.9 people per square mile. It ranks among the more densely populated counties in Texas — a clear sign of metropolitan urbanization.
County seat: Houston
Houston is the county seat of Harris County. This is where the county courthouse stands and where residents go for property records, vehicle registration, marriage licenses, court cases and voter services handled by the county clerk, district clerk and tax assessor-collector. In a county this large, many services are also offered at satellite offices across the county.
History & name origin
Harris County was established in 1836 and was named for John Richardson Harris, early settler and founder of Harrisburg, Texas, which eventually became known as Houston. It was carved from territory previously part of One of the original 23 counties Named Harrisburg County until 1839.
Harris County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Harris 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 Harris County, Texas located?+
Harris County is located in the Gulf Coast region of Texas at approximately 29.858° N, 95.393° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48201. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Harris County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Harris County in square miles?+
Harris County covers approximately 1,729 square miles of land in the Gulf Coast region — a large county by Texas standards. By land area it ranks 14th 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 Harris County, Texas?+
Harris County has a population of approximately 5,045,026 residents. With 1,729 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 2917.9 people per square mile, which is highly urban for a Texas county. That makes Harris County the 1st most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Harris County?+
Houston is the county seat of Harris County, Texas, which was organized in 1836 and named for John Richardson Harris, early settler and founder of Harrisburg, Texas, which eventually became known as Houston. Harris County was originally carved out of One of the original 23 counties Named Harrisburg County until 1839. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Harris County are located in Houston.
Which Texas counties border Harris County?+
Harris County shares borders with Montgomery, Waller, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, and Liberty counties. These 7 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 Harris County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Harris 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 Harris 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 Harris County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Harris County is 48201, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 201. 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.