Geography of Hartley County
Few places in Texas are as wide open as Hartley County. Only around 4,904 people live in its 1,462 square miles, and ranchland stretches for miles between settlements.
It lies in the West Texas region at about 35.84° N, 102.60° W and is one of the 25 largest counties in Texas (24th of 254). It is a border county, touching New Mexico. Hartley County shares boundaries with 3 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Amarillo (about 61 miles away in a straight line) and Lubbock (about 162 miles).
West Texas is a land of long horizons: rolling plains, mesas and desert grassland where cotton farms, cattle ranches and the oilfields of the Permian Basin are the main sources of work. Distances between towns are measured in hours, not minutes.
For a broader view of how Hartley 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 4,904 residents across 1,462 square miles, Hartley County has a population density of about 3.4 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Channing
Channing is the county seat of Hartley 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 sparsely settled, Channing may be one of only a few incorporated towns.
History & name origin
Hartley County was established in 1876 and was named for Oliver C. and Rufus K. Hartley, brothers and original reporters for the Texas Supreme Court. It was carved from territory previously part of Bexar County.
Hartley County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Hartley 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 Hartley County, Texas located?+
Hartley County is located in the West Texas region of Texas at approximately 35.840° N, 102.603° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48205. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Hartley County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Hartley County in square miles?+
Hartley County covers approximately 1,462 square miles of land in the West Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 24th 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 Hartley County, Texas?+
Hartley County has a population of approximately 4,904 residents. With 1,462 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 3.4 people per square mile, which is sparsely populated for a Texas county. That makes Hartley County the 199th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Hartley County?+
Channing is the county seat of Hartley County, Texas, which was organized in 1876 and named for Oliver C. and Rufus K. Hartley, brothers and original reporters for the Texas Supreme Court. Hartley County was originally carved out of Bexar County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Hartley County are located in Channing.
Which Texas counties border Hartley County?+
Hartley County shares borders with Moore, Oldham, and Dallam counties. These 3 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 West Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Hartley County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Hartley 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 Hartley 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 Hartley County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Hartley County is 48205, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 205. 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.