Geography of Hemphill County
Few places in Texas are as wide open as Hemphill County. Only around 3,083 people live in its 910 square miles, and ranchland stretches for miles between settlements.
It lies in the Panhandle region at about 35.84° N, 100.27° W and is 127th in size among Texas's 254 counties. It is a border county, touching Oklahoma. Hemphill County shares boundaries with 3 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Amarillo (about 98 miles away in a straight line) and Wichita Falls (about 167 miles).
The Texas Panhandle sits atop the High Plains, a nearly flat tableland cut by the Canadian River and the canyons of the Caprock. Wheat, grain sorghum, feedlots, wind energy and natural gas define the area, and winters here are the coldest in Texas.
For a broader view of how Hemphill 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 3,083 residents across 910 square miles, Hemphill 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: Canadian
County government for Hemphill County is based in Canadian. 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. In a county this sparsely settled, Canadian may be one of only a few incorporated towns.
History & name origin
Hemphill County was established in 1876 and was named for John Hemphill (1803–1862), U.S. Senator and Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court. It was carved from territory previously part of Bexar County.
Hemphill County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Hemphill 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 Hemphill County, Texas located?+
Hemphill County is located in the Panhandle region of Texas at approximately 35.838° N, 100.271° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48211. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Hemphill County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Hemphill County in square miles?+
Hemphill County covers approximately 910 square miles of land in the Panhandle region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 127th 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 Hemphill County, Texas?+
Hemphill County has a population of approximately 3,083 residents. With 910 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 Hemphill County the 222nd most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Hemphill County?+
Canadian is the county seat of Hemphill County, Texas, which was organized in 1876 and named for John Hemphill (1803–1862), U.S. Senator and Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court. Hemphill County was originally carved out of Bexar County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Hemphill County are located in Canadian.
Which Texas counties border Hemphill County?+
Hemphill County shares borders with Lipscomb, Roberts, and Wheeler 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 Panhandle region.
Where can I download or print a map of Hemphill County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Hemphill 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 Hemphill 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 Hemphill County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Hemphill County is 48211, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 211. 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.