Geography of Henderson County
Henderson County sits at roughly 32.21° N and 95.85° W in the East Texas region of Texas, spanning 874 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 Athens, and the county shares boundaries with 8 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 88,595 residents across 874 square miles, Henderson County has a population density of about 101.4 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: Athens
Athens serves as the seat of government for Henderson 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
Henderson County was established in 1846 and was named for James Pinckney Henderson, the first governor of Texas (1846–1847). It was carved from territory previously part of Houston County and Nacogdoches County.
Henderson County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Henderson 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 Henderson County, Texas located?+
Henderson County is located in the East Texas region of Texas at approximately 32.212° N, 95.853° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48213. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Henderson County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Henderson County in square miles?+
Henderson County covers approximately 874 square miles of land in the East Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 177th 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 Henderson County, Texas?+
Henderson County has a population of approximately 88,595 residents. With 874 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 101.4 people per square mile, which is moderately populated for a Texas county. That makes Henderson County the 46th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Henderson County?+
Athens is the county seat of Henderson County, Texas, which was organized in 1846 and named for James Pinckney Henderson, the first governor of Texas (1846–1847). Henderson County was originally carved out of Houston County and Nacogdoches County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Henderson County are located in Athens.
Which Texas counties border Henderson County?+
Henderson County shares borders with Navarro, Smith, Van Zandt, Anderson, Cherokee, Freestone, Kaufman, and Ellis counties. These 8 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 Henderson County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Henderson 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 Henderson 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 Henderson County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Henderson County is 48213, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 213. 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.