Geography of Henderson County
Henderson County is built around Athens and a handful of smaller towns, with about 88,595 residents across 874 square miles of mixed town and countryside.
It lies in the East Texas region at about 32.21° N, 95.85° W and is 177th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Henderson County shares boundaries with 8 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Tyler (about 34 miles away in a straight line) and Dallas (about 68 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 Henderson 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 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 is the county seat of Henderson 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. Athens also serves as the main shopping, school and healthcare center for much of the county.
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. Figures are sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau; answers are written and reviewed by the Texas County Map team.
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?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Henderson 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 Henderson 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 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.