Geography of Houston County
Houston County is a rural county of 1,231 square miles and about 22,316 residents, where farms and ranches fill most of the space between Crockett and its smaller communities.
It lies in the East Texas region at about 31.32° N, 95.42° W and is 39th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Houston County shares boundaries with 7 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Tyler (about 72 miles away in a straight line) and College Station (about 72 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 Houston 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 22,316 residents across 1,231 square miles, Houston County has a population density of about 18.1 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Crockett
Crockett is the county seat of Houston 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. For many residents, a trip to Crockett combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
History & name origin
Houston County was established in 1837 and was named for Sam Houston (1793–1863), general of the Texan Revolution, commander at the Battle of San Jacinto and later president of the Republic of Texas, U.S. Senator and governor of the state of Texas. It was carved from territory previously part of Nacogdoches County.
Houston County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Houston 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 Houston County, Texas located?+
Houston County is located in the East Texas region of Texas at approximately 31.318° N, 95.423° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48225. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Houston County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Houston County in square miles?+
Houston County covers approximately 1,231 square miles of land in the East Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 39th 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 Houston County, Texas?+
Houston County has a population of approximately 22,316 residents. With 1,231 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 18.1 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Houston County the 111th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Houston County?+
Crockett is the county seat of Houston County, Texas, which was organized in 1837 and named for Sam Houston (1793–1863), general of the Texan Revolution, commander at the Battle of San Jacinto and later president of the Republic of Texas, U.S. Senator and governor of the state of Texas. Houston County was originally carved out of Nacogdoches County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Houston County are located in Crockett.
Which Texas counties border Houston County?+
Houston County shares borders with Leon, Madison, Trinity, Anderson, Angelina, Cherokee, and Walker 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 East Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Houston County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Houston 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 Houston 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 Houston County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Houston County is 48225, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 225. 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.