Geography of Howard County
Howard County sits at roughly 32.31° N and 101.44° W in the West Texas region of Texas, spanning 903 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 Big Spring, and the county shares boundaries with 5 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 30,504 residents across 903 square miles, Howard County has a population density of about 33.8 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Big Spring
Big Spring serves as the seat of government for Howard 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
Howard County was established in 1876 and was named for Volney Eskine Howard, U.S. Representative from Texas (1849–1853). It was carved from territory previously part of Bexar County.
Howard County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Howard 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 Howard County, Texas located?+
Howard County is located in the West Texas region of Texas at approximately 32.306° N, 101.436° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48227. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Howard County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Howard County in square miles?+
Howard County covers approximately 903 square miles of land in the West Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 140th 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 Howard County, Texas?+
Howard County has a population of approximately 30,504 residents. With 903 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 33.8 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Howard County the 95th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Howard County?+
Big Spring is the county seat of Howard County, Texas, which was organized in 1876 and named for Volney Eskine Howard, U.S. Representative from Texas (1849–1853). Howard County was originally carved out of Bexar County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Howard County are located in Big Spring.
Which Texas counties border Howard County?+
Howard County shares borders with Glasscock, Martin, Sterling, Mitchell, and Borden counties. These 5 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 Howard County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Howard 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 Howard 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 Howard County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Howard County is 48227, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 227. 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.