Geography of Johnson County
Johnson County sits at roughly 32.38° N and 97.37° W in the North Texas region of Texas, spanning 729 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 Cleburne, and the county shares boundaries with 7 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 218,048 residents across 729 square miles, Johnson County has a population density of about 299.1 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: Cleburne
Cleburne serves as the seat of government for Johnson 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
Johnson County was established in 1854 and was named for Middleton Tate Johnson, a Texas Ranger, soldier in the Mexican–American War, and senator for the Republic of Texas. It was carved from territory previously part of Ellis County, Hill County and Navarro County.
Johnson County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Johnson 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 Johnson County, Texas located?+
Johnson County is located in the North Texas region of Texas at approximately 32.379° N, 97.366° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48251. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Johnson County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Johnson County in square miles?+
Johnson County covers approximately 729 square miles of land in the North Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 210th 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 Johnson County, Texas?+
Johnson County has a population of approximately 218,048 residents. With 729 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 299.1 people per square mile, which is densely populated for a Texas county. That makes Johnson County the 26th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Johnson County?+
Cleburne is the county seat of Johnson County, Texas, which was organized in 1854 and named for Middleton Tate Johnson, a Texas Ranger, soldier in the Mexican–American War, and senator for the Republic of Texas. Johnson County was originally carved out of Ellis County, Hill County and Navarro County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Johnson County are located in Cleburne.
Which Texas counties border Johnson County?+
Johnson County shares borders with Hill, Hood, Parker, Somervell, Bosque, Tarrant, and Ellis 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 North Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Johnson County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Johnson 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 Johnson 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 Johnson County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Johnson County is 48251, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 251. 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.