Geography of King County
Few places in Texas are as wide open as King County. Only around 192 people live in its 912 square miles, and ranchland stretches for miles between settlements.
It lies in the North Texas region at about 33.62° N, 100.26° W and is 123rd in size among Texas's 254 counties. King County shares boundaries with 5 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Abilene (about 86 miles away in a straight line) and Lubbock (about 92 miles).
North Texas runs from the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex out to the Red River and the Rolling Plains. It mixes one of America's largest urban regions with wheat fields, cattle country and small towns that grew up along railroads.
For a broader view of how King 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 192 residents across 912 square miles, King County has a population density of about 0.2 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Guthrie
Guthrie is the county seat of King 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. In a county this sparsely settled, Guthrie may be one of only a few incorporated towns.
History & name origin
King County was established in 1876 and was named for William Phillip King, who died at the Battle of the Alamo. It was carved from territory previously part of Bexar County.
King County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about King 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 King County, Texas located?+
King County is located in the North Texas region of Texas at approximately 33.617° N, 100.256° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48269. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for King County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is King County in square miles?+
King County covers approximately 912 square miles of land in the North Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 123rd 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 King County, Texas?+
King County has a population of approximately 192 residents. With 912 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 0.2 people per square mile, which is sparsely populated for a Texas county. That makes King County the 253rd most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of King County?+
Guthrie is the county seat of King County, Texas, which was organized in 1876 and named for William Phillip King, who died at the Battle of the Alamo. King County was originally carved out of Bexar County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for King County are located in Guthrie.
Which Texas counties border King County?+
King County shares borders with Cottle, Dickens, Foard, Knox, and Stonewall 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 North Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of King County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the King 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 King 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 King County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for King County is 48269, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 269. 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.