Geography of Lee County
Lee County is a rural county of 629 square miles and about 18,729 residents, where farms and ranches fill most of the space between Giddings and its smaller communities.
It lies in the Central Texas region at about 30.31° N, 96.97° W and is 226th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Lee County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are College Station (about 44 miles away in a straight line) and Austin (about 46 miles).
Central Texas stretches across the Hill Country, the Blackland Prairie and the Cross Timbers. It includes some of the fastest-growing suburbs in the nation along the I-35 corridor, alongside quiet ranching counties with limestone creeks and live-oak savanna.
For a broader view of how Lee 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 18,729 residents across 629 square miles, Lee County has a population density of about 29.8 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Giddings
If you need an official record from Lee County — a deed, a birth certificate, a court filing — Giddings is where it is kept. Like every Texas county seat, it hosts the courthouse and the main offices of county government. For many residents, a trip to Giddings combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
History & name origin
Lee County was established in 1874 and was named for Robert Edward Lee (1807–1870), the commanding general of the Confederate forces during the Civil War. It was carved from territory previously part of Bastrop County, Burleson County, Fayette County and Washington County.
Lee County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Lee 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 Lee County, Texas located?+
Lee County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 30.311° N, 96.966° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48287. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Lee County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Lee County in square miles?+
Lee County covers approximately 629 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a compact county by Texas standards. By land area it ranks 226th 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 Lee County, Texas?+
Lee County has a population of approximately 18,729 residents. With 629 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 29.8 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Lee County the 130th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Lee County?+
Giddings is the county seat of Lee County, Texas, which was organized in 1874 and named for Robert Edward Lee (1807–1870), the commanding general of the Confederate forces during the Civil War. Lee County was originally carved out of Bastrop County, Burleson County, Fayette County and Washington County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Lee County are located in Giddings.
Which Texas counties border Lee County?+
Lee County shares borders with Williamson, Burleson, Milam, Bastrop, Fayette, and Washington counties. These 6 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 Central Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Lee County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Lee 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 Lee 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 Lee County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Lee County is 48287, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 287. 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.