Geography of Lee County
Lee County sits at roughly 30.31° N and 96.97° W in the Central Texas region of Texas, spanning 629 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 Giddings, and the county shares boundaries with 6 neighboring counties.
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
Giddings serves as the seat of government for Lee 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
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. Every answer is generated from the official U.S. Census data backing this site.
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?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Lee 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 Lee 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 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.