Geography of Leon County
Leon County is a rural county of 1,072 square miles and about 16,894 residents, where farms and ranches fill most of the space between Centerville and its smaller communities.
It lies in the East Texas region at about 31.30° N, 96.00° W and is 53rd in size among Texas's 254 counties. Leon County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are College Station (about 50 miles away in a straight line) and Waco (about 70 miles).
East Texas is the state's forested corner — the Piney Woods, red-clay hills, lakes and river bottoms that have more in common with the Deep South than with the open West. Timber, poultry, oil and gas, and growing retirement and lake communities shape its economy.
For a broader view of how Leon 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 16,894 residents across 1,072 square miles, Leon County has a population density of about 15.8 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Centerville
If you need an official record from Leon County — a deed, a birth certificate, a court filing — Centerville 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 Centerville combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
History & name origin
Leon County was established in 1846 and was named for Disputed: Either Mexican empresario Martín De León, who founded Victoria, Texas; or the león, a local variety of yellow wolf. It was carved from territory previously part of Robertson County.
Leon County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Leon 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 Leon County, Texas located?+
Leon County is located in the East Texas region of Texas at approximately 31.297° N, 95.996° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48289. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Leon County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Leon County in square miles?+
Leon County covers approximately 1,072 square miles of land in the East Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 53rd 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 Leon County, Texas?+
Leon County has a population of approximately 16,894 residents. With 1,072 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 15.8 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Leon County the 136th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Leon County?+
Centerville is the county seat of Leon County, Texas, which was organized in 1846 and named for Disputed: Either Mexican empresario Martín De León, who founded Victoria, Texas; or the león, a local variety of yellow wolf. Leon County was originally carved out of Robertson County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Leon County are located in Centerville.
Which Texas counties border Leon County?+
Leon County shares borders with Houston, Madison, Anderson, Freestone, Limestone, and Robertson 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 East Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Leon County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Leon 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 Leon 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 Leon County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Leon County is 48289, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 289. 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.