Geography of Madison County
Madison County sits at roughly 30.97° N and 95.93° W in the East Texas region of Texas, spanning 470 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 Madisonville, and the county shares boundaries with 5 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 14,226 residents across 470 square miles, Madison County has a population density of about 30.3 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Madisonville
Madisonville serves as the seat of government for Madison 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
Madison County was established in 1853 and was named for James Madison, the fourth president of the United States (1809–1817). It was carved from territory previously part of Grimes County, Leon County and Walker County.
Madison County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Madison 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 Madison County, Texas located?+
Madison County is located in the East Texas region of Texas at approximately 30.965° N, 95.928° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48313. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Madison County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Madison County in square miles?+
Madison County covers approximately 470 square miles of land in the East Texas region — a compact county by Texas standards. By land area it ranks 240th 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 Madison County, Texas?+
Madison County has a population of approximately 14,226 residents. With 470 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 30.3 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Madison County the 144th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Madison County?+
Madisonville is the county seat of Madison County, Texas, which was organized in 1853 and named for James Madison, the fourth president of the United States (1809–1817). Madison County was originally carved out of Grimes County, Leon County and Walker County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Madison County are located in Madisonville.
Which Texas counties border Madison County?+
Madison County shares borders with Grimes, Houston, Leon, Brazos, and Walker 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 East Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Madison County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Madison 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 Madison 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 Madison County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Madison County is 48313, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 313. 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.