Geography of Panola County
Small towns and open country define Panola County. Its 23,018 residents are spread across 801 square miles, giving the county a density typical of rural Texas.
It lies in the East Texas region at about 32.16° N, 94.31° W and is 196th in size among Texas's 254 counties. It is a border county, touching Louisiana. Panola County shares boundaries with 3 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Tyler (about 60 miles away in a straight line) and Texarkana (about 89 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 Panola 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 23,018 residents across 801 square miles, Panola County has a population density of about 28.7 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Carthage
Carthage is the county seat of Panola 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. For many residents, a trip to Carthage combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
History & name origin
Panola County was established in 1846 and was named for A Native American word for cotton.. It was carved from territory previously part of Harrison County and Shelby County.
Panola County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Panola 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 Panola County, Texas located?+
Panola County is located in the East Texas region of Texas at approximately 32.162° N, 94.306° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48365. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Panola County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Panola County in square miles?+
Panola County covers approximately 801 square miles of land in the East Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 196th 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 Panola County, Texas?+
Panola County has a population of approximately 23,018 residents. With 801 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 28.7 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Panola County the 108th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Panola County?+
Carthage is the county seat of Panola County, Texas, which was organized in 1846 and named for A Native American word for cotton.. Panola County was originally carved out of Harrison County and Shelby County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Panola County are located in Carthage.
Which Texas counties border Panola County?+
Panola County shares borders with Harrison, Shelby, and Rusk counties. These 3 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 Panola County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Panola 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 Panola 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 Panola County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Panola County is 48365, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 365. 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.