Geography of Polk County
Polk County is built around Livingston and a handful of smaller towns, with about 53,434 residents across 1,057 square miles of mixed town and countryside.
It lies in the East Texas region at about 30.79° N, 94.83° W and is 60th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Polk County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Beaumont (about 65 miles away in a straight line) and Houston (about 78 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 Polk 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 53,434 residents across 1,057 square miles, Polk County has a population density of about 50.6 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: Livingston
Livingston is the county seat of Polk 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. Livingston also serves as the main shopping, school and healthcare center for much of the county.
History & name origin
Polk County was established in 1846 and was named for James Knox Polk, the eleventh president of the United States (1845–1849). It was carved from territory previously part of Liberty County.
Polk County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Polk 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 Polk County, Texas located?+
Polk County is located in the East Texas region of Texas at approximately 30.793° N, 94.830° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48373. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Polk County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Polk County in square miles?+
Polk County covers approximately 1,057 square miles of land in the East Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 60th 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 Polk County, Texas?+
Polk County has a population of approximately 53,434 residents. With 1,057 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 50.6 people per square mile, which is moderately populated for a Texas county. That makes Polk County the 71st most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Polk County?+
Livingston is the county seat of Polk County, Texas, which was organized in 1846 and named for James Knox Polk, the eleventh president of the United States (1845–1849). Polk County was originally carved out of Liberty County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Polk County are located in Livingston.
Which Texas counties border Polk County?+
Polk County shares borders with Hardin, San Jacinto, Trinity, Tyler, Angelina, and Liberty 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 Polk County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Polk 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 Polk 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 Polk County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Polk County is 48373, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 373. 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.