Geography of Red River County
Red River County is a rural county of 1,050 square miles and about 11,816 residents, where farms and ranches fill most of the space between Clarksville and its smaller communities.
It lies in the East Texas region at about 33.62° N, 95.05° W and is 65th in size among Texas's 254 counties. It is a border county, touching Oklahoma. Red River County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Texarkana (about 59 miles away in a straight line) and Tyler (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 Red River 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 11,816 residents across 1,050 square miles, Red River County has a population density of about 11.3 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Clarksville
County government for Red River County is based in Clarksville. The commissioners court, made up of a county judge and four precinct commissioners, meets here and sets the county budget, roads policy and tax rate. For many residents, a trip to Clarksville combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
History & name origin
Red River County was established in 1836 and was named for The Red River of Texas. It was carved from territory previously part of One of the original 23 counties.
Red River County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Red River 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 Red River County, Texas located?+
Red River County is located in the East Texas region of Texas at approximately 33.621° N, 95.050° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48387. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Red River County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Red River County in square miles?+
Red River County covers approximately 1,050 square miles of land in the East Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 65th 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 Red River County, Texas?+
Red River County has a population of approximately 11,816 residents. With 1,050 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 11.3 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Red River County the 156th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Red River County?+
Clarksville is the county seat of Red River County, Texas, which was organized in 1836 and named for The Red River of Texas. Red River County was originally carved out of One of the original 23 counties. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Red River County are located in Clarksville.
Which Texas counties border Red River County?+
Red River County shares borders with Lamar, Morris, Bowie, Delta, Titus, and Franklin 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 Red River County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Red River 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 Red River 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 Red River County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Red River County is 48387, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 387. 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.