Geography of Runnels County
Runnels County sits at roughly 31.83° N and 99.98° W in the Central Texas region of Texas, spanning 1,054 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 Ballinger, and the county shares boundaries with 6 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 9,693 residents across 1,054 square miles, Runnels County has a population density of about 9.2 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Ballinger
Ballinger serves as the seat of government for Runnels 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
Runnels County was established in 1858 and was named for Hiram Runnels, the ninth governor of Mississippi (1833–1835) and planter in Texas. It was carved from territory previously part of Bexar County and Travis County.
Runnels County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Runnels 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 Runnels County, Texas located?+
Runnels County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 31.831° N, 99.976° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48399. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Runnels County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Runnels County in square miles?+
Runnels County covers approximately 1,054 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 61st 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 Runnels County, Texas?+
Runnels County has a population of approximately 9,693 residents. With 1,054 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 9.2 people per square mile, which is sparsely populated for a Texas county. That makes Runnels County the 165th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Runnels County?+
Ballinger is the county seat of Runnels County, Texas, which was organized in 1858 and named for Hiram Runnels, the ninth governor of Mississippi (1833–1835) and planter in Texas. Runnels County was originally carved out of Bexar County and Travis County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Runnels County are located in Ballinger.
Which Texas counties border Runnels County?+
Runnels County shares borders with Coleman, Nolan, Taylor, Tom Green, Coke, and Concho 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 Central Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Runnels County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Runnels 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 Runnels 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 Runnels County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Runnels County is 48399, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 399. 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.