Geography of Runnels County
Small towns and open country define Runnels County. Its 9,693 residents are spread across 1,054 square miles, giving the county a density typical of rural Texas.
It lies in the Central Texas region at about 31.83° N, 99.98° W and is 61st in size among Texas's 254 counties. Runnels County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are San Angelo (about 37 miles away in a straight line) and Abilene (about 45 miles).
Central Texas stretches across the Hill Country, the Blackland Prairie and the Cross Timbers. It includes some of the fastest-growing suburbs in the nation along the I-35 corridor, alongside quiet ranching counties with limestone creeks and live-oak savanna.
For a broader view of how Runnels 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 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 is the county seat of Runnels 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 Ballinger combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
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. Figures are sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau; answers are written and reviewed by the Texas County Map team.
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?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Runnels 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 Runnels 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 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.