Geography of Rusk County
Rusk County sits at roughly 32.11° N and 94.76° W in the East Texas region of Texas, spanning 924 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 Henderson, and the county shares boundaries with 7 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 54,854 residents across 924 square miles, Rusk County has a population density of about 59.4 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: Henderson
Henderson serves as the seat of government for Rusk 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
Rusk County was established in 1843 and was named for Thomas Jefferson Rusk (1803–1857), a general in the Texas Revolution. It was carved from territory previously part of Nacogdoches County.
Rusk County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Rusk 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 Rusk County, Texas located?+
Rusk County is located in the East Texas region of Texas at approximately 32.108° N, 94.762° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48401. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Rusk County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Rusk County in square miles?+
Rusk County covers approximately 924 square miles of land in the East Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 105th 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 Rusk County, Texas?+
Rusk County has a population of approximately 54,854 residents. With 924 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 59.4 people per square mile, which is moderately populated for a Texas county. That makes Rusk County the 68th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Rusk County?+
Henderson is the county seat of Rusk County, Texas, which was organized in 1843 and named for Thomas Jefferson Rusk (1803–1857), a general in the Texas Revolution. Rusk County was originally carved out of Nacogdoches County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Rusk County are located in Henderson.
Which Texas counties border Rusk County?+
Rusk County shares borders with Harrison, Nacogdoches, Shelby, Smith, Gregg, Cherokee, and Panola counties. These 7 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 Rusk County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Rusk 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 Rusk 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 Rusk County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Rusk County is 48401, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 401. 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.