Geography of Sabine County
Sabine County is a rural county of 490 square miles and about 10,012 residents, where farms and ranches fill most of the space between Hemphill and its smaller communities.
It lies in the East Texas region at about 31.34° N, 93.85° W and is one of the 25 smallest counties in Texas (239th of 254 by area). It is a border county, touching Louisiana. Sabine County shares boundaries with 4 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Beaumont (about 89 miles away in a straight line) and Tyler (about 110 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 Sabine 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 10,012 residents across 490 square miles, Sabine County has a population density of about 20.4 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Hemphill
Hemphill is the county seat of Sabine 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 Hemphill combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
History & name origin
Sabine County was established in 1836 and was named for The Sabine River, which forms its eastern border (Sabina is Spanish for "cypress"). It was carved from territory previously part of One of the original 23 counties.
Sabine County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Sabine 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 Sabine County, Texas located?+
Sabine County is located in the East Texas region of Texas at approximately 31.343° N, 93.853° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48403. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Sabine County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Sabine County in square miles?+
Sabine County covers approximately 490 square miles of land in the East Texas region — a compact county by Texas standards. By land area it ranks 239th 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 Sabine County, Texas?+
Sabine County has a population of approximately 10,012 residents. With 490 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 20.4 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Sabine County the 163rd most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Sabine County?+
Hemphill is the county seat of Sabine County, Texas, which was organized in 1836 and named for The Sabine River, which forms its eastern border (Sabina is Spanish for "cypress"). Sabine County was originally carved out of One of the original 23 counties. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Sabine County are located in Hemphill.
Which Texas counties border Sabine County?+
Sabine County shares borders with Jasper, San Augustine, Shelby, and Newton counties. These 4 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 Sabine County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Sabine 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 Sabine 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 Sabine County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Sabine County is 48403, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 403. 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.