Geography of San Jacinto County
Covering 571 square miles, San Jacinto County combines a regional trade center at Coldspring with farm and ranch land in every direction. About 29,488 people live here.
It lies in the East Texas region at about 30.58° N, 95.17° W and is one of the 25 smallest counties in Texas (233rd of 254 by area). San Jacinto County shares boundaries with 5 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Houston (about 58 miles away in a straight line) and College Station (about 69 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 San Jacinto 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 29,488 residents across 571 square miles, San Jacinto County has a population density of about 51.6 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: Coldspring
County government for San Jacinto County is based in Coldspring. 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. Coldspring also serves as the main shopping, school and healthcare center for much of the county.
History & name origin
San Jacinto County was established in 1870 and was named for The Battle of San Jacinto, which won Texas its independence from Mexico. San Jacinto is Spanish for Saint Hyacinth. It was carved from territory previously part of Liberty County, Montgomery County, Polk County and Walker County.
San Jacinto County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about San Jacinto 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 San Jacinto County, Texas located?+
San Jacinto County is located in the East Texas region of Texas at approximately 30.579° N, 95.167° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48407. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for San Jacinto County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is San Jacinto County in square miles?+
San Jacinto County covers approximately 571 square miles of land in the East Texas region — a compact county by Texas standards. By land area it ranks 233rd 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 San Jacinto County, Texas?+
San Jacinto County has a population of approximately 29,488 residents. With 571 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 51.6 people per square mile, which is moderately populated for a Texas county. That makes San Jacinto County the 97th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of San Jacinto County?+
Coldspring is the county seat of San Jacinto County, Texas, which was organized in 1870 and named for The Battle of San Jacinto, which won Texas its independence from Mexico. San Jacinto is Spanish for Saint Hyacinth. San Jacinto County was originally carved out of Liberty County, Montgomery County, Polk County and Walker County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for San Jacinto County are located in Coldspring.
Which Texas counties border San Jacinto County?+
San Jacinto County shares borders with Montgomery, Polk, Trinity, Liberty, and Walker counties. These 5 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 San Jacinto County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the San Jacinto 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 San Jacinto 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 San Jacinto County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for San Jacinto County is 48407, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 407. 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.