Geography of Shackelford County
Shackelford County is classic frontier Texas: 914 square miles of open land with only about 3,197 residents, which makes it one of the most thinly settled counties in the state (212th of 254 by density).
It lies in the Central Texas region at about 32.74° N, 99.35° W and is 121st in size among Texas's 254 counties. Shackelford County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Abilene (about 29 miles away in a straight line) and Wichita Falls (about 95 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 Shackelford 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 3,197 residents across 914 square miles, Shackelford County has a population density of about 3.5 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Albany
County government for Shackelford County is based in Albany. 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. In a county this sparsely settled, Albany may be one of only a few incorporated towns.
History & name origin
Shackelford County was established in 1858 and was named for Jack Shackelford, a soldier of the Texas Revolution. It was carved from territory previously part of Bosque County.
Shackelford County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Shackelford 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 Shackelford County, Texas located?+
Shackelford County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 32.736° N, 99.354° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48417. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Shackelford County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Shackelford County in square miles?+
Shackelford County covers approximately 914 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 121st 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 Shackelford County, Texas?+
Shackelford County has a population of approximately 3,197 residents. With 914 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 3.5 people per square mile, which is sparsely populated for a Texas county. That makes Shackelford County the 217th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Shackelford County?+
Albany is the county seat of Shackelford County, Texas, which was organized in 1858 and named for Jack Shackelford, a soldier of the Texas Revolution. Shackelford County was originally carved out of Bosque County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Shackelford County are located in Albany.
Which Texas counties border Shackelford County?+
Shackelford County shares borders with Throckmorton, Haskell, Jones, Stephens, Callahan, and Eastland 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 Shackelford County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Shackelford 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 Shackelford 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 Shackelford County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Shackelford County is 48417, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 417. 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.