Geography of Shackelford County
Shackelford County sits at roughly 32.74° N and 99.35° W in the Central Texas region of Texas, spanning 914 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 Albany, and the county shares boundaries with 6 neighboring counties.
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
Albany serves as the seat of government for Shackelford 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
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. Every answer is generated from the official U.S. Census data backing this site.
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?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Shackelford 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 Shackelford 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 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.