Geography of Smith County
Smith County sits at roughly 32.38° N and 95.27° W in the East Texas region of Texas, spanning 928 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 Tyler, and the county shares boundaries with 7 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 252,549 residents across 928 square miles, Smith County has a population density of about 272.1 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: Tyler
Tyler serves as the seat of government for Smith 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
Smith County was established in 1846 and was named for James Smith, a general during the Texas Revolution. It was carved from territory previously part of Nacogdoches County.
Smith County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Smith 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 Smith County, Texas located?+
Smith County is located in the East Texas region of Texas at approximately 32.375° N, 95.269° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48423. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Smith County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Smith County in square miles?+
Smith County covers approximately 928 square miles of land in the East Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 102nd 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 Smith County, Texas?+
Smith County has a population of approximately 252,549 residents. With 928 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 272.1 people per square mile, which is densely populated for a Texas county. That makes Smith County the 23rd most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Smith County?+
Tyler is the county seat of Smith County, Texas, which was organized in 1846 and named for James Smith, a general during the Texas Revolution. Smith County was originally carved out of Nacogdoches County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Smith County are located in Tyler.
Which Texas counties border Smith County?+
Smith County shares borders with Henderson, Van Zandt, Wood, Gregg, Cherokee, Rusk, and Upshur 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 Smith County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Smith 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 Smith 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 Smith County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Smith County is 48423, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 423. 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.