Geography of Travis County
Travis County sits at roughly 30.33° N and 97.78° W in the Central Texas region of Texas, spanning 989 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 Austin, and the county shares boundaries with 6 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 1,389,670 residents across 989 square miles, Travis County has a population density of about 1405.1 people per square mile. It ranks among the more densely populated counties in Texas — a clear sign of metropolitan urbanization.
County seat: Austin
Austin serves as the seat of government for Travis 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
Travis County was established in 1840 and was named for William Barret Travis (1809–1836), the commander of the Texan forces at the Alamo. It was carved from territory previously part of Bastrop County.
Travis County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Travis 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 Travis County, Texas located?+
Travis County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 30.335° N, 97.782° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48453. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Travis County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Travis County in square miles?+
Travis County covers approximately 989 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 79th 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 Travis County, Texas?+
Travis County has a population of approximately 1,389,670 residents. With 989 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 1405.1 people per square mile, which is highly urban for a Texas county. That makes Travis County the 5th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Travis County?+
Austin is the county seat of Travis County, Texas, which was organized in 1840 and named for William Barret Travis (1809–1836), the commander of the Texan forces at the Alamo. Travis County was originally carved out of Bastrop County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Travis County are located in Austin.
Which Texas counties border Travis County?+
Travis County shares borders with Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, Bastrop, Blanco, and Burnet 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 Travis County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Travis 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 Travis 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 Travis County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Travis County is 48453, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 453. 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.