Geography of Van Zandt County
Covering 849 square miles, Van Zandt County combines a regional trade center at Canton with farm and ranch land in every direction. About 66,130 people live here.
It lies in the East Texas region at about 32.56° N, 95.84° W and is 185th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Van Zandt County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Tyler (about 35 miles away in a straight line) and Dallas (about 58 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 Van Zandt 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 66,130 residents across 849 square miles, Van Zandt County has a population density of about 77.9 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: Canton
Canton is the county seat of Van Zandt County. This is where the county courthouse stands and where residents go for property records, vehicle registration, marriage licenses, court cases and voter services handled by the county clerk, district clerk and tax assessor-collector. Canton also serves as the main shopping, school and healthcare center for much of the county.
History & name origin
Van Zandt County was established in 1848 and was named for Isaac Van Zandt (1813–1847), attorney, Texas state representative, and diplomat. It was carved from territory previously part of Henderson County.
Van Zandt County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Van Zandt 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 Van Zandt County, Texas located?+
Van Zandt County is located in the East Texas region of Texas at approximately 32.564° N, 95.837° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48467. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Van Zandt County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Van Zandt County in square miles?+
Van Zandt County covers approximately 849 square miles of land in the East Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 185th 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 Van Zandt County, Texas?+
Van Zandt County has a population of approximately 66,130 residents. With 849 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 77.9 people per square mile, which is moderately populated for a Texas county. That makes Van Zandt County the 57th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Van Zandt County?+
Canton is the county seat of Van Zandt County, Texas, which was organized in 1848 and named for Isaac Van Zandt (1813–1847), attorney, Texas state representative, and diplomat. Van Zandt County was originally carved out of Henderson County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Van Zandt County are located in Canton.
Which Texas counties border Van Zandt County?+
Van Zandt County shares borders with Henderson, Hunt, Rains, Smith, Wood, and Kaufman 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 East Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Van Zandt County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Van Zandt 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 Van Zandt 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 Van Zandt County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Van Zandt County is 48467, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 467. 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.