Geography of Walker County
Walker County is built around Huntsville and a handful of smaller towns, with about 83,842 residents across 788 square miles of mixed town and countryside.
It lies in the East Texas region at about 30.74° N, 95.57° W and is 201st in size among Texas's 254 counties. Walker County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are College Station (about 46 miles away in a straight line) and Houston (about 69 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 Walker 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 83,842 residents across 788 square miles, Walker County has a population density of about 106.4 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: Huntsville
County government for Walker County is based in Huntsville. 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. Huntsville also serves as the main shopping, school and healthcare center for much of the county.
History & name origin
Walker County was established in 1846 and was named for Robert J. Walker (1801–1869); officially renamed after Samuel Hamilton Walker (no relation) (1815–1847), a Texas Ranger and soldier in the Mexican–American War. It was carved from territory previously part of Montgomery County.
Walker County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Walker 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 Walker County, Texas located?+
Walker County is located in the East Texas region of Texas at approximately 30.739° N, 95.572° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48471. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Walker County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Walker County in square miles?+
Walker County covers approximately 788 square miles of land in the East Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 201st 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 Walker County, Texas?+
Walker County has a population of approximately 83,842 residents. With 788 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 106.4 people per square mile, which is moderately populated for a Texas county. That makes Walker County the 50th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Walker County?+
Huntsville is the county seat of Walker County, Texas, which was organized in 1846 and named for Robert J. Walker (1801–1869); officially renamed after Samuel Hamilton Walker (no relation) (1815–1847), a Texas Ranger and soldier in the Mexican–American War. Walker County was originally carved out of Montgomery County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Walker County are located in Huntsville.
Which Texas counties border Walker County?+
Walker County shares borders with Grimes, Houston, Madison, Montgomery, San Jacinto, and Trinity 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 Walker County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Walker 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 Walker 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 Walker County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Walker County is 48471, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 471. 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.