Geography of Wharton County
Wharton County sits at roughly 29.28° N and 96.22° W in the Central Texas region of Texas, spanning 1,090 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 Wharton, and the county shares boundaries with 6 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 42,060 residents across 1,090 square miles, Wharton County has a population density of about 38.6 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Wharton
Wharton serves as the seat of government for Wharton 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
Wharton County was established in 1846 and was named for William Harris Wharton (1802–1839) and John Austin Wharton (1806–1838), brothers and officers in the Texas Revolution. It was carved from territory previously part of Colorado County, Jackson County and Matagorda County.
Wharton County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Wharton 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 Wharton County, Texas located?+
Wharton County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 29.278° N, 96.222° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48481. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Wharton County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Wharton County in square miles?+
Wharton County covers approximately 1,090 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 51st 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 Wharton County, Texas?+
Wharton County has a population of approximately 42,060 residents. With 1,090 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 38.6 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Wharton County the 80th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Wharton County?+
Wharton is the county seat of Wharton County, Texas, which was organized in 1846 and named for William Harris Wharton (1802–1839) and John Austin Wharton (1806–1838), brothers and officers in the Texas Revolution. Wharton County was originally carved out of Colorado County, Jackson County and Matagorda County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Wharton County are located in Wharton.
Which Texas counties border Wharton County?+
Wharton County shares borders with Matagorda, Austin, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Jackson, and Colorado 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 Wharton County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Wharton 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 Wharton 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 Wharton County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Wharton County is 48481, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 481. 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.