Geography of Wheeler County
Wheeler County sits at roughly 35.40° N and 100.27° W in the Panhandle region of Texas, spanning 914 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 Wheeler, and the county shares boundaries with 3 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 4,773 residents across 914 square miles, Wheeler County has a population density of about 5.2 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Wheeler
Wheeler serves as the seat of government for Wheeler 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
Wheeler County was established in 1876 and was named for Royal Tyler Wheeler, the second Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court. It was carved from territory previously part of Bexar County.
Wheeler County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Wheeler 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 Wheeler County, Texas located?+
Wheeler County is located in the Panhandle region of Texas at approximately 35.401° N, 100.270° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48483. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Wheeler County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Wheeler County in square miles?+
Wheeler County covers approximately 914 square miles of land in the Panhandle region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 122nd 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 Wheeler County, Texas?+
Wheeler County has a population of approximately 4,773 residents. With 914 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 5.2 people per square mile, which is sparsely populated for a Texas county. That makes Wheeler County the 202nd most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Wheeler County?+
Wheeler is the county seat of Wheeler County, Texas, which was organized in 1876 and named for Royal Tyler Wheeler, the second Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court. Wheeler County was originally carved out of Bexar County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Wheeler County are located in Wheeler.
Which Texas counties border Wheeler County?+
Wheeler County shares borders with Hemphill, Collingsworth, and Gray counties. These 3 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 Panhandle region.
Where can I download or print a map of Wheeler County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Wheeler 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 Wheeler 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 Wheeler County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Wheeler County is 48483, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 483. 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.