Geography of Wise County
Wise County sits at roughly 33.22° N and 97.65° W in the North Texas region of Texas, spanning 905 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 Decatur, and the county shares boundaries with 6 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 83,778 residents across 905 square miles, Wise County has a population density of about 92.6 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: Decatur
Decatur serves as the seat of government for Wise 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
Wise County was established in 1856 and was named for Henry Alexander Wise, the U.S. Congressman and future thirty-eighth governor of Virginia (1856–1860) who supported the annexation of Texas. It was carved from territory previously part of Cooke County.
Wise County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Wise 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 Wise County, Texas located?+
Wise County is located in the North Texas region of Texas at approximately 33.216° N, 97.654° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48497. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Wise County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Wise County in square miles?+
Wise County covers approximately 905 square miles of land in the North Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 134th 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 Wise County, Texas?+
Wise County has a population of approximately 83,778 residents. With 905 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 92.6 people per square mile, which is moderately populated for a Texas county. That makes Wise County the 51st most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Wise County?+
Decatur is the county seat of Wise County, Texas, which was organized in 1856 and named for Henry Alexander Wise, the U.S. Congressman and future thirty-eighth governor of Virginia (1856–1860) who supported the annexation of Texas. Wise County was originally carved out of Cooke County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Wise County are located in Decatur.
Which Texas counties border Wise County?+
Wise County shares borders with Jack, Parker, Montague, Tarrant, Cooke, and Denton 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 North Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Wise County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Wise 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 Wise 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 Wise County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Wise County is 48497, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 497. 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.