Geography of Wise County
Wise County is built around Decatur and a handful of smaller towns, with about 83,778 residents across 905 square miles of mixed town and countryside.
It lies in the North Texas region at about 33.22° N, 97.65° W and is 134th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Wise County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Fort Worth (about 37 miles away in a straight line) and Dallas (about 58 miles).
North Texas runs from the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex out to the Red River and the Rolling Plains. It mixes one of America's largest urban regions with wheat fields, cattle country and small towns that grew up along railroads.
For a broader view of how Wise 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 83,778 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
County government for Wise County is based in Decatur. 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. Decatur also serves as the main shopping, school and healthcare center for much of the county.
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. Figures are sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau; answers are written and reviewed by the Texas County Map team.
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?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Wise 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 Wise 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 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.