Geography of Wood County
Covering 650 square miles, Wood County combines a regional trade center at Quitman with farm and ranch land in every direction. About 49,688 people live here.
It lies in the East Texas region at about 32.79° N, 95.38° W and is 225th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Wood County shares boundaries with 7 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Tyler (about 31 miles away in a straight line) and Dallas (about 82 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 Wood 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 49,688 residents across 650 square miles, Wood County has a population density of about 76.4 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: Quitman
County government for Wood County is based in Quitman. 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. Quitman also serves as the main shopping, school and healthcare center for much of the county.
History & name origin
Wood County was established in 1850 and was named for George Tyler Wood, the second governor of Texas (1847–1849). It was carved from territory previously part of Van Zandt County.
Wood County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Wood 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 Wood County, Texas located?+
Wood County is located in the East Texas region of Texas at approximately 32.786° N, 95.382° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48499. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Wood County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Wood County in square miles?+
Wood County covers approximately 650 square miles of land in the East Texas region — a compact county by Texas standards. By land area it ranks 225th 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 Wood County, Texas?+
Wood County has a population of approximately 49,688 residents. With 650 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 76.4 people per square mile, which is moderately populated for a Texas county. That makes Wood County the 75th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Wood County?+
Quitman is the county seat of Wood County, Texas, which was organized in 1850 and named for George Tyler Wood, the second governor of Texas (1847–1849). Wood County was originally carved out of Van Zandt County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Wood County are located in Quitman.
Which Texas counties border Wood County?+
Wood County shares borders with Hopkins, Rains, Smith, Van Zandt, Camp, Upshur, and Franklin counties. These 7 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 Wood County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Wood 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 Wood 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 Wood County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Wood County is 48499, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 499. 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.