Harris County, Texas

Harris County
Harris County
County
	Downtown Houston, Harris County Courthouse
	Seal
	Location within the U.S. state of Texas
	Texas's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 29°52′N 95°23′W / 29.86°N 95.39°W
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1836
Named for	John Richardson Harris
Seat	Houston
Largest city	Houston
Area
• Total	1,778 sq mi (4,600 km2)
• Land	1,703 sq mi (4,410 km2)
• Water	74 sq mi (190 km2) 4.2%
Population (2020)
• Total	4,731,145
• Estimate (2022)	4,780,913
• Density	2,700/sq mi (1,000/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts	2nd, 7th, 8th, 9th, 18th, 22nd, 29th, 36th, 38th
Website	www.co.harris.tx.us

Harris County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas; as of the 2020 census, the population was 4,731,145,^[1] making it the most populous county in Texas and the third-most populous county in the United States. Its county seat is Houston, the most populous city in Texas and fourth-most populous city in the United States. The county was founded in 1836 and organized in 1837.^[2]^[3] It is named for John Richardson Harris, who founded the town of Harrisburg on Buffalo Bayou in 1826.^[2] According to the July 2022 census estimate, Harris County's population has shifted to 4,780,913 comprising over 16% of Texas's population.^[4]^[5] Harris County is included in the nine-county Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan statistical area, which is the fifth-most populous metropolitan area in the United States.

^ "2020 Population and Housing State Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
^ ^a ^b Henson, Margaret Swett (January 25, 2018) [June 15, 2010]. "Harris County". Handbook of Texas (online ed.). Texas State Historical Association.
^ "Harris County". Texas Almanac. Texas State Historical Association. May 22, 2015. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
^ July 1, 2021 U.S. Census Bureau Estimates for Harris County, Texas
^ "Maricopa County Added Over 222 People Per Day in 2016, More Than Any Other County" (Press release). U.S. Census Bureau. March 23, 2017. Press Release Number: CB17-44.