Texas County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the population was 26,008.^[2] Its county seat is Houston.^[3] The county was organized in 1843 as Ashley County, changing its name in 1845 to Texas, after the Republic of Texas. The 2010 U.S. Census indicates that the county was the center of population for the United States.^{[4]  Wickipedia}