 According to the United States Census Bureau, it has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.51%, is water.Tilden is along U.S. Highway 53; and also County Roads B, Q, and S.

The six mile square that would become most of Tilden was first surveyed in the fall of 1848 by a crew working for the U.S. government.In September 1849, another crew marked all the section corners, walking through the woods and wading the swamps, measuring with chain and compass.