Geography of Caldwell County
Caldwell County is built around Lockhart and a handful of smaller towns, with about 55,150 residents across 546 square miles of mixed town and countryside.
It lies in the Central Texas region at about 29.84° N, 97.62° W and is one of the 25 smallest counties in Texas (235th of 254 by area). Caldwell County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Austin (about 31 miles away in a straight line) and San Antonio (about 60 miles).
Central Texas stretches across the Hill Country, the Blackland Prairie and the Cross Timbers. It includes some of the fastest-growing suburbs in the nation along the I-35 corridor, alongside quiet ranching counties with limestone creeks and live-oak savanna.
For a broader view of how Caldwell 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 55,150 residents across 546 square miles, Caldwell County has a population density of about 101.0 people per square mile. Density here reflects a mix of small cities, suburbs, and rural land.
County seat: Lockhart
Lockhart is the county seat of Caldwell County. This is where the county courthouse stands and where residents go for property records, vehicle registration, marriage licenses, court cases and voter services handled by the county clerk, district clerk and tax assessor-collector. Lockhart also serves as the main shopping, school and healthcare center for much of the county.
History & name origin
Caldwell County was established in 1848 and was named for Matthew Caldwell, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence and soldier during the Texas Revolution. It was carved from territory previously part of Bastrop County and Gonzales County.
Caldwell County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Caldwell 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 Caldwell County, Texas located?+
Caldwell County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 29.837° N, 97.620° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48055. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Caldwell County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Caldwell County in square miles?+
Caldwell County covers approximately 546 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a compact county by Texas standards. By land area it ranks 235th 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 Caldwell County, Texas?+
Caldwell County has a population of approximately 55,150 residents. With 546 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 101.0 people per square mile, which is moderately populated for a Texas county. That makes Caldwell County the 67th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Caldwell County?+
Lockhart is the county seat of Caldwell County, Texas, which was organized in 1848 and named for Matthew Caldwell, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence and soldier during the Texas Revolution. Caldwell County was originally carved out of Bastrop County and Gonzales County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Caldwell County are located in Lockhart.
Which Texas counties border Caldwell County?+
Caldwell County shares borders with Travis, Hays, Bastrop, Fayette, Gonzales, and Guadalupe 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 Central Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Caldwell County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Caldwell 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 Caldwell 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 Caldwell County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Caldwell County is 48055, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 055. 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.