Geography of Cottle County
Cottle County sits at roughly 34.08° N and 100.28° W in the North Texas region of Texas, spanning 901 square miles of terrain that includes the landscape characteristic of the area — from open ranchland and farmland to small-town main streets. The county's centroid is near Paducah, and the county shares boundaries with 6 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 1,224 residents across 901 square miles, Cottle County has a population density of about 1.4 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Paducah
Paducah serves as the seat of government for Cottle County. The county courthouse, commissioners court, district clerk, and primary public records are located here. As with all 254 Texas counties, the county seat is the anchor of civic life and the principal address for elections, permits, and court filings.
History & name origin
Cottle County was established in 1876 and was named for George Washington Cottle, who died defending the Alamo. It was carved from territory previously part of Fannin County.
Cottle County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Cottle County geography, population, county seat, neighboring counties, and how to use the maps on this page. Every answer is generated from the official U.S. Census data backing this site.
Where is Cottle County, Texas located?+
Cottle County is located in the North Texas region of Texas at approximately 34.078° N, 100.279° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48101. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Cottle County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Cottle County in square miles?+
Cottle County covers approximately 901 square miles of land in the North Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 145th 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 Cottle County, Texas?+
Cottle County has a population of approximately 1,224 residents. With 901 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 1.4 people per square mile, which is sparsely populated for a Texas county. That makes Cottle County the 242nd most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Cottle County?+
Paducah is the county seat of Cottle County, Texas, which was organized in 1876 and named for George Washington Cottle, who died defending the Alamo. Cottle County was originally carved out of Fannin County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Cottle County are located in Paducah.
Which Texas counties border Cottle County?+
Cottle County shares borders with Hall, King, Hardeman, Foard, Motley, and Childress 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 North Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Cottle County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Cottle County is available from the "Download PDF" button at the top of this page. The printable layout uses authentic U.S. Census TIGER boundary geometry for Cottle County, includes a Texas locator inset, and is sized for standard 8.5" × 11" Letter paper. For interactive use, the live Leaflet map on this page supports OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, Esri topographic, and Carto light basemaps with zoom, scale bar, and fullscreen.
What is the FIPS code for Cottle County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Cottle County is 48101, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 101. 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.