Geography of Cottle County
Few places in Texas are as wide open as Cottle County. Only around 1,224 people live in its 901 square miles, and ranchland stretches for miles between settlements.
It lies in the North Texas region at about 34.08° N, 100.28° W and is 145th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Cottle County shares boundaries with 6 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Lubbock (about 97 miles away in a straight line) and Wichita Falls (about 103 miles).
North Texas runs from the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex out to the Red River and the Rolling Plains. It mixes one of America's largest urban regions with wheat fields, cattle country and small towns that grew up along railroads.
For a broader view of how Cottle 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 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
County government for Cottle County is based in Paducah. The commissioners court, made up of a county judge and four precinct commissioners, meets here and sets the county budget, roads policy and tax rate. In a county this sparsely settled, Paducah may be one of only a few incorporated towns.
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. Figures are sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau; answers are written and reviewed by the Texas County Map team.
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?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Cottle 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 Cottle 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 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.