Geography of Dawson County
Dawson County is a rural county of 902 square miles and about 11,776 residents, where farms and ranches fill most of the space between Lamesa and its smaller communities.
It lies in the West Texas region at about 32.74° N, 101.95° W and is 142nd in size among Texas's 254 counties. Dawson County shares boundaries with 5 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Midland (about 52 miles away in a straight line) and Lubbock (about 58 miles).
West Texas is a land of long horizons: rolling plains, mesas and desert grassland where cotton farms, cattle ranches and the oilfields of the Permian Basin are the main sources of work. Distances between towns are measured in hours, not minutes.
For a broader view of how Dawson 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 11,776 residents across 902 square miles, Dawson County has a population density of about 13.1 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Lamesa
Lamesa is the county seat of Dawson 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. For many residents, a trip to Lamesa combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
History & name origin
Dawson County was established in 1876 and was named for Nicholas Mosby Dawson, a soldier of the Texan Revolution and victim of the Dawson Massacre. It was carved from territory previously part of Bexar County.
Dawson County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Dawson 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 Dawson County, Texas located?+
Dawson County is located in the West Texas region of Texas at approximately 32.742° N, 101.948° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48115. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Dawson County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Dawson County in square miles?+
Dawson County covers approximately 902 square miles of land in the West Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 142nd 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 Dawson County, Texas?+
Dawson County has a population of approximately 11,776 residents. With 902 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 13.1 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Dawson County the 157th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Dawson County?+
Lamesa is the county seat of Dawson County, Texas, which was organized in 1876 and named for Nicholas Mosby Dawson, a soldier of the Texan Revolution and victim of the Dawson Massacre. Dawson County was originally carved out of Bexar County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Dawson County are located in Lamesa.
Which Texas counties border Dawson County?+
Dawson County shares borders with Lynn, Martin, Terry, Borden, and Gaines counties. These 5 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 West Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Dawson County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Dawson 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 Dawson 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 Dawson County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Dawson County is 48115, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 115. 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.