Geography of Frio County
Frio County sits at roughly 28.87° N and 99.11° W in the South Texas region of Texas, spanning 1,133 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 Pearsall, and the county shares boundaries with 5 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 18,823 residents across 1,133 square miles, Frio County has a population density of about 16.6 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Pearsall
Pearsall serves as the seat of government for Frio 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
Frio County was established in 1858 and was named for The Frio River (Frío is Spanish for "cold"). It was carved from territory previously part of Atascosa County, Bexar County and Uvalde County.
Frio County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Frio 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 Frio County, Texas located?+
Frio County is located in the South Texas region of Texas at approximately 28.868° N, 99.108° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48163. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Frio County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Frio County in square miles?+
Frio County covers approximately 1,133 square miles of land in the South Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 45th 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 Frio County, Texas?+
Frio County has a population of approximately 18,823 residents. With 1,133 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 16.6 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Frio County the 129th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Frio County?+
Pearsall is the county seat of Frio County, Texas, which was organized in 1858 and named for The Frio River (Frío is Spanish for "cold"). Frio County was originally carved out of Atascosa County, Bexar County and Uvalde County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Frio County are located in Pearsall.
Which Texas counties border Frio County?+
Frio County shares borders with Zavala, Dimmit, La Salle, Medina, and Atascosa 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 South Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Frio County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Frio 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 Frio 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 Frio County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Frio County is 48163, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 163. 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.