Geography of Frio County
Frio County is a rural county of 1,133 square miles and about 18,823 residents, where farms and ranches fill most of the space between Pearsall and its smaller communities.
It lies in the South Texas region at about 28.87° N, 99.11° W and is 45th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Frio County shares boundaries with 5 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are San Antonio (about 53 miles away in a straight line) and Laredo (about 97 miles).
South Texas covers the brush country, the Rio Grande Valley and the ranchlands south of San Antonio. Its culture is strongly shaped by its Tejano heritage and its ties to Mexico, and its economy blends citrus and vegetable farming, ranching, trade and energy.
For a broader view of how Frio 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 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
County government for Frio County is based in Pearsall. 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. For many residents, a trip to Pearsall combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
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. Figures are sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau; answers are written and reviewed by the Texas County Map team.
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?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Frio 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 Frio 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 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.