Geography of La Salle County
La Salle County sits at roughly 28.34° N and 99.10° W in the South Texas region of Texas, spanning 1,489 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 Cotulla, and the county shares boundaries with 5 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 6,517 residents across 1,489 square miles, La Salle County has a population density of about 4.4 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Cotulla
Cotulla serves as the seat of government for La Salle 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
La Salle County was established in 1858 and was named for René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle (1643–1687), the French explorer who traveled through Texas. It was carved from territory previously part of Bexar County.
La Salle County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about La Salle 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 La Salle County, Texas located?+
La Salle County is located in the South Texas region of Texas at approximately 28.345° N, 99.100° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48283. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for La Salle County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is La Salle County in square miles?+
La Salle County covers approximately 1,489 square miles of land in the South Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 23rd 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 La Salle County, Texas?+
La Salle County has a population of approximately 6,517 residents. With 1,489 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 4.4 people per square mile, which is sparsely populated for a Texas county. That makes La Salle County the 190th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of La Salle County?+
Cotulla is the county seat of La Salle County, Texas, which was organized in 1858 and named for René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle (1643–1687), the French explorer who traveled through Texas. La Salle County was originally carved out of Bexar County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for La Salle County are located in Cotulla.
Which Texas counties border La Salle County?+
La Salle County shares borders with McMullen, Dimmit, Atascosa, Webb, and Frio 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 La Salle County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of La Salle 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 La Salle 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 La Salle County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for La Salle County is 48283, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 283. 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.