Geography of Lamb County
Lamb County is a rural county of 1,016 square miles and about 12,579 residents, where farms and ranches fill most of the space between Littlefield and its smaller communities.
It lies in the West Texas region at about 34.07° N, 102.35° W and is 70th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Lamb County shares boundaries with 5 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Lubbock (about 44 miles away in a straight line) and Amarillo (about 85 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 Lamb 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 12,579 residents across 1,016 square miles, Lamb County has a population density of about 12.4 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Littlefield
Littlefield is the county seat of Lamb 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 Littlefield combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
History & name origin
Lamb County was established in 1876 and was named for George A. Lamb, who died at the Battle of San Jacinto. It was carved from territory previously part of Bexar County.
Lamb County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Lamb 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 Lamb County, Texas located?+
Lamb County is located in the West Texas region of Texas at approximately 34.069° N, 102.352° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48279. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Lamb County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Lamb County in square miles?+
Lamb County covers approximately 1,016 square miles of land in the West Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 70th 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 Lamb County, Texas?+
Lamb County has a population of approximately 12,579 residents. With 1,016 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 12.4 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Lamb County the 150th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Lamb County?+
Littlefield is the county seat of Lamb County, Texas, which was organized in 1876 and named for George A. Lamb, who died at the Battle of San Jacinto. Lamb County was originally carved out of Bexar County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Lamb County are located in Littlefield.
Which Texas counties border Lamb County?+
Lamb County shares borders with Hale, Hockley, Parmer, Bailey, and Castro 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 Lamb County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Lamb 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 Lamb 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 Lamb County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Lamb County is 48279, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 279. 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.