Geography of Lavaca County
Lavaca County sits at roughly 29.38° N and 96.93° W in the Central Texas region of Texas, spanning 970 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 Hallettsville, and the county shares boundaries with 6 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 20,651 residents across 970 square miles, Lavaca County has a population density of about 21.3 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Hallettsville
Hallettsville serves as the seat of government for Lavaca 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
Lavaca County was established in 1842 and was named for The Lavaca River (La vaca is Spanish for "the cow"). It was carved from territory previously part of Colorado County, Fayette County, Gonzales County, Jackson County and Victoria CountyNamed La Baca County until 1846.
Lavaca County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Lavaca 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 Lavaca County, Texas located?+
Lavaca County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 29.384° N, 96.930° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48285. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Lavaca County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Lavaca County in square miles?+
Lavaca County covers approximately 970 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 81st 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 Lavaca County, Texas?+
Lavaca County has a population of approximately 20,651 residents. With 970 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 21.3 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Lavaca County the 119th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Lavaca County?+
Hallettsville is the county seat of Lavaca County, Texas, which was organized in 1842 and named for The Lavaca River (La vaca is Spanish for "the cow"). Lavaca County was originally carved out of Colorado County, Fayette County, Gonzales County, Jackson County and Victoria CountyNamed La Baca County until 1846. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Lavaca County are located in Hallettsville.
Which Texas counties border Lavaca County?+
Lavaca County shares borders with Victoria, Jackson, DeWitt, Colorado, Fayette, and Gonzales counties. These 6 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 Central Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Lavaca County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Lavaca 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 Lavaca 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 Lavaca County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Lavaca County is 48285, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 285. 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.