Geography of Live Oak County
Live Oak County is a rural county of 1,036 square miles and about 11,929 residents, where farms and ranches fill most of the space between George West and its smaller communities.
It lies in the South Texas region at about 28.35° N, 98.12° W and is 68th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Live Oak County shares boundaries with 7 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Corpus Christi (about 58 miles away in a straight line) and Victoria (about 75 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 Live Oak 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 11,929 residents across 1,036 square miles, Live Oak County has a population density of about 11.5 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: George West
George West is the county seat of Live Oak 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 George West combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
History & name origin
Live Oak County was established in 1856 and was named for The Texas live oak tree under which the petition for a new county was signed. It was carved from territory previously part of Nueces County and San Patricio County.
Live Oak County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Live Oak 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 Live Oak County, Texas located?+
Live Oak County is located in the South Texas region of Texas at approximately 28.351° N, 98.125° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48297. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Live Oak County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Live Oak County in square miles?+
Live Oak County covers approximately 1,036 square miles of land in the South Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 68th 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 Live Oak County, Texas?+
Live Oak County has a population of approximately 11,929 residents. With 1,036 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 11.5 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Live Oak County the 155th most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Live Oak County?+
George West is the county seat of Live Oak County, Texas, which was organized in 1856 and named for The Texas live oak tree under which the petition for a new county was signed. Live Oak County was originally carved out of Nueces County and San Patricio County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Live Oak County are located in George West.
Which Texas counties border Live Oak County?+
Live Oak County shares borders with McMullen, San Patricio, Bee, Jim Wells, Karnes, Atascosa, and Duval counties. These 7 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 Live Oak County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Live Oak 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 Live Oak 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 Live Oak County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Live Oak County is 48297, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 297. 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.