Lavaca County is a county in Texas, United States, on the Gulf Coastal Plain between San Antonio and Houston. It had a population of 20,337 at the 2020 census and covers 970 square miles (2,500 km2) centred near 29°23′N 96°56′W.
Hallettsville is the county seat, and its postal code is 77964. The county has three incorporated cities (Hallettsville, Shiner and Yoakum), one town (Moulton) and several unincorporated communities. It sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Lavaca County
Lavaca County has roughly two dozen named places on record, split between three incorporated cities, one town, and a scatter of unincorporated crossroads communities founded by German, Czech and Moravian settlers in the 1850s–1880s. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hallettsville | City · seat | 2,731 | 77964 |
| Yoakum | City | 5,562 | 77995 |
| Shiner | City | 2,127 | 77984 |
| Moulton | Town | — | 77975 |
| Sweet Home | Unincorp. | — | 77987 |
| Sublime | Unincorp. | — | 77986 |
| Speaks | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kinkler | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wied | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Breslau | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vsetin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Komensky | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Moravia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vienna | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Novohrad | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Witting | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Worthing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Williamsburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Midway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mount Olive | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Good Hope | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hope | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hackberry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Koerth | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Henkhaus | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gleckler | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ezzell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Appelt Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Adel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Old Moulton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Seclusion | Unincorp. | — | — |
Part of Yoakum lies across the DeWitt County line, so the same city can appear on both counties’ pages — this page counts the whole city under Lavaca.
ZIP Codes
- 77964 — Hallettsville
- 77995 — Yoakum
- 77984 — Shiner
- 77975 — Moulton
- 77986 — Sublime
- 77987 — Sweet Home (PO Box only)
The smaller unincorporated communities share the ZIP code of the nearest post office town rather than having their own.
Geography
Lavaca County lies on the Gulf Coastal Plain, gently rolling farm and ranch country drained by the Lavaca River, which crosses the county from northwest to southeast on its way to Matagorda Bay. Water covers a small fraction of the county’s land area. It borders Fayette County to the north, Colorado County to the northeast, Jackson County to the southeast, Victoria County to the south, DeWitt County to the southwest, and Gonzales County to the northwest.
Demographics
The county’s 2020 census population was 20,337. Its two largest communities are Yoakum (5,562) and Hallettsville (2,731), the county seat. Median household income in Lavaca County runs below the Texas median of $75,780, typical of a rural agricultural county in this part of the state. Population density works out to roughly 21 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Cattle ranching, poultry farming and oil and gas production anchor the local economy, alongside light manufacturing in Yoakum and Hallettsville. Shiner is home to the Spoetzl Brewery, the oldest independent brewery in Texas and maker of Shiner Bock, which draws visitors from across the state and anchors the annual Shiner Bock Festival. Hallettsville hosts the Texas State Championship Bar-B-Que Cook-Off each spring, one of the largest cook-offs in the state.
History
Lavaca County was created in 1846 out of Jackson and Gonzales counties and takes its name from the Lavaca River. German, Czech and Moravian immigrants settled the county from the 1850s onward, founding communities such as Moravia, Vsetin, Komensky and Novohrad that still carry their old-country names. That heritage remains visible in local churches, dance halls and the Czech and German surnames common across the county today.
Getting There
U.S. Route 77 runs north-south through Yoakum and Hallettsville, meeting U.S. Route 90 Alternate and State Highway 95 near the county seat; State Highway 111 crosses the eastern part of the county.
- Victoria — 35 miles south
- Gonzales — 25 miles northwest
- Cuero — 20 miles southwest
- Columbus — 35 miles northeast
The nearest commercial airport is San Antonio International Airport, about 90 miles to the northwest; Yoakum also has a small municipal airfield for general aviation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Lavaca County, Texas?
It is in south-central Texas, roughly midway between San Antonio and Houston, on the Gulf Coastal Plain.
What is the population of Lavaca County?
Lavaca County had a population of 20,337 at the 2020 census.
How big is Lavaca County?
The county covers 970 square miles (2,500 km2), of which a small share is water.
What is the county seat of Lavaca County?
Hallettsville is the county seat.
How many towns are in Lavaca County?
The county has three incorporated cities (Hallettsville, Shiner, Yoakum), the town of Moulton, and roughly two dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Lavaca County?
The main ZIP codes are 77964 (Hallettsville), 77995 (Yoakum), 77984 (Shiner) and 77975 (Moulton).
What is Shiner, Texas known for?
Shiner is home to the Spoetzl Brewery, the oldest independent brewery in Texas and maker of Shiner Bock beer.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.