Guadalupe County, Texas

Guadalupe County is a county in Texas, United States, on the eastern edge of the San Antonio metropolitan area. It had a population of 172,706 at the 2020 census and covers 715 square miles (1,850 km2), of which 711 square miles (1,840 km2) are land, centred near 29°35′N 97°57′W.

Seguin is the county seat, and its postal code is 78155. The county has a mix of incorporated cities, unincorporated communities, and several small German- and Wends-settled hamlets dating to the 1840s–1850s. There are no civil townships in Texas. Guadalupe County observes Central time; its FIPS code is 48187.

Towns & Villages in Guadalupe County

The list below covers Guadalupe County’s incorporated cities and its historic unincorporated communities. “City” is used for incorporated places under Texas home-rule and general-law rules; “CDP” marks a Census Bureau-defined unincorporated cluster; “Unincorp.” covers small rural settlements with no formal boundary or current census designation.

Two of Guadalupe County’s best-known city names, New Braunfels and San Marcos, are not primarily Guadalupe County places — New Braunfels sits mainly in Comal County and San Marcos mainly in Hays and Caldwell counties, with only their far edges reaching into Guadalupe. They are not listed above. Camp Willow, Dugger, Lauback, Morrison Falls, Olmos, and Weinert, carried on older lists for this county, could not be confirmed as current Guadalupe County place names and are omitted here; see notes.

ZIP Codes

• 78155 — Seguin (also serves Geronimo and Lake Dunlap)
• 78154 — Schertz
• 78108 — Cibolo
• 78124 — Marion
• 78123 — McQueeney
• 78163 — New Berlin
• 78638 — Kingsbury
• 78670 — Staples

Most of the county’s smaller unincorporated communities use a Seguin, Cibolo, or Schertz mailing address rather than a ZIP code of their own.

Geography

Guadalupe County lies on the Blackland Prairie where it meets the South Texas Plains, gently rolling land that slopes from the Balcones Escarpment down toward the Gulf coastal plain. The Guadalupe River, for which the county is named, crosses it from northwest to southeast, and the San Marcos River joins the Guadalupe near the county’s southern edge. Both rivers feed a string of small reservoirs and lakes, including Lake Dunlap and Lake McQueeney, popular for boating and fishing.

The county borders Hays County to the north, Caldwell County to the northeast, Gonzales County to the southeast, Wilson County to the south, Bexar County to the southwest, and Comal County to the northwest.

Demographics

Guadalupe County had 172,706 residents at the 2020 census, up sharply from the 2010 count as San Antonio-area growth pushed east along Interstate 35 and I-10. Schertz and Cibolo, both largely inside the county, are its two biggest population centers; Seguin is the largest city built primarily around a traditional downtown and courthouse square. Guadalupe County’s median household income runs above the Texas median of $75,780, reflecting its position as a commuter county for San Antonio and Austin jobs. Population density is roughly 243 people per square mile, well above the statewide average.

Economy & Local Life

Guadalupe County’s economy blends traditional Seguin manufacturing and agriculture with newer suburban retail and logistics growth in Schertz and Cibolo, both within easy reach of I-35 and I-10. Seguin is home to Texas Lutheran University and to Caterpillar’s large engine-manufacturing plant, one of the county’s biggest private employers. Cattle ranching, pecan orchards, and row-crop farming remain active in the county’s rural stretches outside the growing suburban belt. Seguin hosts an annual county fair and rodeo, and its downtown square, built around the 1930s Guadalupe County courthouse, anchors the city’s commercial district.

History

Guadalupe County was organized in 1846, the year after Texas joined the United States, carved from parts of Bexar and Gonzales counties. It takes its name from the Guadalupe River, itself named by Spanish explorers. Seguin, the county seat, was founded in 1838 and named for Juan Nepomuceno Seguín, a Tejano leader in the Texas Revolution; it is among the oldest Anglo-American towns in Texas. German and Wendish immigrants settled much of the county’s rural land from the 1840s onward, leaving behind community names such as Zuehl, Nolte, Schumannsville, and Muehlsville that persist as unincorporated places today.

Getting There

Interstate 10 crosses the county’s north side through Schertz and toward Seguin; Interstate 35 clips its northwestern corner near New Braunfels and San Marcos; U.S. Route 90 and U.S. Route 90A run through Seguin and Marion.

• San Antonio — 25 miles southwest
• New Braunfels — 15 miles northwest
• Austin — 55 miles north
• Gonzales — 25 miles southeast

The nearest commercial airport is San Antonio International Airport, about 30 miles southwest of Seguin.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Guadalupe County, Texas?
It is in south-central Texas, on the eastern edge of the San Antonio metro area, between San Antonio and Gonzales.

What is the population of Guadalupe County?
172,706 people, per the 2020 census.

How big is Guadalupe County?
715 square miles (1,850 km2), of which 711 square miles are land.

What is the county seat of Guadalupe County?
Seguin is the county seat.

How many towns and communities are in Guadalupe County?
The county has several incorporated cities — Seguin, Schertz, Cibolo, Marion, and Selma — along with more than a dozen smaller unincorporated communities and census-designated places.

What ZIP codes are in Guadalupe County?
Major ZIP codes include 78155 (Seguin), 78154 (Schertz), 78108 (Cibolo), 78124 (Marion), and 78123 (McQueeney).

What river runs through Guadalupe County?
The Guadalupe River, which gave the county its name, crosses it from northwest to southeast, joined near the southern county line by the San Marcos River.

More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.