{"id":8090,"date":"2023-09-19T16:39:32","date_gmt":"2023-09-19T16:39:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/?p=8090"},"modified":"2026-08-22T01:45:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T01:45:44","slug":"live-oak-county","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/live-oak-county\/","title":{"rendered":"Live Oak County, Texas"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Live Oak County is a county in Texas, United States, along Interstate 37 between San Antonio and Corpus Christi. It had a population of 11,335 at the 2020 census and covers 1,079 square miles (2,790 km2) centred near 28&deg;21&prime;N 98&deg;08&prime;W.<\/p>\n<p>George West is the county seat, and its postal code is 78022. The county has two incorporated cities and a handful of unincorporated communities, in the Central time zone.<\/p>\n<h2>Towns &amp; Villages in Live Oak County<\/h2>\n<p>Live Oak County has two incorporated cities &mdash; George West and Three Rivers &mdash; plus a scatter of small unincorporated communities and rural subdivisions. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no local government.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tv-table-scroll\">\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Place<\/th>\n<th>Type<\/th>\n<th>Pop.<\/th>\n<th>ZIP<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>George West<\/td>\n<td>City &middot; seat<\/td>\n<td>2,171<\/td>\n<td>78022<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Three Rivers<\/td>\n<td>City<\/td>\n<td>1,474<\/td>\n<td>78071<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Whitsett<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>78075<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Oakville<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>78060<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Dinero<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ray Point<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Lagarto<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Mount Lucas<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Los Lomas<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>La Para<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Simmons<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Karon<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Mikeska<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Argenta<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Clegg<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Esseville<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ike<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Nell<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Hideaway Hill<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Peace Valley Harbor<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>River Creek Acres<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p>Ray Point and Lagarto sit on FM roads north of Choke Canyon Reservoir and predate the reservoir itself, which flooded part of the old Frio River bottomland when it was completed in 1982.<\/p>\n<h2>ZIP Codes<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>78022 &mdash; George West (also serves the surrounding ranch country north of US 281)<\/li>\n<li>78071 &mdash; Three Rivers (also serves the Choke Canyon Reservoir dam area)<\/li>\n<li>78075 &mdash; Whitsett<\/li>\n<li>78060 &mdash; Oakville<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The county&#8217;s smaller unincorporated communities receive mail through George West or Three Rivers rather than a dedicated ZIP code.<\/p>\n<h2>Geography<\/h2>\n<p>Live Oak County lies in the South Texas Plains, a brush-country region of live oak mottes, mesquite and prickly pear rangeland between the Coastal Bend and the Rio Grande Plain. The Frio and Nueces rivers cross the county and meet just north of Three Rivers, and the Choke Canyon Reservoir, formed by a dam on the Frio, covers much of the northwestern part of the county. The land is mostly flat to gently rolling, given over to cattle ranching, brush country hunting leases and oil and gas production.<\/p>\n<p>Live Oak County borders <a href=\"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/atascosa-county\/\">Atascosa County<\/a> to the northwest, <a href=\"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/karnes-county\/\">Karnes County<\/a> to the northeast, <a href=\"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/bee-county\/\">Bee County<\/a> to the east, <a href=\"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/san-patricio-county\/\">San Patricio County<\/a> to the southeast, <a href=\"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/jim-wells-county\/\">Jim Wells County<\/a> to the south, <a href=\"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/duval-county-texas\/\">Duval County<\/a> to the southwest, and <a href=\"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/mcmullen-county\/\">McMullen County<\/a> to the west.<\/p>\n<h2>Demographics<\/h2>\n<p>Live Oak County had 11,335 residents at the 2020 census. George West and Three Rivers are its two largest communities, together holding roughly two out of every five county residents. Median household income in the county runs below the Texas median of $75,780, reflecting a rural, ranching- and energy-dependent economy. Population density is about 10.5 people per square mile.<\/p>\n<h2>Economy &amp; Local Life<\/h2>\n<p>Cattle ranching and oil and gas extraction from the Eagle Ford Shale and older Frio-formation fields drive the county economy, alongside hunting leases on the brush-country ranches that dominate the landscape. The federal government is also a major employer through the Federal Correctional Institution at Three Rivers, a medium-security prison. George West calls itself the &#8220;Storyteller Capital of Texas&#8221; and hosts an annual storytelling festival, along with the George West Storyfest and the county&#8217;s livestock show.<\/p>\n<h2>History<\/h2>\n<p>Live Oak County was organized in 1856 out of territory formerly attached to Nueces and San Patricio counties, and it took its name from the native live oak groves that dotted the range. The county seat moved from Oakville to George West in 1919 after a courthouse fire and the arrival of the railroad. Ranching has anchored the local economy since the county&#8217;s earliest Anglo and Tejano settlement, and oil discoveries beginning in the 1930s added a second economic pillar that persists today.<\/p>\n<h2>Getting There<\/h2>\n<p>Interstate 37 runs the length of the county, connecting San Antonio to the northwest and Corpus Christi to the southeast; US Route 281 crosses through George West on a north-south line toward Alice and points north.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>San Antonio &mdash; 65 miles northwest<\/li>\n<li>Corpus Christi &mdash; 65 miles southeast<\/li>\n<li>Alice &mdash; 30 miles south<\/li>\n<li>Beeville &mdash; 25 miles east<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The nearest commercial airport is San Antonio International Airport.<\/p>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Where is Live Oak County, Texas?<\/strong><br \/>\nIt is in the South Texas Plains along Interstate 37, roughly midway between San Antonio and Corpus Christi.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is the population of Live Oak County?<\/strong><br \/>\n11,335 people at the 2020 census.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How big is Live Oak County?<\/strong><br \/>\n1,079 square miles (2,790 km2), of which about 39 square miles is water, mostly Choke Canyon Reservoir.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is the county seat of Live Oak County?<\/strong><br \/>\nGeorge West is the county seat.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How many towns are in Live Oak County?<\/strong><br \/>\nTwo incorporated cities, George West and Three Rivers, plus about 20 smaller unincorporated communities.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What ZIP codes are in Live Oak County?<\/strong><br \/>\n78022 (George West), 78071 (Three Rivers), 78075 (Whitsett) and 78060 (Oakville) are the main ZIP codes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is Live Oak County known for?<\/strong><br \/>\nThe Choke Canyon Reservoir, brush-country ranching and hunting leases, and George West&#8217;s annual storytelling festival.<\/p>\n<p>More counties in this state: <a href=\"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/category\/texas\/\">Towns and villages in Texas<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Live Oak County is a county in Texas, United States, along Interstate 37 between San Antonio and Corpus Christi. It had a population of 11,335 at the 2020 census and covers 1,079 square miles (2,790 km2) centred near 28&deg;21&prime;N 98&deg;08&prime;W. George West is the county seat, and its postal code is 78022. The county has [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"Towns & Villages in Live Oak County, Texas","_seopress_titles_desc":"Live Oak County, Texas: population, George West and Three Rivers, ZIP codes, Choke Canyon Reservoir geography, history and getting there.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[50],"tags":[6],"class_list":["post-8090","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-texas","tag-towns-and-cities","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8090","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8090"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8090\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11379,"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8090\/revisions\/11379"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8090"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8090"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8090"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}