Carlson is an unincorporated community in Travis County, in the U.S. state of Texas. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had a population of 61 in 2000. It is located within the Greater Austin metropolitan area.

Carlson was possibly named after local residents. The population was 61 in 1972 and 2000.

On April 30, 1954, an F3 tornado struck Carlson.

Carlson is located near Farm to Market Road 973, 9 mi (14 km) east of Pflugerville in northeastern Travis County.

Today the community is served by the Elgin Independent School District. Schools that serve the community are Neidig Elementary School, Elgin Middle School, and Elgin High School.

• Grazulis, Thomas P. (July 1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
• National Weather Service (April–June 1954). Storm Data Publication (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved January 31, 2025 – via Storm Events Database.
• U.S. Weather Bureau (April 1954). "Storm data and unusual weather phenomena". Climatological Data National Summary. 5 (4). Asheville, North Carolina: National Climatic Data Center: 106–115. Retrieved January 31, 2025.