Frio County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 18,385. The county seat is Pearsall. The county was created in 1858 and later organized in 1871. Frio is named for the Frio River, whose name is Spanish for "cold".

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,134 square miles (2,940 km), of which 1,134 sq mi (2,940 km) are land and 0.8 sq mi (2.1 km) (0.07%) is covered by water.

• Interstate 35
• U.S. Highway 57
• State Highway 85
• State Highway 173
• FM 140
• FM 1582

• Medina County (north)
• Atascosa County (east)
• McMullen County (southeast)
• La Salle County (south)
• Dimmit County (southwest)
• Zavala County (west)
• Uvalde County (northwest)

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	42		—
1870	309		635.7%
1880	2,130		589.3%
1890	3,112		46.1%
1900	4,200		35.0%
1910	8,895		111.8%
1920	9,286		4.4%
1930	9,411		1.3%
1940	9,207		−2.2%
1950	10,357		12.5%
1960	10,112		−2.4%
1970	11,159		10.4%
1980	13,785		23.5%
1990	13,472		−2.3%
2000	16,252		20.6%
2010	17,217		5.9%
2020	18,385		6.8%
U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010–2014 2020

Frio County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	3,344	2,796	3,053	20.58%	16.24%	16.61%
Black or African American alone (NH)	777	524	705	4.78%	3.04%	3.83%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	14	38	49	0.09%	0.22%	0.27%
Asian alone (NH)	58	362	199	0.36%	2.10%	1.08%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	1	1	9	0.01%	0.01%	0.05%
Other race alone (NH)	25	29	81	0.15%	0.17%	0.44%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	46	66	118	0.28%	0.38%	0.64%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	11,987	13,401	14,171	73.76%	77.84%	77.08%
Total	16,252	17,217	18,385	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 18,385 people, 4,673 households, and 3,306 families residing in the county.

As of the census of 2000, 16,252 people, 4,743 households, and 3,642 families resided in the county. The population density was 14 people per square mile (5.4 people/km). The 5,660 housing units averaged 5 per square mile (1.9/km). The racial makeup of the county was 71.86% White, 4.87% Black or African American, 0.58% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 19.76% from other races, and 2.50% from two or more races. About 73.76% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 4,743 households, 40.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.20% were married couples living together, 16.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.20% were not families. About 20.60% of all households was made up of individuals, and 9.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.44.

In the county, the population was distributed as 28.70% under the age of 18, 11.20% from 18 to 24, 30.80% from 25 to 44, 18.70% from 45 to 64, and 10.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 121.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 130.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $24,504, and for a family was $26,578. Males had a median income of $23,810 versus $16,498 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,069. About 24.50% of families and 29.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.20% of those under age 18 and 30.40% of those age 65 or over.

United States presidential election results for Frio County, Texas

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	3,060	61.96%	1,848	37.42%	31	0.63%
2020	2,823	53.48%	2,422	45.88%	34	0.64%
2016	1,856	42.18%	2,444	55.55%	100	2.27%
2012	1,559	39.29%	2,376	59.88%	33	0.83%
2008	1,644	40.47%	2,405	59.21%	13	0.32%
2004	1,991	50.66%	1,931	49.13%	8	0.20%
2000	1,774	42.97%	2,317	56.13%	37	0.90%
1996	1,225	29.94%	2,593	63.37%	274	6.70%
1992	1,275	29.52%	2,377	55.04%	667	15.44%
1988	1,505	33.16%	3,016	66.46%	17	0.37%
1984	2,003	42.90%	2,656	56.89%	10	0.21%
1980	1,753	37.55%	2,849	61.03%	66	1.41%
1976	1,280	32.75%	2,598	66.48%	30	0.77%
1972	1,904	54.23%	1,588	45.23%	19	0.54%
1968	795	32.69%	1,330	54.69%	307	12.62%
1964	607	28.67%	1,507	71.19%	3	0.14%
1960	713	39.83%	1,068	59.66%	9	0.50%
1956	825	47.94%	886	51.48%	10	0.58%
1952	1,011	50.52%	983	49.13%	7	0.35%
1948	345	25.73%	898	66.96%	98	7.31%
1944	293	21.40%	951	69.47%	125	9.13%
1940	236	18.85%	1,012	80.83%	4	0.32%
1936	193	15.83%	1,019	83.59%	7	0.57%
1932	142	12.46%	998	87.54%	0	0.00%
1928	673	72.21%	258	27.68%	1	0.11%
1924	158	19.55%	637	78.84%	13	1.61%
1920	102	19.17%	421	79.14%	9	1.69%
1916	55	11.68%	410	87.05%	6	1.27%
1912	25	5.07%	418	84.79%	50	10.14%

Frio County has generally leaned Democratic at the presidential level, although it has sometimes voted Republican, including the elections of 2004 and 2020.

• Dilley
• Pearsall (county seat)

• Bigfoot
• Hilltop
• Moore
• North Pearsall

• Derby

• Frio Town

School districts include:

• Charlotte Independent School District
• Devine Independent School District
• Dilley Independent School District
• Hondo Independent School District
• Pearsall Independent School District

The designated community college is Southwest Texas Junior College.

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Frio County, Texas
• Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Frio County
• Winter Garden Region

• Frio County Government
• Frio County from the Handbook of Texas Online
• Historic Frio County materials, hosted by the Portal to Texas History.
• Frio County Profile from the Texas Association of Counties Archived June 2, 2015, at the Wayback Machine

28°52′N 99°07′W / 28.86°N 99.11°W / 28.86; -99.11