Luling, Texas
Luling is a city in Caldwell County in the San Marcos River valley of Central Texas, about 22 miles southeast of San Marcos. Oil has shaped the town since a major strike in the 1920s opened the Luling field, and working pumpjacks, some painted as whimsical figures, still stand around the community. Luling is also known for its watermelon farming and its long-running Watermelon Thump celebration, as well as for its barbecue.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- City
- July 2025 population
- 5,920
- Change from 2020 base
- +5.5%
- Land area
- 5.6 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Caldwell County and Guadalupe County
Place type, county footprint, and land area use the Census Bureau's January 1, 2025 geography. Population uses Vintage 2025 estimates through July 1, 2025; change compares that estimate with the April 1, 2020 estimates base. Geography file | Population file
Luling crosses county lines, so the appraisal district and tax office depend on the parcel address. School, city-limit, MUD, PID, and other special-district lines can be different too. Start with the full county list below instead of treating one county as the answer.
Official routes
Use the office for the parcel address; a mailing city is not always the governing city.
County context
What to know around Luling
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around Luling.
Oil History
Luling still wears its 1922 oil story in plain sight
Edgar B. Davis's 1922 discovery turned Luling into an oil boomtown, and decorated working pump jacks still carry that history through town.
Property Tax Basics
Two different offices handle your property taxes
Caldwell CAD appraises taxable property and collects local property taxes; the county Tax Assessor-Collector handles vehicles instead.
County History
How Guadalupe County Was Created
Guadalupe County was established in 1846, carved from parts of Bexar and Gonzales counties after Texas joined the United States.
Nearby
Places near Luling
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Local notes for nearby counties
Next steps for Luling
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