Pearsall is located southwest of San Antonio toward Laredo just off I-35 in Frio County, where it is county seat.
Oil was discovered in the 1930s, natural gas was introduced in 1945, and many of Pearsall's avenues were paved in 1947. The town had an estimated population of 4,500 and eighty businesses by 1949; in 1970 it had an estimated population of 5,109 and 128 businesses.
The surrounding country is a prime hunting location, and Pearsall holds annual festivities including a Wild Game Dinner.
In the early 1990s the town experienced an oil boom led by Oryx Energy, which began drilling in the Pearsall field in September 1989. Increased exploration contributed to the revitalization of Pearsall's economy.