Between Waco and East Texas, Limestone stays grounded in land and energy

Limestone County is home to approximately 24,820 residents across six incorporated towns, with Groesbeck serving as county seat and Mexia as the second population center. Median home values sit around $181,913 countywide, with rental housing averaging $914 monthly. The economy runs primarily on mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, employing 834 workers at an average salary of $188,331, alongside utilities workers earning $154,040. The homeownership rate reaches 72 percent, reflecting a stable population with deep roots in this Blackland Prairie county between Waco and Palestine.

Cities Compared

Groesbeck and Mexia anchor opposite ends of the county with more services and infrastructure as the larger towns, while Thornton, Kosse, Coolidge, and Tehuacana offer progressively more rural living with fewer amenities but lower housing costs and more land per household.

Demographics

The population skews older with a median age of 45.6 years, and the racial composition is 56 percent White, 20.5 percent Hispanic, and 17.8 percent Black. The median household income of $63,834 reflects the high-wage energy sector jobs that coexist with lower-paying retail and service employment.

Economy

The county's employment landscape centers on energy extraction and utilities, with 834 workers in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas averaging $188,331 annually, while 206 utilities employees earn $154,040. Retail trade employs the most workers at 846, though at significantly lower wages, and professional services support the energy sector with 641 employees averaging $89,634.

Schools

School district data for Limestone County is not currently available in our system, though the county is served by multiple independent school districts including those based in Groesbeck and Mexia.

Cost of Living

Housing remains affordable with median home values around $181,913 and median rents at $914 monthly, well below Texas metro averages. Property tax information is not currently available, though the 72 percent homeownership rate suggests costs remain manageable for long-term residents.

About Limestone County

Limestone County stretches across the Blackland Prairie between Waco and Palestine, a landscape shaped as much by limestone bedrock as by the oil and gas beneath it. Named for the white rock formations that give the county its character, this region was organized in 1846 from Robertson County lands, with Springfield serving as the original county seat until Groesbeck took over in 1874. The county's roughly 24,820 residents live across six incorporated towns scattered through territory that still shows its agricultural roots even as energy extraction has become the dominant economic force.

Groesbeck anchors the county as seat and largest city, positioned near the geographic center where Highway 14 crosses State Highway 164. The town grew from its courthouse square outward, and while it never boomed into a major city, it maintains the services and infrastructure that come with county government. Mexia, the county's second population center, sits in the southeastern corner where Highway 84 crosses the Navasota River. The town's history traces back to the railroad era, and its position along major east-west routes has kept it relevant even as the county's economic center shifted.

The smaller towns tell stories of Texas settlement patterns. Thornton and Kosse line up along the railroad corridor in the eastern part of the county, both established as agricultural shipping points in the late 1800s. Coolidge occupies the northeastern corner, while Tehuacana sits in the northwest, both maintaining their rural character as unincorporated communities around them fade. These towns function less as employment centers and more as residential anchors for families working the land or commuting to jobs in the energy sector.

What distinguishes Limestone County from neighboring rural counties is the presence of significant mining and energy operations. The 834 employees in oil, gas, and mining earn an average of $188,331, and utilities workers average $154,040, creating pockets of high-wage employment that coexist with retail and service jobs paying a third as much. This creates an unusual economic profile where the median household income reaches $63,834 despite the county's rural character and limited professional services sector.

The county suits people comfortable with small-town life who either work in energy, own land, or don't mind a commute to Waco or College Station for urban amenities. The homeownership rate of 72 percent reflects a population that has put down roots, and the median age of 45.6 suggests families who have aged in place rather than young professionals flooding in. With median home values around $181,913 and rents at $914, the cost of living remains accessible compared to Texas metro areas, though property tax data isn't readily available to complete the affordability picture. This is a county where you know your neighbors, where the courthouse square still matters, and where the economy runs on what comes out of the ground.

Towns and Communities Across Limestone County

Groesbeck has served as county seat since 1874, when it replaced Springfield after the railroad bypassed the original settlement. The town grew around its courthouse square, and that downtown core still functions as the civic and commercial heart of the county. With county offices, district courts, and the administrative infrastructure that comes with being the seat, Groesbeck offers more services than the other towns, though it remains decidedly small-town in character. The population supports local schools, a hospital, and the kind of businesses that serve a rural county: farm supply stores, equipment dealers, and service providers who understand land and livestock.

Mexia sits in the southeastern corner where the Navasota River crosses Highway 84, making it the county's gateway for travelers heading between Temple and Palestine. The town developed as a railroad hub and cotton shipping point, and its position along major routes has kept it viable even as agriculture declined. Mexia's economy reflects the county's broader shift toward energy, with workers commuting to oil and gas operations while living in a town that still has its historic downtown and established neighborhoods. The community maintains its own school district and serves as a secondary hub for residents in the southern part of the county.

Thornton and Kosse represent the railroad towns that once dotted every Texas county, both established along the Houston and Texas Central Railway in the 1870s. Thornton sits where Farm Road 147 crosses the tracks, while Kosse occupies a similar position further north along the same corridor. These towns never grew large, but they persist as residential communities for families with deep roots and newcomers seeking affordable rural living. Each maintains its own post office and basic services, functioning as neighborhood centers rather than employment hubs.

Coolidge and Tehuacana occupy opposite corners of the county, both small enough that they blur the line between town and crossroads. Coolidge in the northeast serves families farming the Blackland Prairie soils, while Tehuacana in the northwest sits near the county line where Limestone meets Freestone and Navarro counties. These communities offer the most rural lifestyle in a county that's already rural, appealing to people who want land, privacy, and distance from even small-town density.

Identifiers

GEOID

48293

State FIPS

48

County FIPS

293

Statistics

Neighborhoods

0

Population

12,650

Geography

Type

polygon

Area

2,417 km²

Data Source

Primary Source

tiger

Census Reference

QuickFacts

Frequently Asked Questions About Limestone County

What is Limestone known for?

Limestone County is a rural Central Texas county named for the white rock formations that characterize its geology, organized in 1846 from Robertson County lands. The economy has shifted from its agricultural origins to center on oil, gas, and energy extraction, with mining and utilities workers earning some of the highest wages in the region. The county's six towns range from Groesbeck, the seat with courthouse square and county services, to tiny communities like Tehuacana that serve as residential anchors for families working the land. With a median age of 45.6 and homeownership rate of 72 percent, this is a stable population that has aged in place rather than a growth county attracting young transplants.

What cities are in Limestone County?

Groesbeck serves as county seat and largest town, positioned centrally where Highway 14 crosses State Highway 164, offering the most services and infrastructure including county government, courts, and schools. Mexia anchors the southeastern corner along Highway 84 where it crosses the Navasota River, functioning as a secondary hub with its own school district and serving travelers between Temple and Palestine. Thornton and Kosse represent classic railroad towns along the Houston and Texas Central Railway corridor in the eastern part of the county, both established in the 1870s and persisting as small residential communities. Coolidge occupies the northeastern corner while Tehuacana sits in the northwest, both offering the most rural lifestyle with minimal services but maximum land and privacy for families who want distance from even small-town density.

What is the cost of living in Limestone?

Housing costs remain accessible with median home values around $181,913 and median rents at $914 monthly, well below what you'd pay in Waco, College Station, or any Texas metro area. The median household income of $63,834 reflects the unusual presence of high-wage energy sector jobs in a rural county, creating pockets of prosperity alongside more modest agricultural and retail employment. Property tax information isn't currently available, but the 72 percent homeownership rate suggests long-term residents find the overall cost structure manageable for establishing roots and building equity.

How are the schools in Limestone?

Limestone County is served by multiple independent school districts including those based in Groesbeck and Mexia, though detailed performance data and ratings are not currently available in our system. The county's 21.5 percent bachelor's degree attainment rate sits below state averages, reflecting the rural character and economy that values trades, land management, and energy sector skills alongside traditional academic paths. Families considering the area should research individual district performance, facilities, and programs based on which town they're targeting.

Is Limestone good for families?

Limestone County suits families comfortable with small-town and rural life who value land, lower housing costs, and tight-knit communities over urban amenities and dining options. The stable population with median age of 45.6 suggests this is a place where families put down roots and age in place rather than a transient community. Kids grow up knowing their neighbors, playing on land rather than in subdivisions, and attending small schools where everyone knows everyone. The trade-off is limited extracurricular options, longer drives for specialized services, and fewer job opportunities for spouses unless one partner works in the energy sector or you're prepared to commute to Waco or College Station.

How does Limestone compare to nearby areas?

Limestone County offers lower housing costs and more land than McLennan County to the west, where Waco's growth has pushed prices higher and consumed farmland with subdivisions. Compared to Freestone County to the east, Limestone has a stronger energy sector presence creating higher-wage employment opportunities, though both share similar rural character. Robertson County to the south remains more purely agricultural, while Navarro County to the north has Corsicana as a larger city with more services and commercial development. Limestone occupies a middle position: more affordable and rural than the Waco area, more economically diverse than purely agricultural counties, but without a city large enough to offer true urban amenities within its borders.

Find Your Place in Limestone County

Whether you're drawn to the county seat's services in Groesbeck, Mexia's highway access, or the wide-open spaces around the smaller towns, a Texas Ally advisor can help you understand what's available and what fits your land, commute, and lifestyle needs. We know the territory and the market.