Alba, Texas
Alba is a small town in the wooded, rolling country of East Texas, straddling the line between Rains and Wood counties about 36 miles northwest of Tyler. It sits near Lake Fork Reservoir, a large impoundment renowned across Texas as a trophy largemouth-bass fishery, which draws anglers to the surrounding lakeside area. The town traces part of its early history to the railroad and to lignite coal mining nearby.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- Town
- July 2025 population
- 511
- Change from 2020 base
- +8.3%
- Land area
- 1.1 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Rains County and Wood 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
Alba 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 Alba
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around Alba.
County Origins
Rains County Was Named for a Man Who Refused to Join the Confederacy
The county and its seat are both named for Emory Rains, an early Texas lawmaker who wrote the state's first homestead protection law.
Property Tax Basics
Two Offices Handle Your Property Tax in Rains County
One office figures out what your property is worth; a separate office actually sends the bill and collects the money.
County History
Wood County Is Named for a Texas Governor
Wood County was created in 1850 and named for George T. Wood, who served as governor of Texas from 1847 to 1849.
Nearby
Places near Alba
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Next steps for Alba
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