Ballinger, Texas
Ballinger sits in Runnels County about 34 miles northeast of San Angelo, near the Colorado River in the rolling farm-and-ranch country of West Central Texas. The surrounding land supports cotton, small grains, and cattle across open prairie and gentle hills. The town developed as an agricultural trade and railroad center serving the surrounding county.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- City
- July 2025 population
- 3,499
- Change from 2020 base
- -3.5%
- Land area
- 3.5 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Runnels 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
Property here runs through the appraisal district and tax office for Runnels County. The homestead exemption, appraisal cap, protests, and any MUD, PID, or special districts all sit at the parcel level.
Official routes
Use the office for the parcel address; a mailing city is not always the governing city.
County context
What to know around Ballinger
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around Ballinger.
County History
How Ballinger Became the County Seat
Runnels County was created in 1858 and named for a Mississippi governor, but Ballinger only became the county seat in 1888 when the railroad arrived and beat out the earlier county seat of Runnels City.
Property Tax Savings
Cut Your Property Tax Bill With a Homestead Exemption
If your home in Runnels County is your main residence, you may qualify for a homestead exemption that lowers your taxable value.
Tax System
Two Separate Offices Handle Property Taxes Here
In Runnels County the appraisal district sets your property value, but a separate tax assessor-collector office sends your bill and takes payment.
Nearby
Places near Ballinger
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Next steps for Ballinger
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