Bells, Texas
The town of Bells lies in Grayson County in North Texas, on the blackland prairie north of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and about 32 miles northeast of McKinney. It is a small farming community in the Red River valley region, near the larger cities of Sherman and Denison. The surrounding land is level to gently rolling farmland long given over to grain and cattle.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- Town
- July 2025 population
- 1,525
- Change from 2020 base
- +0.3%
- Land area
- 2.1 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Grayson 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 Grayson 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 Bells
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around Bells.
County History
Grayson County Was Created in 1846 from Fannin County
Grayson County was established by the Texas legislature in 1846 and named for Peter W. Grayson, an attorney general of the Republic of Texas.
Property Tax Basics
Two Different Offices Handle Your Property Taxes
Grayson County splits property tax duties between two offices, and knowing which one to call saves you time.
Economic History
The Railroad Arrived in 1872 and Transformed Grayson County
When two railroads reached Grayson County in 1872, the region's population and economy expanded rapidly over the next decade.
Nearby
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Local notes for nearby counties
Next steps for Bells
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