Cleburne, Texas
The seat of Johnson County, Cleburne lies in the North Texas prairie country about 28 miles south of Fort Worth. The town grew as a railroad center, and it sits near the historic route of the Chisholm Trail that once carried cattle across the region. Nearby Lake Pat Cleburne and the surrounding rolling farmland shape the area around the city.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- City
- July 2025 population
- 39,942
- Change from 2020 base
- +27.7%
- Land area
- 33.4 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Johnson 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 Johnson 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 Cleburne
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around Cleburne.
County History
Johnson County Was Organized in 1854 from Three Older Counties
Johnson County was carved from parts of Ellis, Navarro, and Hill counties in 1854 and has grown from a small frontier settlement to over 150,000 people.
Property Tax
Two Offices Handle Property Tax in Johnson County
Johnson County has a separate appraisal district and tax office — they do different jobs, so knowing which one to call saves you time.
City History
Cleburne Grew Fast After the Railroad Arrived in 1881
Cleburne became Johnson County's permanent county seat in 1867 and boomed after the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad arrived — the repair shops nearly doubled the city's population.
Nearby
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Next steps for Cleburne
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