Clifton, Texas
Set in the Bosque County countryside about 30 miles northwest of Waco, Clifton lies along the Bosque River where the Central Texas prairie meets the eastern edge of the Hill Country. The town is long associated with Norwegian settlement in the surrounding valley and has been called the Norwegian Capital of Texas. Limestone hills, ranchland, and river bottoms surround the community.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- City
- July 2025 population
- 3,523
- Change from 2020 base
- +1.6%
- Land area
- 2.2 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Bosque 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 Bosque 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 Clifton
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around Clifton.
History
Bosque County was home to a significant Norwegian immigrant community starting in 1854
Starting in 1854, Norwegian immigrants settled in a triangle around present-day Clifton, Norse, and Cranfills Gap, creating a lasting cultural presence still visible in the area today.
Property tax
Two separate offices handle your property taxes in Bosque County
The Bosque Central Appraisal District sets your property value and handles exemptions; the Bosque County Tax Office sends your bill and collects payment.
History / Architecture
The 1886 Bosque County Courthouse was restored to its Victorian design in 2007
The Bosque County Courthouse in Meridian is a three-story limestone building from 1886, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and restored between 2005 and 2007 with Texas Historical Commission support.
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