Gary City, Texas
Gary City is a small town in Panola County, tucked into the forested hills of deep East Texas about 39 miles southeast of Longview, not far from the border country of the Piney Woods. It grew from a cotton-farming settlement into a busy sawmill town as the surrounding virgin forests were cleared, and later shared in the region's prosperity from the East Texas oil and gas boom. The area remains a landscape of pine timber, pasture, and scattered farmland.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- Town
- July 2025 population
- 343
- Change from 2020 base
- +2.4%
- Land area
- 1.9 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Panola 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 Panola 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 Gary City
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around Gary City.
Local History
How Panola County Got Its Name and Economy
Panola County was created in 1846, named from a Cherokee word for cotton, and its economy shifted over the decades from cotton and timber to natural gas.
Property Tax
Who Appraises Your Property in Panola County
The Panola County Appraisal District sets the value of your property. A separate Tax Assessor-Collector office then bills and collects what you owe.
Homestead Exemption
How to Apply for a Homestead Exemption in Panola County
Texas homeowners who live in their home as a primary residence can apply for a homestead exemption to reduce the taxable value of their property.
Nearby
Places near Gary City
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Next steps for Gary City
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