Gatesville, Texas
Gatesville is a city in Coryell County, set along the Leon River in the transition country where the Central Texas Hill Country meets the Blackland farmland, about 36 miles west of Waco. It is home to the Coryell County Museum, which holds a renowned collection of thousands of pairs of spurs, and the Texas Legislature has recognized the city as the Spur Capital of Texas. The town also anchors a cluster of state prison units and lies near the sprawling Fort Cavazos military reservation to the south.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- City
- July 2025 population
- 16,422
- Change from 2020 base
- +1.8%
- Land area
- 10.7 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Coryell 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 Coryell 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.
Local character
Start with Gatesville itself
A few landmarks, stories, and everyday places that help give Gatesville its shape.
Then zoom out to Coryell County
Military History
Fort Gates Came Before Gatesville
The U.S. Army built Fort Gates in 1849 on the Texas frontier, and its presence led directly to the founding of the county seat.
Property Tax Basics
Who Handles Property Taxes in Coryell County
Two separate offices handle property taxes here — one sets values, one collects the bill.
Historic District
Gatesville's Downtown Is a National Historic District
The Gatesville downtown was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in early 2026, covering 87 buildings from the late 1800s through the 1970s.
Nearby
Places near Gatesville
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Next steps for Gatesville
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