Jolly, Texas
Jolly is a small city in Clay County in North Texas, set in the rolling ranch and farm country of the region roughly 85 miles northwest of Denton. The surrounding landscape is open prairie and grassland typical of North Central Texas, with agriculture and oil and gas activity long part of the area's economy. It lies in the sparsely populated country between Wichita Falls and the Red River.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- City
- July 2025 population
- 168
- Change from 2020 base
- +4.3%
- Land area
- 1 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Clay 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 Clay 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 Jolly
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around Jolly.
History / Settlement
Clay County was named for Henry Clay and abandoned during the Civil War
Clay County was split from Cooke County in 1857, named for Kentucky statesman Henry Clay, and had fewer than 110 residents by 1860 before settlers abandoned it during the Civil War.
Property tax
How to lower your Clay County property tax bill with a homestead exemption
Homeowners who live in their Clay County home can file for a homestead exemption that removes part of the home's appraised value from taxation.
Property tax / Agriculture
Farm and ranch land in Clay County can be taxed on productivity, not market value
Clay County farm and ranch land may qualify for a special appraisal that taxes it based on what it produces, not what it could sell for.
Nearby
Places near Jolly
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Next steps for Jolly
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