Kemp, Texas
Kemp is a small city in southern Kaufman County, set in the rolling farmland and lakeside country about 41 miles southeast of Dallas. It lies near Cedar Creek Reservoir, a large recreational lake that draws boaters and anglers and shapes much of the surrounding area's activity.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- City
- July 2025 population
- 1,453
- Change from 2020 base
- +30.1%
- Land area
- 2.2 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Kaufman 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 Kaufman 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 Kemp
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around Kemp.
County Origins
Before Kaufman, There Was King's Fort
An 1840 fort on North Clay Street grew into Kingsboro, the settlement that became Kaufman and gave the new county its seat.
Property Tax Basics
KCAD sets the value; the tax office handles listed collections
Kaufman Central Appraisal District handles values, exemptions, and protests, while collection depends on the taxing unit shown on the state directory.
Railroad History
Terrell's Depot Was Written Into the Land Deal
Terrell began with a railroad bargain: local land for the Texas and Pacific, provided the company put a permanent depot there.
Nearby
Places near Kemp
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Local notes for nearby counties
Next steps for Kemp
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