Magnolia, Texas
Magnolia is a city in Montgomery County, in the wooded country northwest of Houston and about 17 miles west of The Woodlands. It grew up in the Piney Woods region along the railroad and has expanded as suburban development has spread outward from the Houston metropolitan area. The surrounding landscape is a mix of pine and hardwood forest, small farms, and rapidly growing residential subdivisions.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- City
- July 2025 population
- 8,095
- Change from 2020 base
- +169.6%
- Land area
- 5.1 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Magnolia itself
A few landmarks, stories, and everyday places that help give Magnolia its shape.
Railroad history
Magnolia's Depot Still Carries the Farm-and-Sawmill Era
The old Magnolia depot was built in 1902 and once moved cotton, sweet potatoes, cattle, lumber, and other local freight.
Name story
Magnolia Went from Mink to Melton to Magnolia
A Texas historical marker traces Magnolia's name from Mink's Prairie to a railroad name to the trees along Mill Creek.
Then zoom out to Montgomery County
Local History
An Oil Strike in 1931 Changed Montgomery County Forever
A wildcatter named George W. Strake struck oil southeast of Conroe in 1931, turning a struggling timber town into one of Texas's most important oil fields.
Property Tax Basics
Two Different Offices Handle Your Property Tax
In Montgomery County, one office sets your property value and a separate office collects your tax bill.
Local History
Sawmills Once Shaped the County's Economy
Railroads arrived in the 1870s and triggered a logging boom that turned Montgomery County into a major Texas lumber producer.
Nearby
Places near Magnolia
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Next steps for Magnolia
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