Penelope, Texas
Penelope is a small town in Hill County, in the Blackland Prairie country of Central Texas, about 25 miles northeast of Waco. The surrounding land is given over to farming and open cropland, and the community remains a quiet rural settlement well off the region's larger highways.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- Town
- July 2025 population
- 196
- Change from 2020 base
- +8.9%
- Land area
- 1 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Hill 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 Hill 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 Penelope
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around Penelope.
County Origins
Hill County was formed in 1853 and named for a Republic of Texas official
Hill County was carved from Navarro County in 1853 and named for Dr. George Washington Hill, who served in Sam Houston's cabinet.
Property Tax Basics
Two offices handle your property taxes in Hill County
Hill County has two separate offices for property taxes: one that values your property and one that collects your bill.
Historic Courthouse
Hillsboro's 1890 courthouse burned in 1993 and was restored with help from Willie Nelson
The Hill County Courthouse in Hillsboro is an 1890 limestone landmark that nearly burned down in 1993, then helped spark Texas' courthouse-restoration push.
Nearby
Places near Penelope
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Next steps for Penelope
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