Vernon, Texas
The seat of Wilbarger County, Vernon sits on the rolling plains of northwest Texas near the Red River, about 120 miles northeast of Abilene and roughly 150 miles northwest of Fort Worth. The surrounding country is open ranch and farmland, and cattle ranching and agriculture have long shaped the local economy.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- City
- July 2025 population
- 9,747
- Change from 2020 base
- -3.3%
- Land area
- 7.9 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Wilbarger 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 Wilbarger 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 Vernon
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around Vernon.
History
Doan's Crossing Was a Major Stop on the Western Cattle Trail
In the late 1800s, millions of cattle crossed the Red River at Doan's Crossing in what is now Wilbarger County, making it one of the most important points on the Western Cattle Trail.
Homestead Exemption
Homestead Exemption Cuts Your School Tax Bill
Texas law requires school districts to exempt a set amount of your home's value from taxation if it's your main residence.
Hunting
Wilbarger County Has a Full Hunting Checklist
Wilbarger County hunters need to check TPWD rules for deer, turkey, quail, dove, duck, pheasant, crane, and javelina.
Nearby
Places near Vernon
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Next steps for Vernon
Compare nearby places
Put Census population, land area, county footprints, and official office routes side by side.
Open comparison ->Estimate property tax
Model school and local rates, the homestead exemption, and the appraisal cap.
Open estimator ->Look up another place
Every Texas town and all 254 counties.
Find a place ->