Wharton, Texas
Wharton is a city in Wharton County, in the Houston / Upper Gulf Coast region, about 35 miles southwest of Sugar Land and roughly 53 miles from Houston. It sits on the Colorado River amid the flat coastal prairie and farmland of the region, an area long associated with cotton, rice, and other row-crop agriculture. The city was the hometown of the playwright Horton Foote, whose work drew on the small-town Texas Gulf Coast.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- City
- July 2025 population
- 8,776
- Change from 2020 base
- +1.4%
- Land area
- 8.3 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Wharton 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 Wharton 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 Wharton
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around Wharton.
County History
How Wharton County Got Its Name and Its Start
Wharton County was created in 1846 and named for two brothers who were leaders in Texas independence.
Property Tax
Who Sets Your Property Value in Wharton County
On East Milam Street, two offices face each other across the road. One decides what your property is worth, the other sends the bill.
Historic Courthouse
The Wharton County Courthouse Has Stood Since the 1930s
Wharton's courthouse was built during the 1930s Depression era. It is a landmark in the county seat.
Nearby
Places near Wharton
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Next steps for Wharton
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