Wortham, Texas
Wortham is a small town in Freestone County, in the East Texas region near the western edge of the Piney Woods, about 44 miles northeast of Waco. It sits in gently rolling country that saw an oil boom in the 1920s, when the Wortham field brought a rush of drilling and rapid growth to the area. The town is also closely associated with the influential blues musician Blind Lemon Jefferson, who was born in the surrounding countryside and is buried in Wortham.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- Town
- July 2025 population
- 1,041
- Change from 2020 base
- +5.5%
- Land area
- 2 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Freestone 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 Freestone 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 Wortham
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around Wortham.
Local History
Freestone County is the birthplace of blues musician Blind Lemon Jefferson
Blues pioneer Blind Lemon Jefferson was born near Wortham and is buried at what is now Blind Lemon Memorial Cemetery.
Property Tax
Two offices handle your property tax in Freestone County
The appraisal district sets your property value; a separate tax office collects what you owe. They are different offices with different jobs.
State Park
Fairfield Lake State Park closed in 2023 — public access is gone for now
Fairfield Lake State Park permanently closed in February 2023 when the land was sold to a private developer, ending public access to the lake and its facilities.
Nearby
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Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Next steps for Wortham
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