Falls County

Falls County is the agricultural hub of the Heart of Texas Region

Falls County is the agricultural hub of the Heart of Texas. According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, there were 1,103 farms covering 391,898 acres. Falls County was the 17th largest producer of cattle in Texas, with $113,178,000 in sales and an inventory of 115,649. It also was the 22nd largest county in grain production with $34,601,000, primarily from corn, covering 66,617 acres.

Like regions across the country, unemployment in McLennan County has increased somewhat in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Texas Workforce Commission reported that Falls County had a total Civilian Labor Force of 6,721 in November 2020, with an unemployment rate of 6.7%, lower than the Texas total of 8% unemployed. In comparison, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is apparent as Falls County unemployment was 3.0% in November 2019. The area is fortunate to include some government and other non-market-driven employers, such as the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Hobby Unit. While they may contribute to depressed wage rates, they also maintain fairly steady employment levels despite recession pressures.

Marlin is the county seat and had an estimated population of 5,581 in 2019. The city is called ‘The Hot Mineral City of Texas,' referring to the hot mineral waters discovered in the late 1800’s, resulting in the surrounding hotel and leisure industries that were a focus of the area through the 1960’s.

Click on the cities within Falls County for more information:

Population

Total Population

17,578

Population
Growth Rate

0.26%

Median Age

41

Diversity Index

75.400

Source: ESRI, 2026-08-31

Housing & Income

Households

6,298

Total Housing Units

7,821


Owner Occupied

4,625

Renter Occupied

1,673

Vacant

1,523

Median Home Value

$122,526


Average Home Value

$202,085

Income
Growth Rate

Median
Household Income

0.00%


Per Capita Income

2.52%

Income Projection

Median Household

$46,993 $54,951


Average Household

$68,401 $77,025


Per Capita

$25,918 $29,353

Source: ESRI, 2026-08-31

Workforce

Total Businesses

497

Total Employed

3,906

Workers 16+

6,425

2026 Public Administration

cp-industries

Businesses

56

Employed

945

2026 Educational Services - Businesses

cp-industries

Businesses

18

Employed

600

2026 Retail Trade Businesses

cp-industries

Businesses

76

Employed

524

2026 Construction Businesses

cp-industries

Businesses

30

Employed

361

2026 Accommodation / Food Service

cp-industries

Businesses

36

Employed

302

2026 HealthCare / Social Assistance

cp-industries

Businesses

23

Employed

275

Some
High School

836

Graduated
High School

3,538

Associates
Degree

791

Bachelor's
Degree

1,927

Graduate
Degree

827

Average Commute Time

29 min.



Resident Commuters

2,631

Non-Resident Commuters

3,726

Drive Alone

4,944

Carpooled

665

Public

0

Work At Home

563

Source: ESRI, 2026-08-31