Limestone County

Limestone County has a Focus on the Energy Industry.

Limestone County has a focus on the energy industry. Available natural resources of lignite coal and water allow the area to be a significant supplier of power in the state of Texas. Two lignite-surface mines are located in Limestone County. The Jewett Mine supplies lignite to the Limestone Electric Generating Station owned by NRG Texas. The Kosse coal mine produces 8.6 million short tons annually as fuel for the Oak Grove Power Station. Water supply varies throughout the region, but overall there is an abundance of this important resource. Mexia, in particular, has an abundance of potable water due to the efforts of the Bistone Municipal Water District. Wells into the Carisa Wilcox aquifer coupled with the Lake Mexia reservoir contribute to a supply that exceeds projected demand. Lake Mexia and Lake Limestone also offer numerous recreation opportunities.

Limestone County also has a very successful industrial base and is home to two significant industrial parks. As part of a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration in 2017, a project for the Mexia Industrial Park allowed for two roads within the park to be upgraded and allow the roadway to be adequate for semi-tractor trailer traffic. In addition, the project built a new road to provide access to approximately 600 acres of property owned by the Mexia Economic Development Corporation adjacent to the industrial park to allow expansion into this area for industrial development. The Groesbeck Industrial Park has 108 acres of available land for industrial, manufacturing and distribution uses, of which 20 acres has access to utilities currently.

Limestone County lies in the middle of the Texas Triangle, formed by San Antonio, Houston and the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area. Access to Interstate-35 and Interstate-45 places most of the continental United States within a two-day drive. Options for air shipping and travel are numerous, with the county’s own Mexia-Limestone County Airport supplements by nearby Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field Airport.

Groesbeck is the county seat and had an estimated population of 4,253 in 2019, while Mexia is the county's largest city, with a 2019 estimated population of 7,344. Employment in Limestone County has declined in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic like regions across the country. The Texas Workforce Commission reported that Limestone County had a total Civilian Labor Force of 8,724 in November 2020, with an unemployment rate of 8.2%, similar to the Texas total of 8% unemployed. In comparison, Limestone County unemployment was 3.8% in November 2019. The area is fortunate to include some government and other non-market-driven employers that maintain fairly steady employment levels despite recession pressures. One example is the Mexia State Supported Living Center, a residential facility for people with intellectual disabilities that employs nearly 1,400 people.

Click on the cities within Limestone County for more information:

• Coolidge
• Groesbeck
• Kosse
• Mexia
• Tehuacana
• Thornton