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

17,075

Population
Growth Rate

0.17%

Median Age

42

Diversity Index

75.600

Source: ESRI, 2025-08-25

Housing & Income

Households

6,199

Total Housing Units

7,684


Owner Occupied

4,550

Renter Occupied

1,649

Vacant

1,485

Median Home Value

$119,029


Average Home Value

$194,144

Income
Growth Rate

Median
Household Income

0.00%


Per Capita Income

2.06%

Income Projection

Median Household

$47,695 $54,963


Average Household

$68,343 $75,303


Per Capita

$26,065 $28,863

Source: ESRI, 2025-08-25

Workforce

Total Businesses

489

Total Employed

3,880

Workers 16+

6,119

2025 Public Administration

cp-industries

Businesses

56

Employed

957

2025 Educational Services - Businesses

cp-industries

Businesses

19

Employed

640

2025 Retail Trade Businesses

cp-industries

Businesses

75

Employed

524

2025 Accommodation / Food Service

cp-industries

Businesses

35

Employed

284

2025 HealthCare / Social Assistance

cp-industries

Businesses

24

Employed

277

2025 Other Service excl Pub Admin

cp-industries

Businesses

83

Employed

275

Some
High School

1,062

Graduated
High School

3,061

Associates
Degree

864

Bachelor's
Degree

1,246

Graduate
Degree

683

Average Commute Time

30 min.



Resident Commuters

2,819

Non-Resident Commuters

3,232

Drive Alone

4,757

Carpooled

585

Public

0

Work At Home

665

Source: ESRI, 2025-08-25