Regional Profile

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:

• Bruceville-Eddy
• Golinda
• Lott
• Marlin
• Rosebud