Total Population
19,309
Population
Growth Rate
-0.04%
Median Age
42
Diversity Index
63.900
Freestone County is a balanced economic region in terms of industrial sectors. U.S. Census survey data indicated the top three industry sectors in 2018 in Freestone County were healthcare, government and oil, gas and mining. However, Agriculture in Freestone County, at 3.81% of the total county industry, was the highest percentage of any county in Texas. The 2017 Census of Agriculture listed Freestone as the 20th-largest county in Texas in sales of Poultry & Eggs, at $40,363,000 in sales and an inventory of 2,200,784 broilers and other meat-type chickens. Energy generation is also a significant segment of Freestone’s industrial base. The Jewett Mine is located in both Freestone and Limestone County and supplies lignite to the Limestone Electric Generating Station owned by NRG Texas. The Freestone Energy Center generates electricity as a natural gas-fired facility located on approximately 500 acres near Fairfield, Texas.
Freestone County also has a very successful industrial base centered in Fairfield at the Fairfield Industrial Park North. The park is 45 acres and includes industry leading companies such as Norwesco, Archrock, Custom Hose, Baker Hughes, Windstream Communications and Chris Christensen Systems. In addition, the area is expanding with the Fairfield Industrial Park South, which will include 125 acres of shovel ready sites for business development.
Fairfield is the county seat and had an estimated population of in 2019, while Teague is the county's largest city, with a 2019 estimated population of 3,527. Total county population is 19,717. Like regions across the country, employment in Freestone County has declined slightly in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Texas Workforce Commission reported that Freestone County had a total Civilian Labor Force of 6,270 in November 2020, with an unemployment rate of 9.5%, slightly higher than the Texas total of 8% unemployed. In comparison, Freestone County unemployment was 4.9% 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 Texas Department of Criminal Justice Boyd Unit, a state prison that employs nearly 300 people.
Freestone County has several recreation opportunities. Fairfield Lake offers numerous recreation opportunities amidst its 2,400 surface-acres, with Fairfield Lake State Park providing numerous activities within its 1,460 acres. The Richland-Chambers Reservoir sits at the northern edge of the county and is the third-largest inland reservoir in Texas, offering 330 miles of shoreline known for lakeshore homes. Additionally, the county is in the Texas Post Oak Savannah, an area offering habitat for hunting and other outdoor activities.
Click on the cities within Freestone County for more information:
Households
7,220
Total Housing Units
8,989
Owner Occupied
5,500
Renter Occupied
1,720
Vacant
1,769
Median Home Value
$161,168
Average Home Value
$192,136
Income
Growth Rate
Median
Household Income
0.00%
Per Capita Income
2.81%
Median Household
$58,943 $70,315
Average Household
$85,592 $98,114
Per Capita
$32,255 $37,049
Total Businesses
691
Total Employed
5,936
Workers 16+
7,040
2022 Public Administration
Businesses
44
Employed
868
2022 Accommodation/Food Service
Businesses
54
Employed
698
2022 Retail Trade Businesses
Businesses
114
Employed
698
2022 Construction Businesses
Businesses
49
Employed
648
2022 Food Service/Drinking Estab
Businesses
41
Employed
627
2022 HealthCare/Social Assist
Businesses
41
Employed
624
Some
High School
1,210
Graduated
High School
3,638
Associates
Degree
1,732
Bachelor's
Degree
1,660
Graduate
Degree
729
Average Commute Time
27 min.
Resident Commuters
4,153
Non-Resident Commuters
2,869
Drive Alone
6,042
Carpooled
559
Public
1
Work At Home
321