RANK #315 / 1001 NAT · #14 / 72 TX · POP 84,748
1YR FORECAST: -1.8%
5YR OUTLOOK: +31%
Coryell County, Texas, is defined by its central Texas location and the significant presence of Fort Hood, one of the world's largest military installations. Gatesville, the county seat, is about 80 miles north of Austin and 110 miles southwest of Dallas. The county's landscape features plateaus and grasslands, with the Leon River and Cowhouse Creek as primary waterways. Outdoor recreation includes hiking, biking, and fishing in various parks and lakes, with Mother Neff State Park nearby offering trails and camping. The community offers a blend of small-town Texas and military culture.
Life in Coryell County is characterized by affordable housing and a family-friendly atmosphere. Public schools in the county are generally above average. Commute options include the Hill Country Transit District's "The HOP" service, providing micro-transit and rural regional commuter routes within Coryell County and to nearby cities like Temple and Copperas Cove. The economy is significantly influenced by Fort Hood. Beyond the military, the county's economic development board focuses on promoting commercial development, tourism, and job creation. Recent economic discussions have involved county budget and tax rate adjustments, with public safety and infrastructure receiving significant funding.
Coryell County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +0.7% YoY, population +1.2%, wages +4.0%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Well below national median
Moderate climate & terrain
Below national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 19.7x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Bynum Solar Project
Undisclosed (part of ERCOT interconnection queue)
|
$56M | Planned |
|
Ryan Energy Storage
Undisclosed (part of ERCOT interconnection queue)
|
$52M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 68/100, Coryell County sits in the upper half of all 1001 ranked counties. Employment is expanding at +1.5%, and median household income stands at $71,301 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in TX.
By national standards, Coryell County is quite affordable. Homes here have a median value of $195,300, and the income-to-home-value ratio of 0.37 is well above the U.S. average — especially with median rent at just $1,186/month. Residents can generally buy a home without being cost-burdened.
Coryell County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +1.2% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +1.5% clip. Home values shifted +0.7% in the past year.
In significant numbers — 8.84% of Coryell County's current population relocated from another state, well above the national norm. That level of in-migration usually signals a county where jobs, affordability, or quality of life are pulling people in from elsewhere.