Abilene, Texas
Abilene is a Texas city whose current Census footprint includes Jones County and Taylor County. Start with the quick read below for what gives Abilene its character, then the practical property-tax, insurance, district, and local-record checks worth making before you rely on a monthly estimate.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- City
- July 2025 population
- 131,588
- Change from 2020 base
- +5.3%
- Land area
- 106.7 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Jones County and Taylor County
Place type, county footprint, and land area use the Census Bureau's January 1, 2025 geography. Population uses Vintage 2025 estimates through July 1, 2025; change compares that estimate with the April 1, 2020 estimates base. Geography file | Population file
Official routes
Use the office for the parcel address; a mailing city is not always the governing city.
Local checks
- Taylor CAD account & taxing units
- Elm Creek flood zone / FEMA map
- Foundation inspection (expansive clay)
- Dyess AICUZ noise contour
- Hail/wind deductible terms
What buyers should know
A large share of the Elm Creek watershed lies inside the 100-year floodplain. Pull the FEMA flood map for any address near a creek before making an offer.
Expansive clay soil is the rule, not the exception, in Abilene. The city's building code requires engineered foundations for this reason. Budget for a dedicated foundation inspection and ask about any prior pier work or watering systems on existing homes.
Dyess AFB is a stable economic anchor but its B-1B bombers produce substantial noise. If you are buying in neighborhoods southwest of the city, check the base's AICUZ noise contour maps to understand what zones apply to the property.
County context
What to know around Abilene
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around Abilene.
Local Tradition
Cowboys' Christmas Ball: An Anson Tradition Since the 1880s
Anson hosts one of Texas's oldest continuing Western dances, most often traced to December 1885 at a local hotel.
Property Tax
Who Handles Your Property Tax in Jones County
In Jones County, the office that values your home and the office on the courthouse square are two different doors, and only one of them deals with property tax.
County Origins
Taylor County waited 20 years for a government of its own
Texas created Taylor County in 1858, but the thinly settled county did not organize its own government at Buffalo Gap until 1878.
Nearby places
Other local pages to compare
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Next steps for Abilene
Compare nearby places
Put Census population, land area, county footprints, and official office routes side by side.
Open comparison ->Estimate property tax
Use the official local rates and appraisal value for this parcel.
Open estimator ->Build a buyer timeline
Track homestead, appraisal notice, protest, and tax-bill dates.
Build timeline ->Read insurance guide
Check flood, windstorm, roof, deductibles, and coverage questions.
Read guide ->