Fairfield, Texas
Fairfield is a city in Freestone County, set in the rolling woodland and pasture country of East Texas about 59 miles northeast of Waco, near Interstate 45 between the Dallas and Houston corridors. The area is known for Fairfield Lake, a reservoir formed decades ago to cool a large lignite-fired power plant that operated nearby before it closed. The surrounding countryside mixes cattle ranching, hay and timber with the remnants of the region's coal and lignite mining.
Property here runs through the Freestone Central Appraisal District and the county tax office — the homestead exemption, the appraisal cap, protests, and any MUD, PID, or special districts all sit at the parcel level. The Freestone County notes below cover the practical details, with the official county directory for the appraisal district and tax office.
Freestone County notes
What to know around Fairfield
Property Tax
Two offices handle your property tax in Freestone County
The appraisal district sets your property value; a separate tax office collects what you owe. They are different offices with different jobs.
State Park
Fairfield Lake State Park closed in 2023 — public access is gone for now
Fairfield Lake State Park permanently closed in February 2023 when the land was sold to a private developer, ending public access to the lake and its facilities.
Mineral Rights
Oil and gas have shaped Freestone County since 1916
Freestone County has active oil and gas production, so when you buy land here, check whether the mineral rights are included or have already been severed.
Local History
Freestone County is the birthplace of blues musician Blind Lemon Jefferson
Blues pioneer Blind Lemon Jefferson was born near Wortham and is buried at what is now Blind Lemon Memorial Cemetery.
Nearby
Places near Fairfield
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Limestone County
7 local notes · Austin / Central Texas / Hill Country
Navarro County
24 local notes · DFW / North Texas
Leon County
5 local notes · East Texas / Piney Woods
Anderson County
19 local notes · East Texas / Piney Woods
Henderson County
23 local notes · East Texas / Piney Woods
Robertson County
6 local notes · Austin / Central Texas / Hill Country
Next steps for Fairfield
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Model school and local rates, the homestead exemption, and the appraisal cap.
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Property tax, land, outdoors, vehicles, rules, and history for the county.
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