Jacksonville, Texas Today
About Jacksonville
Jacksonville is a growing East Texas community in Cherokee County, shaped by its regional location, diverse population, schools, healthcare, manufacturing, small businesses, agriculture, Lake Jacksonville, and a strong local identity.
This page is the modern community profile. Use it to understand Jacksonville as it exists today, then follow the Our Town links for deeper information about history, schools, city services, healthcare, recreation, businesses, public meetings, and local help.
Community Snapshot
A small city with a larger regional role
Jacksonville’s city-limits population tells only part of the story. The community also serves people from surrounding rural areas and smaller towns who come into Jacksonville for work, school, medical care, shopping, banking, restaurants, recreation, youth activities, government services, and community events.
In the Piney Woods
Jacksonville sits in Cherokee County in the East Texas Piney Woods, south of Tyler and north of Rusk, with U.S. 69 and U.S. 79 providing major regional connections.
About 14.2 square miles
The U.S. Census Bureau reports 14.19 square miles of land area for Jacksonville in the 2020 geographic profile.
An everyday service center
Healthcare, schools, retail, restaurants, manufacturing, financial services, government offices, and local businesses make Jacksonville a practical hub for the surrounding area.
Jacksonville by the Numbers
A current data snapshot
These figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s current QuickFacts profile. Population estimates use the 2025 estimate; most household, housing, income, and demographic measures represent the 2020–2024 period.
July 1, 2025
2020–2024
2020–2024
Current QuickFacts profile
Current QuickFacts profile
Workers age 16+, 2020–2024
Jacksonville vs. Texas
How Jacksonville compares with the state
A local number means more when there is something to compare it with. The Census figures below use the same definitions and reporting periods for Jacksonville and Texas, making them useful for understanding where the community differs from the state as a whole.
Jacksonville’s median household income is about 35 percent lower than the statewide median.
Jacksonville’s current Census poverty estimate is nearly twice the statewide rate.
Home values are substantially lower than the statewide median, although local household incomes are also lower.
The Census median gross-rent estimate is about $495 per month lower in Jacksonville.
Among adults age 25 and older, Jacksonville trails the statewide educational-attainment rate.
Jacksonville also has a smaller share of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher.
A larger share of Jacksonville residents under 65 are uninsured than the statewide rate.
Jacksonville has a noticeably larger youth share than Texas overall, reinforcing the importance of schools, recreation, childcare, and family-oriented services.
Jacksonville’s 2022 retail sales per resident were about 50 percent higher than the statewide figure, consistent with the city’s role as a regional shopping and service center.
Jacksonville workers report a shorter average commute than workers statewide.
Jacksonville has grown since the April 2020 estimate base, but its July 2025 population growth rate is lower than the statewide rate.
Among residents age 16 and older, Jacksonville’s civilian labor-force participation rate is lower than the statewide rate for 2020–2024.
Jacksonville has lower household income, higher poverty, lower adult educational attainment, a higher uninsured rate, slower population growth since 2020, and lower civilian labor-force participation than Texas overall. At the same time, housing costs are substantially lower, the community has a shorter average commute, and retail sales per capita are unusually strong for a city of Jacksonville’s size.
Using the same four violent-crime categories, Jacksonville’s 2025 reported rate was below the statewide Texas rate
Jacksonville Police reported 40 violent-index offenses in 2025: 0 murders, 8 rapes, 5 robberies, and 27 aggravated assaults. The Jacksonville rate above is calculated from the department’s reported 2025 population base of 14,550.
Crime comparisons should be read carefully. Reporting practices, classification, and small-city year-to-year changes can affect rates.
Jacksonville Police statistics →Educational attainment trails Texas, while campus performance varies
Census data show 77.9 percent of Jacksonville adults age 25 and older are high-school graduates or higher, compared with 86.0 percent statewide. The bachelor’s-degree rate is 21.1 percent locally versus 33.8 percent statewide.
Jacksonville ISD received a C rating with a score of 73 in the official 2025 district accountability report, and 88.1 percent of students were economically disadvantaged. TEA’s 2026 campus ratings are now available and show a mixed picture across individual Jacksonville schools, so current campus-by-campus results should be checked directly with TEA.
Statewide, TEA reported that 85 percent of campuses receiving an A–F rating in 2026 earned a C or better.
Explore Schools & Education →Census comparisons use Jacksonville and Texas QuickFacts figures from the same reporting periods. Public-safety figures use Jacksonville Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety data. School accountability ratings are annual snapshots and can change from year to year.
People & Community
Jacksonville is a diverse community
The U.S. Census Bureau reports race, Hispanic or Latino origin, language, and nativity as different measures. To keep the data clear, the figures below are grouped by what they actually describe rather than presented as pieces of a single 100-percent total.
Race
These are race categories published in the current Jacksonville QuickFacts profile. They should be read as Census race measures, not combined with the origin, language, or nativity figures below.
Nearly half of Jacksonville residents are reported as White alone in the current QuickFacts profile.
About one in five Jacksonville residents are reported as Black alone.
Nearly one-fifth of residents are reported in the Two or More Races category.
The current QuickFacts profile reports 3.9 percent in this race category.
The current QuickFacts profile reports 0.4 percent of residents as Asian alone.
QuickFacts rounds this category to 0.0 percent in the current Jacksonville profile.
Hispanic origin & non-Hispanic White measure
Hispanic or Latino origin is reported separately from race. A person may be Hispanic or Latino and also be counted in any race category above. The non-Hispanic White figure is a separate cross-measure used by the Census Bureau.
More than one-third of Jacksonville residents identify as Hispanic or Latino.
This Census measure identifies residents reported as White alone who are not Hispanic or Latino.
Language & nativity
These measures describe household language and place of birth. They are community characteristics, not race or ethnicity categories.
Three in ten residents age five and older speak a language other than English at home.
The Census Bureau reports that 14 percent of Jacksonville residents were born outside the United States.
Do not add all of these cards together. Race, Hispanic or Latino origin, language, and foreign-born status measure different things. Hispanic or Latino origin can overlap with any race category, and “White alone, not Hispanic or Latino” is a separate Census cross-measure. This page therefore presents the figures in separate groups instead of implying that they form one 100-percent total.
Housing & Households
Homeownership is common, while affordability still matters
The current Census profile shows a majority-homeowner community, relatively modest home values compared with many larger Texas markets, and a rental market that remains an important part of local housing.
These numbers describe Jacksonville broadly. Individual home prices, rents, taxes, insurance costs, and neighborhood conditions can vary substantially and should be checked with current local sources.
Owner-occupied housing rate
Share of occupied housing units, 2020–2024.
Median owner-occupied home value
Census estimate for 2020–2024.
Median gross rent
Census estimate for 2020–2024.
JEDCO is trying to turn vacant lots into attainable homes
The Jacksonville Economic Development Corporation launched an Infill Workforce Housing Program in September 2026 to encourage new single-family homes on vacant lots within established Jacksonville neighborhoods.
Homes must be sold to a person who will use the property as a primary residence. JEDCO says the program goal is to help deliver roughly 6–10 new workforce homes per year through public/private partnership.
View the official JEDCO housing program →Local Economy
Jacksonville combines a local service economy with a long manufacturing base
Retail, healthcare, education, food service, manufacturing, construction, public services, and small businesses all contribute to the local economy. Jacksonville also serves customers and patients from beyond the city limits, which helps explain why the city’s commercial footprint is larger than its resident population alone.
2020–2024, in 2024 dollars.
2020–2024, in 2024 dollars.
Current Census QuickFacts estimate.
Approximate 2022 total from Census business statistics; $30,276 per resident versus $20,252 statewide.
Jacksonville has real commercial activity and new industrial investment, while household income and poverty data also show that affordability, wages, and economic opportunity remain important community issues. Retail sales per capita are well above the Texas figure, reinforcing Jacksonville’s role as a regional shopping and service center.
Growth & Industry
Jacksonville’s manufacturing base is in an active expansion cycle
Jacksonville has a long manufacturing history, and the current growth story is no longer limited to project announcements. LU-VE has opened a major expansion of its Jacksonville production hub, Cancoil is completing a new 150,000-square-foot U.S. manufacturing facility, and TUBEFAB’s new Norman Industrial Park facility is under construction.
LU-VE
A major expansion of LU-VE’s Jacksonville production hub serving U.S. data-center, power-generation, and refrigeration markets.
LU-VE says recruitment has already begun as the company scales production at the expanded Jacksonville facility.
Read the LU-VE announcement →Cancoil USA
A 150,000-square-foot manufacturing and storage facility being completed at 282 Talley Nichols Drive for Cancoil’s new U.S. operations.
The Governor’s Office announced more than $28 million in total capital investment and 120 new jobs. The state construction filing lists an estimated $20 million construction cost for the facility itself.
Read the JEDCO announcement →TUBEFAB
A major expansion for the Jacksonville-based fabricator of copper tube components in Norman Industrial Park.
JEDCO reported in 2026 that construction is well underway and expects completion in early spring 2027. The original commitment called for at least 40 new full-time primary jobs, with potential growth beyond that level.
Read the JEDCO announcement →These figures describe company announcements, official economic- development information, and state construction filings available in September 2026. Hiring totals, investment amounts, construction schedules, incentives, and completion dates can change. Use the linked company, JEDCO, and state sources for the latest status.
Local Government
Jacksonville uses a council-manager form of government
Jacksonville is a home-rule city. Voters elect a mayor citywide and four councilmembers from four council districts. The City Council sets policy, adopts the budget, and appoints the City Manager, who oversees day-to-day administration.
Mayor + four districts
The Mayor is elected at large, while four Councilmembers represent single-member districts. Terms are three years, with term limits established by the City.
Current Mayor & City Council →City Manager
The Council appoints the City Manager, who serves as the City’s chief administrative officer and directs day-to-day municipal operations.
City Manager’s Office →Follow decisions at the source
Agendas, meeting notices, budgets, ordinances, and official records can change. Use official City sources when a formal or current answer matters.
Our Town Public Meetings Guide →Education & Healthcare
Two parts of Jacksonville’s regional role
Schools, higher education, medical care, clinics, public-health resources, and support services are part of why people from the surrounding area regularly come into Jacksonville.
Schools & Education
Jacksonville ISD, Jacksonville College, school calendars, enrollment information, transportation, accountability resources, and parent information are organized in the Our Town Schools & Education guide. TEA ratings change annually, so current district and campus results should be checked at the source.
Explore Schools & Education →Hospitals & Public Health
Jacksonville serves as a healthcare destination for city residents and surrounding communities. State construction records show a $13.71 million pain-management addition and renovation at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital Jacksonville, plus a separate $800,000 wound-care renovation registered in 2026. Our Town organizes major healthcare and public-health starting points in one guide.
Explore Hospitals & Public Health →Local Identity
The things Jacksonville is known for
Jacksonville’s identity comes from more than one era or one industry. Agriculture, football, the lake, schools, churches, manufacturing, local businesses, and generations of families all contribute to the way the community sees itself.
Tomatoes
Jacksonville’s tomato-growing and shipping history remains one of the community’s most recognizable traditions and continues through Tomato Fest and local identity.
Read the agriculture story →Tomato Bowl
The historic Tomato Bowl is tied to Jacksonville ISD athletics, football traditions, and generations of community gatherings. In 2025, Dave Campbell’s Texas Football named it the Best High School Stadium in Texas after a statewide fan-voting challenge.
Read the community story →Lake Jacksonville
Fishing, boating, swimming, camping, and shoreline recreation make Lake Jacksonville one of the area’s best-known outdoor assets.
Explore Lake Jacksonville →Local institutions
Schools, churches, civic groups, youth sports, nonprofits, public agencies, locally owned businesses, and community events all shape daily life in Jacksonville.
Explore the Jacksonville Guide →How Jacksonville Became Jacksonville
Explore the complete history of Jacksonville
Jacksonville began near Gum Creek, took its name in 1850, relocated toward the railroad in 1872, became an agricultural shipping center, developed a strong tomato identity, expanded through education and manufacturing, and continued reshaping itself into the community residents know today.
For the complete story, the History of Jacksonville page follows the community from the land before the town through the railroad, agriculture, education, industry, Lake Jacksonville, and the city today.
View the Complete Jacksonville HistoryUse Our Town
Go from the big picture to the information you actually need
About Jacksonville is the overview. These pages take you deeper into the everyday information residents, families, newcomers, businesses, and visitors use most.
Jacksonville Guide
Start here for the broad local-information hub.
Open the Guide →Helpful Contacts
City, county, schools, utilities, safety, and other useful contacts.
View Helpful Contacts →Community Resources
Local assistance, support programs, food, utilities, and help.
Find Community Resources →Parks & Recreation
Parks, facilities, recreation, reservations, and outdoor options.
Explore Parks & Recreation →Business Directory
Find participating local businesses and services.
Browse the Directory →Public Safety
Emergency and non-emergency public-safety starting points.
View Public Safety →Sources & Data
Built from current public sources
Our Town organizes the information, but official agencies and original project sources remain the authority for Census data, government, budgets, public safety, school accountability, development projects, construction filings, rules, fees, permits, and formal records.
This page combines a July 1, 2025 population estimate, multi-year 2020–2024 Census estimates, selected 2022 business data, 2025 public-safety and district-accountability snapshots, 2026 campus and statewide school-accountability context, and development information current through September 2026. Project schedules, crime counts, school ratings, Census estimates, and program rules can change. Use the linked source when the newest available number matters.
Jacksonville TX Our Town
Local information should be useful, current, and easy to find
Explore the guide, check the latest local resources, browse businesses, or send us information that could make the site more useful for the community.