Overton, Texas
A railroad town that oil remade
Overton is a small town in Rusk County, Texas, in East Texas, about 20 miles east of Tyler as the crow flies, with a population of about 2,305. Parts of Overton also extend into Smith County.
Median home $115,300 · Median rent $783/mo Cost of living →
Updated October 2026 · Population: U.S. Census Bureau estimate for July 1, 2024. Land area (6.7 sq mi) and coordinates: U.S. Census Bureau. · Overton on Wikipedia
Coming up near Overton
All events →- Nov11REEL East Texas Film Festival
Kilgore · ~11 mi · Nov 11 – Nov 14
- Nov14Heritage Syrup Festival
Henderson · ~13 mi · Sat, Nov 14
- Apr16East Texas Gusher Days
Gladewater · ~19 mi · Apr 16 – Apr 17
- Jun12Tomato Fest
Jacksonville · ~28 mi · Sat, Jun 12
- Jul22The Great Texas Balloon Race
Longview · ~21 mi · Jul 22 – Jul 25
Dates confirmed on each organizer's site. Check the link before you drive.
Overton from our research
What we've verified about Overton, one line per topic. Each links to the full page and its sources.
- History
- Laid out in 1873 as a railroad junction, a farming center whose residents helped fund Dad Joiner's well that opened the East Texas Oil Field. Details →
- Dining
- 5 verified places to eat and drink. Details → Source: Texas Comptroller sales-tax permit records, checked place by place
- Schools
- 29 public schools within 12 miles, across 10 districts and charters, mainly Kilgore ISD, West Rusk County Consolidated ISD and Sabine ISD. Details → Source: Texas Education Agency AskTED directory — open campuses, enrollment as of Oct 2025
- Utilities
- A deregulated electricity market on the Oncor grid, CenterPoint gas, City of Overton water and garbage, and internet options in Rusk County. Details →
- Outdoors
- Nearest state parks: Tyler (23 mi), Martin Creek Lake (24 mi), Mission Tejas (53 mi). Nearest lakes: Lake Tyler (11 mi), Lake Cherokee (16 mi). Details → Source: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department — park locations
- Contractors
- 2 licensed HVAC contractors and 3 licensed electricians serve Overton. Details → Source: TDLR license records, checked business by business
Overton City Limits
The official city boundary and the major highways through Overton.
Major roads: State Hwy 135
Boundary & roads: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line).
Overton sits in northwestern Rusk County on the Smith County line, and the city describes itself as lying in both counties. The Handbook of Texas puts it sixteen miles northwest of Henderson. State Highway 135 runs through town, which TxDOT describes as running from near Gladewater south through Kilgore, Overton, Arp and Troup to Jacksonville. The town is named for Major Frank Overton, an early settler who donated land for the townsite, and it was platted in 1873 as a planned railroad junction. The Census Bureau counted 2,275 residents in 2020, down from 2,554 in 2010, per the Handbook of Texas. By road, Kilgore is about 11 miles (roughly 17 minutes), Henderson about 17 miles (24 minutes) and downtown Tyler about 23 miles (35 minutes). Those are typical routed drive times without traffic.
Railroad Beginnings
The Henderson and Overton Branch Railroad, finished in the mid-1870s, made Overton a principal shipping point on the International–Great Northern. According to the Handbook of Texas, residents of Rocky Mount, Belleview and Jamestown moved to the new town after the railroad bypassed their communities. A Baptist church was founded in 1875 and Hubbard College in 1876.
The Oil Boom
Oil changed everything around 1930. The Handbook of Texas notes that Overton helped finance C. M. "Dad" Joiner's successful well, which opened the East Texas oil field. The population jumped from 426 in 1931 to 3,000 by 1933 and about 4,500 by 1936, then settled back to 2,313 by 1945.
Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center
Overton is home to the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, which opened in 1967. Local leaders and the Bruce McMillan, Jr. Foundation backed it. According to AgriLife Today, the foundation provided a $300,000 construction grant, 150 Hereford cattle, 22 deeded acres and a 25-year lease on 1,221 acres of ranch land. The center's scientists work on East Texas problems in soil science, pasture use, forage plant breeding, animal physiology and horticulture.
Schools and Town Services
Overton ISD's teams are the Mustangs. The Texas Tribune's schools explorer, which draws on state data, lists 535 students in the district. The city runs an RV park, the McMillan Library and a community building, along with its own police, fire and EMS departments.
FAQ: Overton, Texas
Mostly Rusk County. The Handbook of Texas places it in northwestern Rusk County on the Smith County line, and the city describes itself as lying in both Rusk and Smith counties.
By road, Kilgore is about 11 miles (17 minutes), Henderson about 17 miles (24 minutes) and downtown Tyler about 23 miles (35 minutes). Dallas is about 121 miles, roughly two hours and 20 minutes.
The 2020 Census counted 2,275 people, down from 2,554 in 2010 (Handbook of Texas). The town peaked at about 4,500 during the oil boom in 1936.
Major Frank Overton, an early settler and landowner who donated land for the townsite. The town was platted in 1873.
The Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Overton opened in 1967. It researches East Texas agriculture, including forages, horticulture and cattle physiology, and runs extension programs.
Sources
- Handbook of Texas (TSHA) — Overton, TX
- City of Overton — official site
- TxDOT — State Highway 135 designation
- AgriLife Today — McMillan Foundation, Montgomery family lured AgriLife center to Overton
- AgriLife Today — Overton center scientific contributions span 50 years (2017)
- Overton ISD — live feed (Mustangs)
- Texas Tribune Schools Explorer — Overton ISD
- OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap data) — drive times to Kilgore, Henderson, Tyler, Dallas
East Texas guides
Region-wide guides that put Overton in context — where to go, what things cost, and how people actually live here.
Moving to East Texas: What You Need to Know
Thinking about moving to East Texas? A fact-checked guide to healthcare, schools, getting around, weather, and daily life in Tyler, Jacksonville, and the towns around them.
Read Guide →Things to Do in East Texas
What to do in East Texas, checked against official sources: Tyler's Rose Garden and Caldwell Zoo, Canton's First Monday Trade Days, the Texas State Railroad, state parks, museums and festivals.
Read Guide →Cost of Living in East Texas
What it costs to live in East Texas, using Census figures: home values and rents in Tyler, Jacksonville and Athens compared with Texas and the big metros, plus taxes, utilities, healthcare and driving.
Read Guide →Retiring in East Texas: Why Retirees Love It Here
Retiring in East Texas: Tyler's trauma-designated hospitals, Texas 65+ school-tax exemptions, lake towns like Gun Barrel City and Hideaway, and sourced drive times and weather.
Read Guide →Business Owner?
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