Rains County

Rains County, Texas
Rains County is in northeast Texas on the upper reaches of the Sabine River. It is bordered by Hunt, Hopkins, Wood, and Van Zandt counties. The county seat and largest town, Emory, is centrally located in the county at 32°50' north latitude and 95°50' west longitude and is sixty-four miles east of Dallas. The altitude of Rains County varies from 406 to 491 feet above sea level. The average maximum temperature is 95° F in July, and the average minimum is 31° in January. The county receives an average of 42.2 inches of rain per year and has a growing season of 242 days. With a total area of only 258.8 square miles, Rains County is one of the smallest counties in the state, and more than 10 percent of it has been under water since the construction of Lake Tawakoni and Lake Fork Reservoir. The soils are primarily a mixture of sand and clay. The Sabine River forms the southern border of the county, but most of the creeks drain northeast into the Lake Fork of the Sabine. Other watercourses in Rains County are Elm, Cedar, Garrett, Woodbury, Brushy, Sandy, Turkey, Bull, and Bear creeks. There are also numerous springs. The largest group, Springville Springs, are the source of a stream that flows through the city park in Emory. The rate of flow from these and other springs has slackened in recent years because the water table has been lowered by well pumping.
Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.
Steven R. Davis | © Texas State Historical Association
Rains County at a Glance
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County Map of Texas
Rains County
- Rains County
Currently Exists
Yes
Place type
Rains County is classified as a County
Altitude Range
340 ft – 570 ft
Places of Rains County
Noteworthy | Place | Type |
---|---|---|
Alba | Town | |
Bellview | Town | |
Bois d'Arc | Town | |
Bright Star | Town | |
Bruton | Town | |
Cason Town | Town | |
Clearning | Town | |
Colony | Town | |
County Line | Town | |
Daisy | Town | |
Dougherty | Town | |
Dunbar | Town | |
East Tawakoni | Town | |
Elm | Town | |
Emory | Town | |
Flats | Town | |
Freedom | Town | |
Giner | Town | |
Ginger | Town | |
Goff | Town | |
Grit | Town | |
Haywood | Town | |
Hermit's Cove | Town | |
Hogansville | Town | |
Hooker Ridge | Town | |
Hookers | Town | |
Lake Fork Reservoir | Lake | |
Lake Tawakoni | Lake | |
Lynch | Town | |
Ophelia | Town | |
Pilgrim Rest | Town | |
Point | Town | |
Poole | Town | |
Prospect | Town | |
Rains | Town | |
Rice's Point | Town | |
Richland | Town | |
Rocky Point | Town | |
Sabine Pass | Town | |
Sand Flat | Town | |
Shady Grove | Town | |
Smyrna | Town | |
Springville | Town | |
Union Valley | Town | |
Wattsville | Town | |
Willow Springs | Town | |
Woosley | Town |
Photos of Rains County and surrounding areas

Rains County, Texas
The Rains County Courthouse is located in Emory, Texas, the county seat. Photograph by Michael Barera.

Rains County, Texas
Map of Rains County, Texas. Map Credit: Robert Plocheck.

Emory, Texas
Downtown view of Emory, Texas, the seat of Rains County, Texas. Photograph by Michael Barera. Emory

Iron Bridge Dam was built to impound water for Lake Tawakoni
Photo by Matthew T. Rader, CC by SA, matthewtrader.com Lake Tawakoni

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Rains County by the Numbers
Population & Civilian Labor Counts
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Population Counts
Rains County
Pop. | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
12,514 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |
Civilian Labor Counts
Rains County
People | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
5,863 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Per Capita Income
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Per Capita Income (USD) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
$33,602 | 2019 | U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis |
Property Values, Retail Sales, and Wages
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Property Values
Rains County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
1,149,547,003 | 2019 | State Property Tax Board |
Retail Sales
Rains County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
98,507,382 | 2019 | State Comptroller of Public Accounts |
Wages
Rains County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
17,996,818 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Unemployment
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Unemployment Percentage | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
5.2 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Rainfall
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Rainfall (inches) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
44.5 | 2019 | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Temperature Ranges
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Min. (January Average, °F) | Max. (July Average, °F) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|---|
31.4 | 91.4 | 2019 | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Land Area & Total Area
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Land Area
Rains County
Area (square miles) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
229.5 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |
Total Area
Rains County
Area (square miles) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
258.8 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |