Where a historic courthouse square and genuine small-town roots anchor the fastest-growing large county in the nation, attainable homes and open Kaufman County land, a community-centered Kaufman ISD, and US-175 running thirty-four miles straight into Dallas
Kaufman is the Kaufman County seat, a city of 6,797 (2020 census) where US 175 meets SH 34, and Zillow’s typical value sat near $294,000. Around an 1840s courthouse town, builders are selling near Kings Fort Parkway, with acreage on the edges and PIDs in some new sections. Here are 7 areas with dated price context.
About $303K to $532K
Bloomfield Homes on 50- and 60-foot lots, one- and two-story plans of about 1,530 to 4,230 square feet, near the Kings Fort Parkway Walmart.
Homes.com listed the two collections at $302,990 to $531,990 in 2026. HOA $350 a year. The area is in Kaufman PID No. 1, and Bloomfield quotes a total tax rate of about 2.54 percent. City water. Kaufman ISD.
From about $294K
D.R. Horton one- and two-story open plans with 3 to 5 bedrooms and about 1,250 to 2,800 square feet.
D.R. Horton listed homes from $294,490 in 2026, and Homes.com showed up to $372,490. There is an HOA, but the amount and any special district weren’t published. Kaufman ISD.
From about $325K
Lillian Homes builds nine plans of about 1,600 to 2,280 square feet on 50- and 60-foot homesites, with spray-foam insulation standard.
Lillian lists homes from $324,990, and 2026 listings ran about $347,000 to $373,000. HOA $500 a year. The builder quotes a total tax rate of 3.14 percent, so ask which district adds to the base rate. Kaufman ISD.
Resale only
Built by D.R. Horton’s Express Homes and now sold out, less than 2 miles from downtown, with one- and two-story plans of about 1,290 to 2,650 square feet.
It’s inside city limits and in Kaufman PID No. 2. The district administrator estimated an annual installment of about $1,432 for 2026 on some lots and marked it subject to change. Price each home from current MLS sales.
About $140K to $345K
Older single-family homes on traditional town lots around the Kaufman County Courthouse, in a town founded as Kings Fort in the 1840s.
Two 2026 sales of about 1,950 and 2,160 square feet closed at $325,000 and $343,000, with older listings from about $138,000. No HOA expected. City water and sewer. Walk to the square. Kaufman ISD.
About $229K to $680K
Brick ranch and newer traditional homes on established streets such as Royal, Lajolla, Riverside and Oak Bend drives.
2026 listings ran from $229,000 on Royal Drive to about $680,000 on Oak Bend Drive, and a home on Fair Haven sold for $225,000 in May. Subdivision names and HOAs vary by street. Kaufman ISD.
About $469K to $1.24M
Custom homes, build-on-your-lot tracts and acreage in the unincorporated area around the city, much of it in Kaufman’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.
2026 listings ran from $469,000 on FM 1388 to $1.24 million on a county road, and raw land about $55,000 to $75,000 an acre. Expect septic, and confirm the water provider and school district by address.
Swipe or drag sideways to see them all.
Zillow put Kaufman’s typical home value at about $294,000 in July 2026, up 1.6 percent from a year earlier.
Monthly city medians swing widely because so few homes sell each month.
City, Kaufman ISD and county rates add up to about $2.38 to $2.43 per $100 inside city limits. Builders quote 2.54 to 3.14 percent where a PID or other district applies.
Confirm every district with the Kaufman Central Appraisal District.
Kaufman’s ETJ is a band about 1 mile wide around city limits. There’s no city tax there, and the county handles septic permits and 911 addresses.
Check every address before you compare.
The Census Bureau estimated about 10,700 residents in July 2025, up from 6,797 in 2020.
The city began updating its comprehensive plan in January 2026.
Kaufman is the Kaufman County seat at US 175 and SH 34, about 31 miles from downtown Dallas by Kaufman ISD’s count (builder marketing says about 33). It counted 6,797 residents in the 2020 census; the 10,717 figure is the Census Bureauthe 9,785 figure is the Census Bureau’s July 2024 estimatersquo;s July 2025 estimate. Area names follow builder names and common street names, and boundaries are approximate. Prairie Creek Estates is documented inside city limits; Georgetown at Kings Fort is in a city PID with city water; city-limits status for Enclave at Kings Fort, Freeman Farm and the established streets wasn’t confirmed. Price figures are dated snapshots: Zillow’s July 2026 typical value, 2026 builder listings and individual 2026 listings and sales; the downtown and in-town ranges are drawn from those listings, not a published statistic. Builder prices, HOA dues and quoted tax rates change often and are builder figures. Enclave at Kings Fort’s largest plan is listed at 2,647 or 2,845 square feet depending on the source. PID No. 1’s annual per-lot installment wasn’t confirmed, the PID No. 2 amount is the administrator’s estimate for some lots, and the district behind Freeman Farm’s 3.14 percent wasn’t identified. The tax stack uses the city’s FY2026 rate of $0.7595, Kaufman ISD’s $1.2552 for 2025 and $1.2056 adopted for 2026, and Kaufman County’s $0.415113; the city’s 2026 rate wasn’t confirmed. School districts are listed at the district level only and must be confirmed by address. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Kaufman’s local stops sit on the courthouse square: steaks and a meat market, fajitas, an all-day diner, a tea room and an early-opening coffee shop. Add two grocers on the south side and a 232-acre lake park in town. Here’s a 2026-checked list of 17.
Washington, Mulberry, Grove & Jackson streets
Kaufman’s local spots ring the Kaufman County Courthouse, from steaks and fajitas to coffee and a tea room.
The grocers and chains sit south along S. Washington St. and on Kings Fort Pkwy. near US 175.
112 N. Washington St.
Steak dinners plus a butcher counter with fresh cuts, on the courthouse square.
101 W. Mulberry St.
Known for sizzling fajitas, queso and margaritas on the square.
215 W. Mulberry St.
Home-style plates like chicken-fried steak and meatloaf, with breakfast served all day.
W. Grove St., downtown
Soups, salads and sandwiches in the 1908 First National Bank building, known for its lemonade tea.
807 S. Washington St.
A family-owned burger stand since 2018, known for the signature Kaufman Burger.
S. Washington St.
Cafeteria-line fried chicken and home-style plates since 2006.
300 W. Grove St.
A taqueria that opened downtown in June 2026.
303 W. Mulberry St.
A downtown coffee shop with monthly specialty drinks, open early six days a week.
N. Jackson St.
Croissants and pastries in the morning and a deli menu at lunch.
N. Washington St.
An ice cream shop run by a local nonprofit day program.
2235 S. Washington St.
A full-service supermarket on the south side of town.
300 Kings Fort Pkwy.
The big-box grocery option near US 175 and the Kings Fort communities.
Northeast Kaufman, off SH 34
232 acres with fishing, boating, hiking, a pavilion and a playground; open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
North Kaufman, off SH 34
The city’s newest park, with soccer, softball and baseball fields.
Washington St. at Mulberry St.
A small downtown garden with benches and a picnic table steps from the square.
2204 S. Washington St.
A renovation of the former Dairy Queen site, with a target opening of November 15, 2026.
Kaufman’s local food and coffee are on the courthouse square, and everyday errands run along S. Washington St. and Kings Fort Parkway. The city counts more than 620 acres of parks and lakes.
A comprehensive plan update that began in January 2026 will shape future parks and growth.
Compiled October 2026. Listings are from the City of Kaufman, regional dining guides, news coverage and 2026-dated review and directory listings, and were not confirmed with owners; call ahead to confirm hours and that a business is still open. Street numbers for the tea room, Moon’s, Latham Bakery and The Hive weren’t confirmed. City Lakes Park is listed at 2226 SH 34 by the city and 1500 Terrell Hwy. by a map service; the Sports Complex address wasn’t confirmed. Some downtown boutiques, antique shops, a donut shop and a restaurant listed as opening soon aren’t included because their status couldn’t be confirmed. The Zaxby’s date is from a 2026 news report and may change. Walmart and Brookshire’s are included as grocery options. Drive times aren’t shown because they weren’t measured. Businesses listed are for general local reference and are not endorsements; I receive no compensation from any business named. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
From Dr. King’s 1840 Fort to a Growing County Seat
Kaufman sits on Blackland Prairie drained by the East Fork of the Trinity, in country Native peoples hunted and lived in long before Anglo settlement.
The Handbook of Texas describes Kaufman County as 788 square miles of the Blackland Prairie region of Northeast Texas, bounded by the Trinity River on the southwest and drained by its East Fork. Kings Creek rises near Terrell and runs south about 32 miles, passing within half a mile of Kaufman on its way to what is now Cedar Creek Reservoir, over moderately deep to deep clays and sands.
The Handbook lists the Caddo, Cherokee, Comanche, Delaware and Kickapoo among the area’s original inhabitants, and the city’s history calls the Three Forks region an Indian hunting ground. Cherokee lands assigned by Mexico blocked Anglo settlement until the Cherokee defeat of July 1839. Surveyor Warren A. Ferris wrote in 1840 of “thousands of buffalo and wild horses,” deer, turkeys and prairies crowned with flowers.
Mississippi land promoter Dr. William P. King surveyed the Three Forks country in 1840 and built King’s Fort, a picketed stockade above what became King’s Creek.
King came to Texas in 1839 as president of the Southern Land Company, which bought land scrip the Republic of Texas had sold to raise money. On June 3, 1840, he and surveyor Warren A. Ferris left Nacogdoches with 29 men, and over that summer they surveyed more than 500,000 acres. Young Robert A. Terrell served as a deputy surveyor, and John H. Reagan also worked on the survey.
The fort was four cabins inside a stockade of ten-foot poles enclosing about three-quarters of an acre. Terrell later recalled an attack turned back when a watchdog sounded the alarm, and on July 17, 1841, riders ran off the garrison’s horses. The 1970 state marker at 607 N. Clay St. says King led 40 pioneers from Holly Springs, Mississippi. The city’s history says he died of yellow fever at Vicksburg in September 1841.
The settlement around the fort, known as Kingsboro, passed through three counties and won a three-vote county-seat election in 1851.
Terrell recalled only six or seven families in the future county before 1844, but many more arrived in Mercer’s Colony over the next two years. The area moved from Nacogdoches County to the new Henderson County in 1846. In 1848 the Legislature created Kaufman County, named for David Spangler Kaufman, on a petition introduced by Reagan, and the law required the county seat to share the name.
Mail service began in 1849. The first county-seat vote picked the county’s geographic center, and a later one chose Center Point, a few miles north. In March 1851 Kingsborough won 93 to 90 and was renamed Kaufman. That April, King’s widow, Frances A. Tabor, deeded 150 acres for the townsite, keeping 12 lots, and county government moved there in November 1851.
Kaufman’s early courthouses rose and failed in quick succession, its first newspaper appeared in 1860, and the town incorporated in 1872.
The first courthouse, in 1851, was a remodeled one-room building 20 by 30 feet at Washington and Mulberry streets. A brick courthouse contracted in 1859 was occupied in 1861 and abandoned in 1862 after a dispute over its workmanship, so the old wooden building returned to use until 1868. A two-story frame courthouse, 50 feet square, was finished in August 1872 with the courtroom upstairs.
The weekly Kaufman Star, the town’s first newspaper, began in 1860. After the Civil War, the Handbook counts about 500 residents, and the town incorporated in 1872. In protest against Reconstruction, voters then refused to hold town elections through the 1870s. An 1869 constitutional provision made counties responsible for the poor, and in 1874 commissioners began searching for land for a county poor farm.
Two railroads in 1881 and 1883 made Kaufman a shipping point for county farmers, and a stone courthouse rose on the square in 1887.
Kaufman reincorporated in 1881, the year the Texas Trunk line arrived; in 1883 the Texas Central connected the town with Dallas. By 1884 Kaufman had about 1,000 residents, four churches, two schools, an opera house and 40 businesses. Its first bank opened in the late 1880s with $50,000 in capital, a second followed in 1892, and the 1890 census counted 1,282 residents.
Terrell won county-seat elections in 1879 and 1885, but neither vote reached the required two-thirds, so the seat stayed in Kaufman. Commissioners ordered a stone courthouse in December 1885 and accepted it in July 1887; it stood until 1955, and its cornerstone is still displayed on the square. In 1881 the county bought more than 408 acres for a poor farm, which the Chamber says the county still owns.
Kaufman grew from 1,378 residents in 1900 to 2,501 in 1920 as a farm-trade town built around its courthouse square.
The Handbook estimates about 2,300 people, three newspapers and 60 businesses around 1900, though the census that year counted 1,378 residents. The count rose to 1,959 in 1910 and 2,501 in 1920 before slipping to 2,279 in 1930. The Kaufman Herald, still published today, dates to the 1880s; the Library of Congress catalogs it from 1887, and a daily edition appeared about 1924.
On the square, the First National Bank building went up in 1908. More than a century later it houses the Especially For You Tea Room and Gift Shop, and the original bank vault survives inside. The building is one of the clearest surviving links between today’s downtown shops and the era when the railroads made Kaufman a trading center for the farms around it.
Kaufman gained its first factory in the 1940s, replaced the 1887 courthouse in 1955–56, and weathered a damaging tornado in 1963.
The census counted 2,654 residents in 1940 and 2,714 in 1950. By 1945, the Handbook says, 80 businesses served the town, including its first manufacturing plant, a uniform factory. Early in 1955 the 1887 courthouse came down, and the present two-story Modern-style courthouse of brick, steel, aluminum and black marble rose at 100 W. Mulberry St., credited to the Dallas firm of A. Warren Morey and McGill.
Just after midnight on March 11, 1963, a tornado struck Kaufman. The Handbook says it did major damage to the business area, and WBAP-TV news footage preserved by the University of North Texas put the damage at about $100,000. No deaths or injuries were recorded. The 1960 census had counted 3,087 residents, the first census in which the town passed 3,000 people.
Kaufman grew past 5,000 residents, added about a dozen small plants and adopted its first comprehensive plans.
The census counted 4,012 residents in 1970, 4,658 in 1980 and 5,251 in 1990. By 1990, the Handbook says, 108 businesses operated in town, including about a dozen plants making steel products, furniture and clothing. Texas Highways notes that Kaufman is the original home of the El Chico Tex-Mex restaurant chain. The city adopted its first comprehensive plan in 1980 to guide that growth.
The city updated the plan in 1999. Kaufman’s largest park, the 232-acre City Lakes Park off State Highway 34, offers fishing, boating, hiking, a pavilion and a playground; the year its lakes were built wasn’t confirmed. By the end of the century the town had roughly doubled its 1960 population, and the 2000 census counted 6,490 residents and the Handbook 416 businesses.
Kaufman grew from 6,490 residents in 2000 to a Census estimate of about 10,700 in 2025, with new retail, new schools and a plan rewrite under way.
The census counted 6,703 residents in 2010 and 6,797 in 2020; the Census Bureau’s estimate for July 2025 is about 10,700. The Kaufman County Veterans Memorial Park on South Houston Street became the permanent home of a four-fifths-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 2008. In May 2014 a Walmart Supercenter opened on Kings Fort Parkway, where builders later added new neighborhoods.
The city adopted a downtown plan in 2015 and a hike and bike trail plan in 2022. Kaufman ISD named its new Kaufman Middle School in July 2025, a two-story campus of about 187,000 square feet on South Houston Street estimated at $91 million. Kaufman County was estimated as Texas’ fastest-growing county by percentage from 2024 to 2025, and the city’s Kaufman Forward comprehensive plan is being drafted in 2026.
Compiled from the Texas State Historical Association Handbook of Texas (Kaufman, Kaufman County, Kings Creek and David Spangler Kaufman entries), the City of Kaufman’s history and planning pages, the 1970 “Birthplace of City of Kaufman; Site of King’s Fort” state marker (No. 8530), the Kaufman Chamber of Commerce, the Library of Congress, the University of North Texas Portal to Texas History, Texas Highways, Kaufman ISD coverage, inForney, WFAA and U.S. Census counts and estimates. Sources differ on whether Kaufman became county seat in 1851 or 1852; the 93–90 vote record supports 1851. The city dates King’s death to 1841, while the marker mentions an 1846 land patent. The Kaufman Herald’s founding is given as 1885, 1886 or 1887, and the 1956 courthouse is also credited to Wyatt C. Hedrick with Morey and McGill. King’s widow’s surname also appears as Taber, and lists of Native peoples vary by source. Handbook population estimates for 1884 and 1900 are not census counts; the 2025 figure is a Census Bureau estimate. Native peoples are described at the county level. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Fireworks in July, Harvest Fest in October and Christmas on the Square
A week of youth exhibits in steers, swine, lambs, goats and rabbits, plus creative arts and ag mechanics, ending in a youth auction. The 100th show ran February 22–28, 2026; also documented in 2022 and 2023.
Photos with the Easter Bunny, then hunts by age group with up to 20,000 stuffed eggs. Free. Billed as the 14th annual in 2025, when rain moved the eggs to the square; also documented in 2017.
A ceremony with speakers honoring fallen service members at the park, home of a four-fifths-scale Vietnam Veterans Memorial replica. Free. Documented in 2020 and 2023 and listed in 2026 among the park’s three annual ceremonies.
Kaufman’s Independence Day celebration, with a kids’ parade, food trucks, a Kids Zone and live bands, ending with fireworks at about 9:30 p.m. Admission $20 per carload, cash only. Documented in 2017, 2023, 2024 and 2025; the 2026 event was held July 4.
Run by the City of Kaufman; the morning parade runs up S. Washington St. to Shannon Park.
Admission was $10 per vehicle in 2017 and $20 per carload from 2023 through 2026.
A 9 a.m. parade with more than 100 entries, then vendors, food and a Kids Zone with bounce houses, pony rides and face painting. Documented in 2023, 2024 and 2025. The 2026 festival is Saturday, October 17, with a “Field of Flowers” parade theme.
Run by the City of Kaufman; about 6,000 people attended in 2025, per an event listing.
New for 2026: “Tailgate on Grove,” with football on a large LED screen.
Guest speakers and a presentation honoring a local veteran, held in the park’s pavilion in 2024. Free. Documented in 2022 and 2024.
Vendors, live music and a Kids Zone with ice skating, a snow tube slide and train rides, then a 6 p.m. lighted parade and a 7 p.m. tree lighting with Santa photos at City Hall. Free. Documented in 2016, 2017, 2021 and 2025; the city lists Saturday, December 5 for 2026.
Run by the City of Kaufman; every parade entry must be lit.
The parade runs down S. Washington St. to W. Grove St. and ends at Shannon Park.
Wreaths are laid at the Vietnam Wall replica and the park’s veterans kiosks, and each veteran’s name is read aloud. Free to attend; wreath sponsorships sold. Documented in 2022, 2024 and 2025.
Crandall’s cotton-heritage festival, held since about 1988, with food and craft vendors, music and a car show. The 2026 festival is set for Saturday, November 7.
Kaufman’s three big city events are Red, White & BOOM in July, Harvest Fest in October and Christmas on the Square in December.
The Veterans Memorial Park holds ceremonies on Memorial Day, Veterans Day and in December.
Dates move for weather, so check the city’s events pages before you go.
Timing shown is the usual pattern for each event; exact dates, times and locations change from year to year and should be confirmed with organizers. Event details are from City of Kaufman event pages and calendars, the Kaufman Herald, inForney, the Terrell Tribune, Texas Highways, the Kaufman Chamber, Wreaths Across America, the Junior Livestock Show and event aggregators; each event listed was found in at least two years. The Chamber describes Harvest Fest as the second Saturday in October, but the 2026 date is the third. The city’s Christmas page shows December 5 without a year; the 2025 event was December 6, so it is treated as the 2026 date. Harvest Fest and Livestock Show admission wasn’t confirmed. The Veterans Memorial Park address appears as 3700, 3790 or 3800 S. Houston St. A downtown Spring Fling, an Oktoberfest, a Chamber civic auction, an economic summit and Juneteenth and Halloween events were found in only one year or without a date, so none is shown. Crandall details are from the City of Crandall. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
What to know about Kaufman schools:
The rating: Check TXschools.gov for the district’s current status.
Nearby: Kaufman County is in Trinity Valley Community College’s service area. Texas treats homeschools as private schools.
Want the full breakdown? Read our complete Kaufman schools guide →
Kaufman is served mainly by Kaufman ISD, about 4,200 students on seven campuses, rated B (84) in 2025. A $170 million bond is building a new middle school due in summer 2027, and the 2026 school tax rate went down. Confirm the campus by address.
City and nearby county
Nearly all of the city is in Kaufman ISD, but third-party tax data shows a handful of city parcels in Crandall ISD, and rural edges can fall in Scurry-Rosser, Terrell or Kemp ISD.
No district boundary map for the edges was found. Check the school district on the parcel’s Kaufman Central Appraisal District record, then call the district to confirm the campus.
District-wide
Kaufman ISD earned a B (84) in TEA’s 2025 ratings. Its 2026 rating wasn’t confirmed for this guide; check TXschools.gov.
About 4,200 students on seven campuses. District office: 1000 S. Houston St., (972) 932-2622. The 2026–27 school year began Thursday, August 13.
Rand Rd. · Royal Dr. · Madison St.
Helen Edwards Early Childhood Center (pre-K and kindergarten, 1605 Rand Rd.), J.R. Phillips Elementary (1st to 5th, 1501 Royal Dr.), J.W. Monday Elementary (905 S. Madison St.) and Lucille Nash Elementary.
Monday’s and Nash’s grade spans weren’t confirmed, and Nash’s address wasn’t found. Confirm the campus for every address with the district.
S. Houston St.
O.P. Norman Junior High serves the middle grades, Kaufman High School (3205 S. Houston St.) serves grades 9–12, and Gary W. Campbell High School (3507 S. Houston St.) is the district’s alternative campus.
Kaufman High is listed in UIL Conference 5A by a secondary source. Norman Junior High’s address and grade span weren’t confirmed.
5021 S. Houston St.
A two-story campus of about 190,000 square feet is under construction on South Houston Street, with completion scheduled for summer 2027; the bond described it as a replacement for the current junior high.
The district hasn’t announced its grade span, any rezoning or the future of the current building. Ask the district before relying on a future school assignment.
Proposition A
Voters approved a $170 million bond in May 2024, 1,023 to 617, after rejecting two bonds in 2022. It pays for the new middle school, a high school ag barn, Phillips Elementary renovations and a Helen Edwards addition.
The Helen Edwards addition is scheduled from June 2026 to August 2027. Districtwide security and maintenance work is also included.
Per $100 of value
Kaufman ISD adopted $1.2056 for 2026, down from $1.2552. On a $293,900 homestead, the school share is about $1,855 a year after the $140,000 state exemption.
Owners 65 and older or disabled get another $60,000 off and a school tax ceiling. The rate is below the district’s voter-approval rate, and no Kaufman ISD election was found on the November 3 ballot.
2025 TEA ratings
For edge addresses, the 2025 district ratings were Scurry-Rosser ISD B (83), Forney ISD C (79), Terrell ISD C (71), Crandall ISD D (69) and Kemp ISD D (68).
Crandall ISD earned a C in 2026 per the Texas Tribune; the other districts’ 2026 ratings weren’t confirmed.
District-wide
The bond’s new agriculture barn supports career and technical education, the district runs fine arts and theater programs, and pre-K is at Helen Edwards.
Kaufman County is in Trinity Valley Community College’s service area; Kaufman ISD’s dual-credit partnerships weren’t confirmed. Pre-K follows state eligibility rules.
Kaufman CAD
Every Texas homestead gets a $140,000 school exemption. Owners 65 and older or disabled add $60,000 and a ceiling that freezes school taxes at the year they qualify.
File the homestead application with the Kaufman Central Appraisal District. The city and county each add $15,000 for owners 65 and older, and the city also has a tax ceiling.
Most of Kaufman is Kaufman ISD, but a few city parcels and rural edges fall in other districts.
Check the appraisal record and call the district before you write an offer.
On a $293,900 homestead, the school share runs about $1,855 a year at the 2026 rate.
Owners 65 and older get a larger exemption, then a ceiling applies.
Kaufman ISD earned a B (84) in 2025.
The 2026 rating wasn’t confirmed; check TXschools.gov for the current one.
The new middle school on South Houston Street is due to finish in summer 2027.
Grade spans and zones for it haven’t been announced.
Accountability ratings are shown at the district level only; campus ratings are intentionally not shown, and campuses are listed by name and location only. Ratings change every year; use TXschools.gov for current ratings. Kaufman ISD’s 2025 B (84) is from local reporting of TEA results; its 2026 rating, released August 14, 2026, couldn’t be confirmed. Neighboring districts’ 2025 ratings are from the same reporting, and Crandall ISD’s 2026 C is from the Texas Tribune. Enrollment is the Texas Tribune’s 2026 figure; federal and state counts for 2024–25 are about 4,350. Campus addresses are from federal school data and the district; J.W. Monday’s is from a listing site, and Lucille Nash’s and Norman Junior High’s weren’t found. The new middle school is reported at 186,923 or 195,177 square feet, and its estimated cost is from news coverage. Bond results are from election canvass summaries and local reporting. Parcels in other districts are from third-party tax-zone data; no district boundary map was found. The UIL conference is from a secondary source. The school tax example uses the 2026 rate of 1.2056, shown as adopted by the district, and the $140,000 state homestead exemption; it is an illustration, not a quote. Charter, private and college options weren’t verified for this guide. Campus assignment is determined by address and must be confirmed with the district. School information is provided for general reference only and is not a recommendation regarding any school, district, neighborhood or property. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Median Sales Price
What Kaufman homes actually sold for each month. With older homes near the courthouse square, established in-town streets, rural acreage and new builder closings in Georgetown at Kings Fort and Prairie Creek all trading in the same area, the mix of what sold moves this line as much as the market does.
Kaufman’s median moves with which homes sold: in-town resales, acreage or new builder homes. For context, Zillow put the typical Kaufman home value at about $293,900 in July 2026. Read the trend, not one month.
An older home near the square, a new Georgetown at Kings Fort build in a PID and a home on acreage can all land on this one line. The chart is not your comp. Your comps match your size, age, lot, condition and school district.
Texas is a non-disclosure state, so portal prices are models. This is MLS. Ask for the actual comparable sales, plus whether the home is inside city limits and whether PID No. 1 or No. 2 applies, since a PID can add more than $1,000 a year.
Days on market describes how buyers behaved. Homes.com estimated roughly 14 months of supply in fall 2026, well above a balanced market. Homes take time to sell, and there’s room to negotiate.
The first two weeks bring the most traffic a listing will ever get. If they pass without an offer, that is pricing information. Acting in week three beats acting in week ten.
When homes sit longer, there’s usually room to negotiate on price, repairs or closing costs. A listing that has waited a while is usually where the negotiating room is, and builders often compete with rate buydowns and closing-cost help; ask what’s on the table.
Under 10 showings means buyers are deciding quickly. Rising counts mean people are walking through and walking away, which is a different problem from nobody looking at all.
This separates a pricing problem from a presentation problem. Plenty of showings and no offer usually means something specific is putting people off, and that is fixable without dropping the price.
High showings-to-pending means you can be selective without losing homes. Read it against days on market: low on both is a hot market, high on both means the leverage is yours.
Check how many homes closed before you read anything into the price or days-on-market charts. A month heavy with closings in one master plan can move the median more than the market did, up or down depending on that builder’s price points.
Your competition includes builders in Kaufman’s new communities, many offering rate buydowns, plus resales in Crandall, Forney and Terrell. Price against true comparables and have your permit and repair records ready for buyers.
Inventory runs from older homes near the square to new construction and rural acreage. Confirm city limits, any PID and the full tax bill early, because they affect your monthly cost more than the price chart does.
Charts supplied by NTREIS via 10K Research and Marketing and update automatically. Data reflects residential activity reported to the MLS and may be revised as late-reported sales come in. The Kaufman ZIP code reaches well beyond city limits into rural Kaufman County, so MLS city fields may not match the city boundary. The $293,900 figure is Zillow’s July 2026 typical home value, an index rather than a sale price, and the supply figure is a Homes.com estimate from fall 2026. These charts do not separate new construction, resale or acreage, or homes in and out of a PID. Market statistics describe the area as a whole and are not a substitute for a comparative market analysis on a specific property. Texas is a non-disclosure state, so publicly available sale prices elsewhere are estimates rather than recorded figures. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Pick a purchase year and the price fills in. If you own here, type over it with what you actually paid. This calculator runs on the Kaufman County index, the federal repeat-sales measure for the county where Kaufman is the seat. A home bought in 2015 is worth about twice its price on the index, with the biggest jump in 2021 and 2022 and only about 1 percent from 2024 to 2025.
Bought here? Tap the number and enter what you paid.
Federal house price index growth, indexed to the purchase year, where the purchase year equals 100.
From 2015 to 2025 the Kaufman County index rose about 113 percent, with a 23 percent jump in 2022 alone.
It rose only about 1 percent from 2024 to 2025, and Zillow had Kaufman’s typical value up 1.6 percent over the year to July 2026.
Zillow’s typical Kaufman home value was about $293,900 in July 2026; Kaufman ISD puts the average residence at about $283,900.
Type over the prefilled price with what you actually paid.
Owners who bought before 2021 carry large gains; many who bought from 2022 to 2025 have little beyond principal paid down.
With roughly 14 months of supply and rates at 7.28 percent, buyers have room to negotiate.
A $293,900 homestead inside city limits pays about $5,310 a year, roughly $442 a month.
In Prairie Creek Estates, the PID No. 2 estimate adds about $1,432; owners 65 and older pay about $4,410 before ceilings take hold.
Growth rates are the FHFA All-Transactions House Price Index, annual values 2009 through 2025: Kaufman County, Texas (FRED series ATNHPIUS48257A, base 2000 equals 100, last updated 31 March 2026), the State of Texas (TXSTHPI) and the United States (USSTHPI). State and national figures are annual averages of published quarters. The Kaufman County series recorded 134.17 in 2015, 270.22 in 2022 and 286.04 in 2025; the 2020 value of 191.80 is from an earlier vintage. FHFA describes county indices as developmental and subject to revision, and the annual series does not cover 2026. No city-specific index was used. The prefilled dollar figures are derived and illustrative, not published: they apply the Kaufman County index to a $294,000 anchor near Zillow’s July 2026 typical value for Kaufman ($293,900). Recent figures differ by source: the City of Kaufman reports an average appraised home value of $222,093, Kaufman ISD an average residence market value of $283,947, Homes.com a median sale of $309,990, and Redfin’s monthly city medians swing widely on small sales counts. Months of supply is an undated 2026 Homes.com snapshot. The index is built from conforming loans and excludes jumbo lending and all-cash purchases. Equity figures assume a 30-year fixed mortgage at that year’s Freddie Mac annual average rate (2025 approximately 6.6 percent), held to today, with no refinancing, no extra principal and no additional borrowing. They exclude closing costs, property taxes, insurance, maintenance, improvements and selling costs. The 7.28 percent rate is Freddie Mac’s survey for October 1, 2026. Tax examples use Kaufman ISD’s 2026 rate of 1.2056 after the $140,000 school exemption; Kaufman County’s 0.415113, reported unchanged for 2026; and the City of Kaufman’s 2025 rate of 0.7595 as a placeholder, because its 2026 rate wasn’t confirmed. The 65-and-older example applies the extra $60,000 school exemption and the $15,000 city and county exemptions; school and city tax ceilings then freeze those amounts. The PID No. 2 figure is the district administrator’s 2026 estimate for some lots and is subject to change; PID No. 1’s annual installment wasn’t found. Third-party tax-zone data suggests few city parcels pay an emergency services district; confirm every taxing unit on the parcel’s appraisal record. It is an illustration, not a quote. The homestead appraisal cap limits increases in a homestead’s taxable appraised value to 10 percent a year and ends on sale. This is an illustration for general reference, not an appraisal, a comparative market analysis, a valuation or investment advice. Past appreciation does not predict future appreciation. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Kaufman is the Kaufman County seat, a city of 6,797 residents at the 2020 census and an estimated 10,700 in 2025, with a typical value near $294,000. The trade-offs are real: a combined tax rate near $2.38 per $100 before any PID, thinner retail than the Dallas suburbs and no DART.
Estimated Off-Peak Drive Time from Kaufman City Hall
Around Town and Beyond
Estimated minutes off-peak from City Hall at 209 S. Washington St. These are planning estimates, so check a live map before relying on any of them.
The Justice Center, appraisal district and county tax office are all in town, along with a TxDOT area office.
Vehicle tags, tax payments, protests and court dates don’t require a drive to another city.
Texas Health Kaufman runs a 24-hour ER on Ed Hall Drive, with 27,577 emergency visits in 2024.
The city’s paid fire department holds an ISO Class 3 rating, which insurers often use in pricing.
The city buys water from the North Texas Municipal Water District; water, sewer and stormwater run about $135 a month at 5,000 gallons before trash.
Atmos supplies gas, and Optimum and Brightspeed list fiber citywide.
A new middle school is due in summer 2027, and TxDOT is adding turn lanes on SH 243 through October 2027.
The economic development corporation is marketing a 145-acre Commerce Park on US 175.
City, school and county rates total about $2.38 per $100, and PIDs add assessments in Georgetown at Kings Fort and Prairie Creek Estates.
There’s no DART; STAR Transit rides must be booked a day ahead.
The city’s 2026 tax rate wasn’t confirmed, and water and sewer rates have risen since 2024.
With about 14 months of supply, sellers compete on price; the Kaufman County Outer Loop is still in environmental review.
Drive times are planning estimates from Kaufman City Hall, not live traffic or measured routes; check a live map before you rely on them. Rush-hour times on US 175 and I-635 can run much longer. News sources put Kaufman about 30 to 35 miles from Dallas. Population figures are the 2020 census count and the Census Bureau’s July 2025 estimate; the typical value is Zillow’s for July 2026, and months of supply is an undated 2026 Homes.com snapshot. Hospital figures are from a nonprofit filing. The ISO class is from the City of Kaufman Fire Department. Utility rates are from the city’s fee schedule, and the monthly figure is calculated from posted rates; its effective date is unclear. Electricity is Oncor or Trinity Valley Electric Cooperative depending on the address, and internet availability is as listed by the Kaufman Economic Development Corporation. Road project details are from TxDOT’s fourth-quarter 2025 Kaufman County report and a June 2026 hearing notice. Tax rates are the City of Kaufman’s 2025 rate of $0.7595, Kaufman ISD’s 2026 rate of $1.2056 and Kaufman County’s $0.415113. Kaufman isn’t a DART member city. Flood zones vary by parcel; check FEMA maps by address. No crime, school ranking or flood zone claims are made. This information is provided for general reference and is not a representation about any specific property, commute or future development outcome. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Answered with verified specifics, from county-seat offices, appraisal protests and PIDs to water, trash, permits, transit and road projects.
Yes. Kaufman has been the seat of Kaufman County since a 93-to-90 vote in March 1851. The city sits where US 175 meets State Highway 34, about 30 to 35 miles southeast of downtown Dallas, in ZIP code 75142.
The 2020 census counted 6,797 residents, and the Census Bureau estimated about 10,700 in July 2025. City Hall is at 209 S. Washington St., 972-932-2216, with phones answered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Being the county seat means the Kaufman County Justice Center, the appraisal district, the county tax office and a TxDOT area office are all in town, so most property, vehicle and court business doesn’t require a drive to another city.
Inside city limits, three rates add up to about $2.38 per $100 of value: the City of Kaufman’s $0.7595 (its 2025 rate; the 2026 rate wasn’t confirmed), Kaufman ISD’s $1.2056 for 2026, down from $1.2552, and Kaufman County’s $0.415113.
On a $293,900 homestead, about Kaufman’s typical value, the school share is about $1,855 after the $140,000 exemption, the county about $1,220 and the city about $2,232, for roughly $5,308 a year, or $442 a month.
Homes in a public improvement district pay an assessment on top. Check every taxing unit on the parcel’s appraisal record before you compare homes.
The Kaufman Central Appraisal District is in Kaufman at 3950 S. Houston St., (972) 932-6081, open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mail goes to P.O. Box 819.
The protest deadline is May 15 or 30 days after your notice of appraised value was mailed, whichever is later; if it falls on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day. Late protests are accepted only for good cause, and only until the appraisal review board approves the records.
The district doesn’t schedule informal reviews. You can join its queue online or by texting the district’s name to 972-972-9819, and bring recent sales or repair estimates that support your value.
File the Residence Homestead Exemption Application, Form 50-114, with the Kaufman Central Appraisal District between January 1 and April 30. There’s no fee, late applications are accepted for up to two years, and you don’t reapply each year unless the district asks.
Include a copy of your driver’s license or state ID, and its address must match the property, with limited exceptions such as active military.
The exemption takes $140,000 off your school value. Owners 65 and older or disabled add $60,000 more and a school tax ceiling, plus $15,000 each from the city and county and a city tax ceiling. The district notes that homes bought after January 1, 2026, won’t see the 10 percent homestead cap until 2028.
The Kaufman County Tax Assessor-Collector handles vehicle registration, title transfers and property tax payments in the Courthouse Annex at 100 N. Washington St., downtown Kaufman.
The office is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the phone number is 469-376-4596. Mail goes to P.O. Box 339. The county also runs an annex in Forney, 469-376-4600, for residents on the north side of the county.
If you’re moving from another state, you’ll need a Texas vehicle inspection and proof of Texas insurance before you register. Bring your title or lienholder information, and call ahead to confirm what the office accepts, since requirements and payment options change.
Most court business is at the Kaufman County Justice Center, 1902 E. US 175 in Kaufman, 469-376-4100. Built from 2020 to 2022, it houses the district clerk, the district courts and the county courts at law.
County pages list its hours as 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in one place and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in another, so call before you go for anything other than a scheduled appearance.
The Modern-style 1950s courthouse still stands on the downtown square. Always report to the location printed on your summons, which can differ by court, and allow time for security screening and parking on US 175.
Most of the city is in Kaufman ISD, about 4,200 students on seven campuses from pre-K through 12th grade. The district earned a B (84) in TEA’s 2025 ratings; its 2026 rating wasn’t confirmed. The district office is at 1000 S. Houston St., (972) 932-2622.
Voters approved a $170 million bond in May 2024, which is building a new middle school at 5021 S. Houston St., due to finish in summer 2027. Its grade span and zones haven’t been announced.
A handful of city parcels and some rural edges fall in other districts, including Crandall, Scurry-Rosser, Terrell or Kemp ISD. Check the appraisal record and confirm the campus with the district for any address.
They’re public improvement districts that repay the cost of streets, utilities and drainage through an annual assessment on each lot, on top of property taxes.
PID No. 1, created in November 2018, covers Georgetown at Kings Fort and funds about $3.38 million in improvements. Its plan sets total assessments of about $26,800 to $30,100 per lot, repaid in annual installments; Bloomfield quotes a total rate of about 2.54 percent. PID No. 2 covers Prairie Creek Estates, where the administrator estimated about $1,432 for 2026 on some lots.
Texas requires a PID notice before a binding contract. Ask for the current installment and the payoff amount, and include it in your payment estimate.
Complete the city’s new residential water set-up form and agreement and bring them, with your deposit, to City Hall at 209 S. Washington St. The lobby is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The deposit is $125 for a standard residential meter, waived if you can show 12 months of acceptable payment history. Moving within the city carries a $35 transfer fee. Late payments cost $15, and reconnection is $35 during business hours or $45 after hours.
Natural gas is Atmos Energy, and electricity is Oncor or Trinity Valley Electric Cooperative, depending on the address. Homes outside city limits usually get water from a rural water supply corporation or special utility district instead.
City water is $25.55 for the first 1,000 gallons plus $11.34 for each additional 1,000, and sewer is $25.10 plus $8.30 per 1,000. A $6 monthly stormwater fee applies.
At 5,000 gallons, that works out to about $135 a month before trash, which is billed at Republic Services’ contract rate. Owners 65 and older pay reduced rates. The city buys its water from the North Texas Municipal Water District and runs its own wastewater plant.
Rates have risen: the water minimum was $22.53 in 2024. The city code dates the current rates to October 2025 billing but cites a June 2026 ordinance, so confirm with utility billing at 972-932-2216 and ask the seller for recent bills.
Kaufman is dual-certified for electricity. Depending on the address, it’s served by Oncor, where you choose a retail provider through Power to Choose, by Trinity Valley Electric Cooperative, a member-owned co-op headquartered in Kaufman, or by either.
Confirm the provider for the specific address before you shop plans, because co-op members can’t pick a retail company. Atmos Energy provides natural gas citywide.
For internet, the Kaufman Economic Development Corporation lists Optimum and Brightspeed fiber citywide, ANTS Technology fiber in parts of the city, and fixed wireless from Point Broadband and Nextlink. Speeds are the providers’ claims; check availability by address.
Republic Services collects trash for the city. The city doesn’t publish pickup days by street, so call City Hall at 972-932-2216 for your day.
Up to 3 cubic yards of bulk items go out free each week on your trash day; extra is $12.50 per cubic yard, and loads over 8 cubic yards get a quote. Unbundled brush is collected on the fourth Saturday of each month; call the city by the Monday before.
The convenience station at 701 Alton St., 972-932-2161, takes drop-offs for a $10 ticket, with tires at $2 each. A city brochure lists Wednesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; confirm hours before you haul.
Inside city limits, a new fence or fence extension needs a permit, with a $100 inspection fee; repairing or replacing an existing fence doesn’t. A residential accessory building is $144, a roof $100 and solar $550.
An above-ground pool is $100, and an in-ground pool is $510, including electrical and plumbing. Pools need a barrier at least 4 feet high with self-closing, self-latching gates.
Contractors must register with the city, at no charge, before pulling permits. Next-day inspection requests are due by 3 p.m., and card payments carry a 3 percent fee. Outside city limits, the Kaufman County Fire Marshal handles building permits, 469-376-4122.
Yes. Texas Health Kaufman is at 850 Ed Hall Dr., 972-932-7200, with a 24-hour emergency room. It opened in 1975 and serves Kaufman, Crandall, Forney, Terrell, Mabank and the surrounding area.
In 2024 the hospital recorded 27,577 emergency visits, more than 35,000 outpatient encounters and about 1,080 discharges, according to its nonprofit filing. Directories list anywhere from 42 to 91 beds, so call for current services.
For specialized care, many residents travel to Dallas-area hospitals. Ask your insurer which facilities are in network, and keep the hospital’s main number handy along with your doctor’s after-hours line.
Yes. The city code establishes a paid fire department that also works with volunteers, operating an engine and an aerial ladder from one station at 301 S. Madison St., 972-932-3538.
The department holds an ISO Public Protection Classification of Class 3 on a scale of 1 to 10. Insurers often use that class when pricing homeowners policies, so share it when you request quotes.
It covers about 9.5 square miles inside the city and backs up volunteer departments across about 110 square miles of unincorporated area. Responders hold state fire certifications and EMT or paramedic certifications. Homes outside city limits are served by other departments, so confirm the provider by address.
There’s no DART service. STAR Transit runs shared, curb-to-curb demand-response rides open to anyone in Kaufman County. Book at least one business day and up to two weeks ahead at 877-631-5278; agents answer weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
One-way fares run $2 to $12 by distance, or $1 to $6 for riders 60 and older, veterans and riders with disabilities, paid with exact cash, account credit or a prepaid card.
STAR launched STARNow same-day app service in Kaufman and Terrell in 2020; check its current hours before relying on it. The Kaufman trolley route didn’t return after 2020, so most residents drive.
TxDOT is adding continuous turn lanes on State Highway 243 from SH 34 to FM 2727, a $3.5 million project scheduled through October 2027. A $5.4 million US 175 intersection project between SH 34 and FM 153 was 80 percent complete at the end of 2025.
Farther out, the Kaufman County Outer Loop from SH 205 to FM 148, with interchanges at US 80 and I-20, held a public hearing on its draft environmental assessment in June 2026. It’s still in environmental review, not under construction.
I-20 frontage roads near Kaufman are estimated at $221.8 million, with a ready-to-let date of June 2027. Check TxDOT’s Kaufman County project list for current status.
Outside city limits, water usually comes from a rural water supply corporation or special utility district: Becker-Jiba SUD, College Mound SUD, North Kaufman WSC, Rose Hill SUD, Gastonia-Scurry SUD or Oak Grove WSC, depending on the location.
Each sets its own deposits and rates. North Kaufman WSC, for example, changed rates in May 2026 and now charges an $85 monthly minimum. Check the Public Utility Commission’s service-area map for the exact provider.
Kaufman’s extraterritorial jurisdiction is a band about 1 mile wide around city limits. The city handles subdivision platting there, while the county handles septic permits and 911 addresses through Development Services, 469-376-4130. Most rural homes use septic.
The City of Kaufman sends phone, text and email alerts through CivicReady; sign up on the city’s emergency alerts page, where you can also choose topics through Notify Me.
Kaufman County uses the Everbridge Kaufman County Alert System for targeted warnings across the county, so sign up for both if you live near the city line.
Burn bans are set by the county and posted on the county’s homepage. Check before burning brush, especially in dry, windy months, and call the Kaufman County Fire Marshal at 469-376-4122 with questions. Inside city limits, the city’s brush pickup on the fourth Saturday of each month is another option.
Quickly. The Census Bureau estimated about 10,717 residents in July 2025, up from 6,797 at the 2020 census. Kaufman County was estimated as the fastest-growing county in Texas by percentage from 2024 to 2025, reaching about 209,235.
The Kaufman Economic Development Corporation has said about 3,000 housing units are planned or under construction in the city, a pipeline figure it has cited since 2023. Its 145-acre Commerce Park on US 175 is projected to support about 1.2 million square feet of industrial space.
Prices have been flatter: Zillow’s typical value was about $293,900 in July 2026, up 1.6 percent, with roughly 14 months of supply on the market.
Answers were verified as of October 6, 2026, from the City of Kaufman and its code and fee schedule, the Kaufman Central Appraisal District, Kaufman County, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Kaufman ISD, the Texas Education Agency, the Kaufman Economic Development Corporation, STAR Transit, Texas Health Resources, TxDOT, MuniCap, Bloomfield Homes, North Kaufman WSC, the U.S. Census Bureau, WFAA, inForney, Zillow and Homes.com. Rates, fees, providers and hours change; verify anything you intend to rely on. Tax figures use Kaufman ISD’s 2026 rate of $1.2056 after the $140,000 school exemption, Kaufman County’s $0.415113 and the City of Kaufman’s 2025 rate of $0.7595 as a placeholder, because its 2026 rate wasn’t confirmed. Tax figures are illustrations, not quotes. PID figures are from the PID No. 1 service and assessment plan and the PID No. 2 administrator’s estimate. Utility rates are from the city’s fee schedule, whose effective date is unclear, and the $135 estimate is calculated from posted rates; trash rates weren’t found. Kaufman ISD’s 2026 rating wasn’t confirmed. Hospital figures are from a nonprofit filing, and bed counts vary by source. Fire department staffing figures vary by source. Convenience-station and Justice Center hours conflict between sources. Internet availability is as listed by the economic development corporation. Road project status is from TxDOT’s fourth-quarter 2025 report and a June 2026 hearing notice. The 3,000-unit figure is the economic development corporation’s estimate, reported by WFAA. Drive distances are estimates. This is general information, not legal, tax, lending, insurance, environmental or engineering advice. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Verified numbers and links for Kaufman. Three things to check on every address: whether it’s inside city limits, who supplies the water and electricity and whether it’s in a PID. Start with the green first-week cards; county offices are in blue, health care in red and anything outside town in purple.
Inside the city’s service area, Utility Billing sets up all three. The deposit is $125, waived with 12 months of good payment history; staff no longer take card payments by phone.
972-932-2216 209 S. Washington St. Do this firstOutside city service, water comes from a rural water corporation or utility district. The state’s water utility search shows which one is certificated for the address.
puc.texas.gov Check before you buy land Do this firstHomestead, over-65 and disability exemptions, plus protests. Filing is free, January 1 to April 30; protests close May 15 or 30 days after your notice.
972-932-6081 3950 S. Houston St. Do this firstVehicle registration, titles and property tax payments, weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
469-376-4596 100 N. Washington St. Do this firstKaufman is dual-certified. Where Oncor serves the address, pick a retail plan on Power to Choose; Trinity Valley Electric Cooperative areas have no retail choice.
powertochoose.org Oncor outages: 888-313-4747 Do this firstThe member-owned co-op is headquartered in Kaufman. Membership is $10, and a deposit is generally required only after recent late payments or a disconnection.
972-932-2214 1800 E. Hwy. 243 Do this firstCity alerts by phone, text and email through CivicReady, plus the county’s Everbridge system for weather and evacuation warnings.
kaufmantx.org County: kaufmancounty.net Do this firstVoter registration and vote centers. Early voting for November 3, 2026, runs October 19 to 30; the main site is the county library.
469-376-4595 3003 S. Washington St. City HallRecords requests, agendas and general questions, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
972-932-2216 209 S. Washington St. PermitsZoning, permits, inspections and code enforcement inside city limits, plus subdivision rules in the 1-mile ETJ. Contractors register free before pulling permits.
972-932-2216 209 S. Washington St. WaterLeaks, sewer backups and main breaks, answered 24 hours a day. Call the city before a plumber for a sewer stoppage so it can check its main first.
972-962-8007 1003 W. Grove St. CourtCitations and payments, weekdays 8 to 11 a.m. and noon to 5 p.m.
972-932-2216 209 S. Washington St. PoliceNon-emergency dispatch for reports inside city limits. Call 911 for emergencies.
469-376-4500 Admin: 972-932-3094 FireA paid department with an ISO Class 3 rating, one station on Madison Street.
972-932-3538 301 S. Madison St. Civic CenterEvent rentals for up to 350 guests, from $250 for two hours; nonprofits pay half.
972-932-7440 607 E. Fair St. BusinessBusiness recruitment and the 145-acre Commerce Park on US 175.
972-932-5332 kaufmanedc.com ChamberLocal business directory and community events.
972-932-3118 607 E. Fair St. PIDsGeorgetown at Kings Fort assessments of about $26,800 to $38,500 per lot, billed with property taxes. MuniCap prepares payoff letters.
469-490-2800 [email protected] CountyCourts, the county and district clerks and Commissioners Court, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
469-376-4100 1902 E. US 175 PermitsBuilding permits and burn-ban questions outside city limits; the fee is square feet times cost per square foot times 0.3 percent.
469-376-4122 [email protected] AddressesSeptic permits and 911 addresses in unincorporated and ETJ areas.
469-376-4130 LibraryBooks, programs and the county’s main early-voting site, closed Sundays.
972-932-6222 3790 S. Houston St. SchoolsEnrollment and campus questions. A new middle school is due in summer 2027; confirm the campus for every address.
972-932-2622 1000 S. Houston St. Rural waterWater outside city service: an $85 monthly minimum and a $6,000 new-meter fee.
972-962-7614 northkaufmanwsc.com Rural waterWater outside city service: a $58 minimum, or $68 for new service.
903-498-3592 15269 FM 2860 Rural waterRural water along FM 1388; emergencies 214-794-9700.
972-962-0106 7570 FM 1388 Rural waterAbout 1,600 connections between Terrell and Kaufman along FM 2578 and FM 987.
972-932-3077 1377 CR 274, Terrell GasNatural gas citywide. If you smell gas, leave first, then call.
866-322-8667 Before you digCall two business days before digging, including fence posts.
811 HospitalFull-service hospital with a 24-hour emergency room in town.
972-932-7200 850 Ed Hall Dr. Help linesPoison Control 1-800-222-1222; 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; 211 for Texas health and social services.
1-800-222-1222 TransitShared county-wide rides booked at least a business day ahead; no DART in Kaufman County.
877-631-5278 Before you buyCheck the exact parcel before you make an offer, and ask the seller for the flood disclosure.
msc.fema.gov BuyingState down payment and mortgage credit certificate programs; the Kaufman County purchase price limit is about $589,600.
tsahc.orgLinks, phone numbers and addresses verified October 2026 against the City of Kaufman (utility billing, development services, water, police, municipal court and civic center pages), the city code, Kaufman County (elections, fire marshal and building permits), the Kaufman Central Appraisal District, Kaufman ISD, MuniCap, Trinity Valley Electric Cooperative’s tariff, the rural water providers’ own sites and the Public Utility Commission, and subject to change; if something has moved, tell me and I will correct it. Kaufman-area addresses can sit inside city limits, in the 1-mile ETJ or farther out, and each gets different water, permit and tax rules, so confirm every taxing unit and provider before you buy. The police department lists 469-376-4598 as its dispatch and emergency line, so call 911 for emergencies. The Trinity Valley Electric and North Kaufman WSC phone numbers are from directory listings; the Oncor, Atmos, Texas 811, FEMA, STAR, TSAHC, hospital, library and Development Services numbers were carried from earlier verification and weren’t all re-checked this round. The PID No. 1 range covers both phases and all lot widths. Animal control is handled through police dispatch. Urgent care, post office, driver license office and internet provider contacts aren’t listed because they weren’t verified. Listings are provided for general reference and are not endorsements; I receive no compensation from any organization named. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Kaufman, the Kaufman County seat, counted 6,797 residents at the 2020 census and an estimated 10,700 in 2025. It sits at US 175 and SH 34, about 30 to 35 miles southeast of downtown Dallas. Two homes a mile apart can have different water companies, electric systems, permit offices and tax bills, and newer sections carry PID assessments. I sort out the details that matter here, and the awkward parts are named.
Inside city limits, the city issues permits and usually supplies water. Outside, the county fire marshal handles permits, and water may come from a rural provider: North Kaufman WSC charges an $85 monthly minimum and $6,000 for a new meter. I confirm the provider before you buy land.
Georgetown at Kings Fort lots carry PID No. 1 assessments of about $26,800 to $38,500, billed yearly with property taxes. After credits, the installment can’t drop below the equivalent of $0.368 per $100, about $1,100 a year on a $300,000 home. I pull the notice and payoff before you sign.
Kaufman is dual-certified: some addresses are on Oncor, where you shop plans on Power to Choose, and others must join Trinity Valley Electric Cooperative, headquartered in town, for a $10 membership. I check the provider for the exact address before closing.
A $293,900 homestead inside city limits pays about $5,308 a year at Kaufman ISD’s lower 2026 rate and the city’s 2025 rate; the city’s 2026 rate wasn’t confirmed. The 10 percent homestead cap doesn’t help in your first year. I model the real bill for every home.
At 5,000 gallons, posted city rates work out to about $71 for water, $58 for sewer and $6 for stormwater, before trash. The deposit is $125, and the water minimum is up from $22.53 in 2024. I get the seller’s recent bills.
A 2026 snapshot showed about 14 months of supply, and Freddie Mac’s 30-year rate hit 7.28 percent on October 1, the highest since 2023. Builders and sellers are competing for buyers. I compare every buydown against a price cut.
Kaufman has real trade-offs: no DART, a US 175 commute, thinner retail than the Dallas suburbs, PID assessments in newer sections, costly rural water meters and older downtown homes that need inspections and lead-paint disclosures. If any of that is a dealbreaker, you will hear it from me first.
Confirm city limits or ETJ on the appraisal record. Second, identify the water and electric providers for the exact address. Third, get the PID notice before you sign. Fourth, confirm the Kaufman ISD campus with the district. Fifth, check the parcel on the FEMA flood map and read the seller’s flood disclosure. And sixth, for any home built before 1978, get the lead-based paint disclosure.
Kaufman-specific things to raise with all four. Freddie Mac’s 30-year average was 7.28 percent on October 1, 2026, the highest since 2023, so ask how a builder-paid buydown compares with a price cut. A typical Kaufman home falls well under the $563,500 FHA limit for Kaufman County and the $832,750 conforming limit, and TSAHC programs allow prices up to about $589,600, or $720,600 in targeted areas. Make sure any PID installment is in the payment estimate, and that the tax estimate uses the city’s adopted 2026 rate. I recommend these lenders based on their expertise and service. I do not receive compensation for referrals.
Either is fine. I answer my own phone, and you will never be routed to a call center or handed to a junior agent. Send me an address and I will tell you whether it’s inside city limits or the ETJ, who supplies the water and power, whether it carries a PID, which school district serves it, what the full tax bill looks like and what’s planned nearby.
Bobby Franklin, REALTOR® · Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team · 214-228-0003 · northtexasmarketinsider.com
Information on this page is provided for general reference and is not legal, tax, insurance, environmental, engineering or lending advice. Tax figures are illustrations for a $293,900 homestead: Kaufman ISD’s 2026 rate of $1.2056 after the $140,000 school exemption, Kaufman County’s $0.415113 and the City of Kaufman’s 2025 rate of $0.7595 as a placeholder, because its 2026 rate wasn’t confirmed. They are not quotes. PID No. 1 figures are from its 2025–26 annual service plan update; the minimum-installment equivalent applies after TIRZ credits, and the $1,100 figure is an illustration. PID No. 2 details weren’t confirmed. Rural water rates are from North Kaufman WSC and Becker-Jiba SUD. Electric details are from Trinity Valley Electric Cooperative’s January 2026 tariff and the Kaufman Economic Development Corporation. City utility estimates are calculated from the city’s posted fee schedule, whose effective date is unclear; trash isn’t included. Months of supply is an undated 2026 Homes.com snapshot; builder incentives weren’t confirmed. The FHA limit is HUD’s 2026 figure for Kaufman County as listed by FHA.com; the conforming limit is FHFA’s 2026 limit; TSAHC limits are effective June 13, 2026. The mortgage rate is Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey for 1 October 2026. Federal law requires lead-based paint disclosure for homes built before 1978. School campus assignment is determined by address. All real estate services are provided through Legacy Realty Group. Equal Housing Opportunity.
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Serving DFW | Ellis County
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Waxahachie, TX 75165
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