Coryell County is a county in Texas, United States, on the eastern edge of the Hill Country west of Waco. It had a population of 83,093 at the 2020 census and covers 1,052 square miles (2,720 km2) of land, centred near 31°23′N 97°48′W.
Gatesville is the county seat, and its postal code is 76528. The county has three incorporated cities, two towns, and roughly three dozen unincorporated communities. It observes Central Time and is part of the Killeen–Temple metropolitan area.
Towns & Villages in Coryell County
Coryell County’s settlements range from the fast-growing city of Copperas Cove on the Fort Cavazos boundary to farm crossroads that never grew past a church and a store. Below, City and Town are incorporated; Unincorp. places have no city government of their own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gatesville | City · seat | — | 76528 |
| Copperas Cove | City | — | 76522 |
| Oglesby | City | — | 76561 |
| Evant | Town | — | 76525 |
| South Mountain | Town | — | — |
| McGregor (Coryell portion) | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ames | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Antelope Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Arnett | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ater | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bee House | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cavitt | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cold Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Comanche Village I | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Comanche Village II | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Comanche Village III | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Coryell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Flat | Unincorp. | — | 76526 |
| Fort Gates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| House Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hurst Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ireland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jackson Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jonesboro | Unincorp. | — | 76538 |
| Kay Bee Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| King | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Leon Junction | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Levita | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lime City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mason Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Middle Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Montague Village | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mound | Unincorp. | — | 76558 |
| Osage | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pancake | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pearl | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pidcoke | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Purmela | Unincorp. | — | 76566 |
| Riggs Ford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Saint Elijah Village | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Slater | Unincorp. | — | — |
| South Purmela | Unincorp. | — | — |
| The Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Topsey | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Turnersville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Whitson | Unincorp. | — | — |
McGregor is chartered mainly in McLennan County; only its southern edge crosses into Coryell, so most of the city’s population is counted there. Copperas Cove likewise straddles the Coryell–Bell–Lampasas line, though its city hall and the bulk of its population sit in Coryell.
ZIP Codes
- 76528 — Gatesville (also serves 76596, 76597, 76598, 76599, the county’s PO-box-only and single-entity codes)
- 76522 — Copperas Cove
- 76561 — Oglesby
- 76525 — Evant
- 76538 — Jonesboro
- 76566 — Purmela
- 76526 — Flat
- 76558 — Mound
Smaller crossroads such as Ames, Ireland, Pidcoke, and Turnersville share a ZIP with the nearest post office town rather than carrying one of their own.
Geography
Coryell County sits on the Edwards Plateau’s eastern edge, where the rolling Hill Country breaks down toward the Blackland Prairie. The Leon River crosses the county, feeding the Belton Lake reservoir downstream in Bell County, and much of the western county is broken by limestone hills and cedar brakes. Water covers about 4.7 square miles (12 km2) of the county’s total area.
Coryell County borders Bosque County to the north, McLennan County to the northeast, Bell County to the southeast, Lampasas County to the southwest, and Hamilton County to the northwest.
Demographics
Coryell County’s 2020 population was 83,093, giving a density of about 79 people per square mile. Copperas Cove and Gatesville are the county’s two largest communities; Copperas Cove sits just outside Fort Cavazos’s main gate and has grown fastest, while Gatesville, the seat, anchors the western half of the county. Median household income in Coryell County runs below the Texas median of $75,780, reflecting a large share of enlisted military households and state-employee wages tied to the Gatesville prison units.
Economy & Local Life
The Army’s Fort Cavazos (renamed from Fort Hood in 2023) dominates the county’s economy, with Copperas Cove serving as one of its principal off-post communities. Gatesville is a major hub for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, which operates several state prison units there, including multiple women’s facilities — corrections is one of the county’s largest civilian employers. Cattle ranching and hay production continue on the county’s western and northern land.
History
The Texas legislature created Coryell County in 1854 from Bell County, naming it for James Coryell, a Texas Ranger killed by a Native American war party near the future county in 1837. Gatesville was designated county seat the following year. The county’s population grew sharply in the 20th century after the U.S. Army established Camp Hood (now Fort Cavazos) in 1942, which absorbed several older Coryell County communities into its training range.
Getting There
Interstate 14 (concurrent with U.S. 190) crosses the county east–west, along with U.S. Routes 84 and 281 and State Highways 9, 36, and 236.
- Waco — 30 miles northeast
- Killeen — 20 miles southeast
- Temple — 35 miles east
- Hamilton — 25 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Waco Regional Airport; Killeen–Fort Cavazos Regional Airport is also close for the county’s eastern towns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Coryell County?
It is in central Texas, on the eastern edge of the Hill Country between Waco and the Fort Cavazos military reservation.
What is the population of Coryell County?
83,093 at the 2020 census.
How big is Coryell County?
1,052 square miles (2,720 km2) of land.
What is the county seat of Coryell County?
Gatesville.
How many towns are in Coryell County?
Three incorporated cities, two towns, and about three dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Coryell County?
Gatesville uses 76528 (plus several PO-box-only codes); Copperas Cove uses 76522, with smaller codes at Oglesby, Evant, Jonesboro, Purmela, Flat, and Mound.
Is Fort Hood in Coryell County?
Fort Cavazos, formerly Fort Hood, spans parts of both Coryell and Bell counties, with its main cantonment area closer to Killeen in Bell County.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.