Back

Centerville is a small city in Leon County, Texas, and the county seat, located on Interstate 45 roughly halfway between Dallas and Houston. With a population of 905 at the 2020 census, it is a compact government and service center for a rural, heavily wooded corner of East Central Texas. The town sits between two branches of Keechi Creek, at the junction of Interstate 45, Texas Highways 7 and 75, and Farm Road 1119, a position that has made it a familiar stopping point for travelers on the Dallas-to-Houston corridor. The town takes its name from its location near the geographic center of Leon County, and it became the county seat on January 24, 1850. Its anchor is the 1887 county courthouse, recently restored, which stands at the heart of a small downtown and marks Centerville's long role as the county's administrative center. Leon County's identity is closely tied to the outdoors; the county is known for its deer population, and Centerville promotes itself as the heart of the "Deerest Place in Texas." Today Centerville functions as a quiet rural community and a practical crossroads. The Centerville Independent School District, a two-campus district serving roughly 668 students, is central to local life, and the town's businesses cater both to residents and to interstate travelers. Just to the southwest, Lake Limestone—a reservoir of more than 12,000 acres on the Navasota River—offers fishing, boating, and shoreline recreation. The combination of a halfway-between location, abundant hunting and fishing country, and a slower pace makes Centerville appealing to those who want rural living with easy interstate access in both directions.

Population 905

County Leon

Active Listings 131

Browse by Listing Type

attach_moneyFor Sale editFor Rent

Browse by Property Type

homeHouses apartmentCondos & Apartments holiday_villageTownhouses & Duplexes crop_landscapeLots & Land parkFarms & Ranches

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is Centerville in?

Centerville is in Leon County, Texas, and serves as the county seat. The town is located near the geographic center of the county, between two branches of Keechi Creek, and it became the county seat in 1850.

Where is Centerville located?

Centerville sits on Interstate 45 roughly halfway between Dallas and Houston, at the junction with Texas Highways 7 and 75. Its location makes it a convenient stopping point on the corridor between the two metro areas.

What is Centerville's population?

Centerville had a population of 905 at the 2020 U.S. census, making it a small town by any measure. It is a county-seat community that also draws travelers from the Interstate 45 corridor passing between Dallas and Houston.

What school district serves Centerville?

Centerville is served by the Centerville Independent School District, a small district with two campuses serving roughly 668 students from the early grades through high school. Its athletic teams are known as the Tigers, and the schools draw from the town and surrounding Leon County.

What recreation is near Centerville?

Centerville is close to Lake Limestone, a reservoir on the Navasota River that offers fishing, boating, and shoreline access across more than 12,000 acres. The surrounding Leon County countryside is also known for deer hunting.

City Guide

About Centerville

Real Estate & Housing

Housing in Centerville reflects its small-town, rural character. The stock is a mix of modest single-family homes near the courthouse square, older established residences, and larger acreage properties and rural homesites across the surrounding countryside. Development has remained low in scale, consistent with a town of under a thousand residents, and buyers are often drawn by the combination of a central I-45 location and room to spread out. Country acreage, wooded tracts, and hunting land are significant parts of the local property landscape.

Neighborhoods

Lifestyle in Centerville

Life in Centerville combines the rhythm of a small county-seat town with the convenience of its position on Interstate 45. The community centers on the Leon County courthouse square, local schools, and churches, while through-travelers and residents alike use the town as a waypoint between Dallas and Houston. Deer hunting is woven into the local culture, reflected in the county's "Deerest Place in Texas" nickname, and the surrounding rural landscape offers quiet, open space. For day-to-day shopping and services beyond the basics, residents reach nearby larger towns or the metro areas at either end of the interstate.

Schools & Education

Centerville is served by the Centerville Independent School District, a small district with two campuses and roughly 668 students. The district's schools, whose teams compete as the Tigers, provide education from the early grades through high school and serve the town along with the surrounding rural areas of Leon County. As with many small Texas county seats, the school district is a focal point of community life, hosting the athletics and events that bring residents together throughout the year.

Getting Around

Centerville's defining transportation feature is Interstate 45, which places the town roughly halfway between Dallas and Houston and makes it a convenient stop along one of Texas's major corridors. Texas Highways 7 and 75 and Farm Road 1119 also intersect in town, providing local and regional connections across Leon County. The interstate location gives residents direct highway access to the employment, airports, and amenities of the two large metros at either end, while the town itself remains small and unhurried.

Parks & Recreation

Centerville's recreation is defined by the outdoors. Lake Limestone, a reservoir of more than 12,000 acres on the Navasota River spanning Leon, Robertson, and Limestone counties, lies nearby and offers fishing, boating, and shoreline access. The surrounding Leon County woodlands are known for deer hunting, giving the county its reputation as the "Deerest Place in Texas." In town, the restored 1887 courthouse and the small downtown square offer a glimpse of the area's history, while the town's position on Interstate 45 makes weekend trips to Dallas or Houston straightforward.

MARKET SNAPSHOT

The Market at a Glance

How homes have been selling here over the last 90 days.

home_work New This Week 1

Went Under Contract 0

trending_down Price Reductions 0

payments Median Sale Price $255,000 +70.1%

square_foot Price per Sq Ft $223

schedule Avg Days on Market 73

sell Homes Sold 1

percent Sale-to-List Ratio 96.0%

inventory_2 Months of Inventory 35.5

Price & Sales History

Market data reflects closed sales over the last 90 days and is provided for informational purposes.

For sale

Houses in Centerville, TX

Handpicked properties hitting the scene in your area.