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Point is a small incorporated city in Rains County, Texas, in the state's northeastern region roughly fifty miles east of Dallas. With a population of about 750, it is the smaller of the county's two cities, alongside the county seat of Emory. The town began around 1880 as a flag station and post office along the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railroad as that line was being built between Mineola and Greenville, and early residents proposed the name Rice's Point in honor of William Rice, a Kentucky-born settler. The railroad connection gave the fledgling community its start, tying it to the cotton and agricultural economy of the surrounding countryside and to the larger towns along the line. For much of its history, Point has served as a compact agricultural and railroad community, and it remains a quiet, largely residential place today. Its economy and daily life are tied to Rains County's rural character and, more recently, to Lake Tawakoni, the sprawling reservoir on the Sabine River that lies just to the north and west. Created in 1960, the lake draws anglers, boaters, and campers from across North Texas and gives the town a recreational identity that extends well beyond its own limits. Life in Point is unhurried and neighborly. Residents shop, attend school, and gather in Emory a short drive away, where the county's government offices, schools, and community events are centered. The Dallas-Fort Worth region lies within reach to the west for employment, medical care, and entertainment, while the lake country immediately around the town offers fishing, boating, and outdoor recreation close to home. For people who want a small-town address with easy access to one of North Texas's best-known fishing lakes, Point offers an appealing rural base with a quiet, settled character.

Population 745

County Rains County

Active Listings 99

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Frequently Asked Questions

What county is Point, Texas in?

Point is in Rains County, Texas, in the northeastern part of the state, roughly fifty miles east of Dallas. It is one of two incorporated cities in the county, along with the county seat of Emory.

What school district serves Point, Texas?

Point is served by Rains Independent School District, which is based in Emory, the county seat. The district serves most of Rains County, including the cities of Point and East Tawakoni.

How far is Point from Lake Tawakoni?

Point is just minutes from Lake Tawakoni, a roughly 37,900-acre reservoir on the Sabine River that lies to the north and west of town. Lake Tawakoni State Park is a short drive away via local highways.

How big is Point, Texas?

Point had a population of 745 at the 2020 census, making it the smaller of Rains County's two incorporated cities; the county seat, Emory, is the larger. More recent estimates place Point's population in the mid-to-high 800s.

What is Point, Texas known for?

Point is known for its railroad origins and its access to Lake Tawakoni. The town began around 1880 as a flag station and post office on the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railroad, and today its residents live minutes from one of North Texas's best-known fishing lakes.

City Guide

About Point

Real Estate & Housing

Point's housing stock reflects its railroad-town origins and rural setting. The community consists largely of modest single-family homes on town lots, with older frame houses near the historic core and newer residences scattered at the edges. Development is low-density, and the surrounding landscape of farms, pasture, and lake country reinforces the town's small-scale character. Point functions primarily as an owner-occupied community rather than a commuter subdivision, and its housing options suit buyers seeking space and quiet over density. The nearby Lake Tawakoni shoreline also supports a market for lake-area and recreational property in the broader Rains County area.

Neighborhoods

Point is a compact town without the named subdivisions common in larger cities. The community's original core developed around the Katy Railroad's flag station and post office, and the town still reads as a single, walkable grid of older streets near its center, with homes spreading outward into surrounding lots. Its identity is tied less to distinct neighborhoods than to the town as a whole and to its relationship with Lake Tawakoni and the county seat of Emory. This small-town scale means residents tend to know one another, and community life centers on the school, churches, and local events rather than separate districts.

Lifestyle in Point

Point offers the quiet rhythms of a small East Texas town. Daily needs are met locally or in Emory, the Rains County seat a short drive away, where county offices, shops, and community events are concentrated. The town's proximity to Lake Tawakoni shapes its recreational lifestyle, with fishing, boating, and lake outings a routine part of the weekend for many residents. For larger shopping, dining, and entertainment, Greenville, Sulphur Springs, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area are within a driveable distance. The pace is relaxed, and community ties run through the school district, churches, and local gatherings.

Schools & Education

Students in Point attend Rains Independent School District, which is based in the county seat of Emory and serves most of Rains County, including the cities of Point and East Tawakoni. The district operates campuses in Emory that draw students from across the county, and its schools are the center of much of the area's community life. Beyond the public system, higher-education options are available in nearby communities such as Greenville and Commerce, and the larger colleges and universities of the Dallas-Fort Worth region lie within commuting distance to the west.

Getting Around

Point sits in northeastern Rains County, and its origins are tied to the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railroad corridor that once connected Mineola and Greenville. Today the town is reached primarily by state highways and farm-to-market roads, with Emory and the county seat's services a short drive to the northeast. The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex lies roughly fifty miles to the west along connecting highways, making Point a rural base for those who commute to the region or travel there regularly. Regional air service is available through Dallas-Fort Worth International and Dallas Love Field airports.

Parks & Recreation

Lake Tawakoni is the centerpiece of recreation around Point. The 37,879-acre reservoir on the Sabine River straddles Rains, Hunt, and Van Zandt counties and is famous across North Texas for catfish fishing, along with largemouth bass, crappie, and other species. Lake Tawakoni State Park offers shoreline and boat fishing, camping, picnic areas, and a four-lane boat ramp, while additional public ramps and access points ring the lake. Beyond the water, the surrounding countryside supports hunting, birding, and rural outdoor pursuits, and the larger park and recreation options of the Dallas area are within an easy drive.

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