Published October 30, 2026

Henderson County, TX Real Estate Guide: Athens, Cedar Creek Lake & Land

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Written by Lacy Rider

Henderson County, TX Real Estate Guide

Henderson County sits in East Texas between Corsicana and Tyler, with Athens as its county seat and Cedar Creek Lake along its western side. It has lake towns, small East Texas communities and plenty of rural acreage. This guide brings together everything K4G Realty has written about buying and selling in Henderson County.

Towns and Areas in Henderson County

  • Athens: the county seat, home to Trinity Valley Community College, Lake Athens and the Old Fiddlers Reunion on the courthouse square.
  • Cedar Creek Lake towns: Gun Barrel City, Mabank and Seven Points, where lake homes, waterfront lots and weekend places make up much of the market.
  • Malakoff: a small town on SH 31 just south of Cedar Creek Lake, known for its Cornbread Festival.
  • Eustace: on US 175 northwest of Athens, near Purtis Creek State Park.
  • Chandler and Brownsboro: in the northeast corner of the county on SH 31, close to Tyler and Lake Palestine.

Lake Property in Henderson County

Cedar Creek Lake is a Tarrant Regional Water District reservoir with more than 220 miles of shoreline, and it draws a lot of buyers from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. If you are looking at waterfront property, read our Cedar Creek Lake guide for the towns around the lake and what to look into before you buy, including shoreline permits.

Land and Acreage

Outside the towns, much of Henderson County is rural land. If you are buying acreage, look into road access, the survey, water and septic, flood zones and whether the property has an agricultural or wildlife tax valuation. Groundwater wells fall under the Neches & Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District. Our Land & Acreage Guide covers this in more detail.

Property Taxes

The Henderson County Appraisal District sets property values and handles exemptions and protests. Read our Henderson County property tax guide for homestead exemptions, deadlines and how to protest your value.

Buying and Selling Guides

Search Henderson County Homes

Search every Henderson County listing, or find out what your home is worth.

About the Author

Lacy Rider is the Broker/Owner of K4G Realty in Corsicana. She helps buyers and sellers with homes, lake property, land and ranches across Navarro, Ellis, Freestone and Henderson Counties. Call (775) 934-1655.

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Lacy Rider

Broker/Owner | K4G Realty

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