Living in Rio Vista, Texas
Rio Vista
An 1885 rail town on Highway 174, above the Nolan River and Mustang Creek.
What it's like
The short version
Rio Vista sits on State Highway 174 about 7 miles south of Cleburne, on a site overlooking the Nolan River and Mustang Creek. The town was founded along the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad in 1885, and Pavilion Square and its older downtown buildings remain at its center.
What's for sale
Redfin showed 20 land listings in town at a median asking price near $285,000.
What it does well
Strong here
- Quiet, small-town pace●●●
About 1,040 people live here. - Established neighborhoods●●○
The town was founded along the railroad in 1885, and a 1914 fire took 24 buildings.
The honest part
What to know first
- The 2025 combined rate runs about 2.61 per $100, with the city rate alone at 1.006118.
- Book-ahead county rides must start and end in Johnson County, apart from Huguley Hospital and Burleson city limits.
Not its strength: transit options, vibrant, big-city energy, a real downtown, restaurants, nightlife, parks and trails, lake days, new construction.
Not rated yet: walkable, shopping, golf, land and acreage, horses welcome, luxury homes. That means I haven't confirmed it either way, not that it isn't here.
Get outside
- Pavilion Square
A town square with a gazebo and the Rio Vista historical marker.
Eat and drink
- Roughnecks
A bar and grill at 103 W. Depot Street, known for burgers, steaks and home-style cooking.
Taxes
2025 combined rate per $100 with Rio Vista ISD: city 1.006118, Rio Vista ISD 1.180990, Johnson County 0.339276, Johnson County Lateral Road 0.050000, Hill College 0.032387. Homestead not applied.
The appraisal district's 2026 table shows city 1.006118, Rio Vista ISD 1.170290, Johnson County 0.367000, lateral road 0.050000 and Hill College 0.033796, about 2.627204 per $100. Johnson County ESD1 adds 0.056483 for 2025 where it applies.
School facts
- Rio Vista ISD: TEA rating C, 2026
Do your own homework
Take it with you
Want this on paper?
Get the printable Rio Vista report sent to your email.
Sources
- 2026 NCTCOG Population Estimates
- Johnson County Central Appraisal District: County Tax Rates
- Texas Tribune Schools Explorer: Rio Vista ISD
- City Directory: City of Rio Vista
- Roadside Thoughts: Rio Vista, Johnson County
- Johnson County Museum: Rio Vista
- Texas Escapes: Rio Vista, Texas
- MapQuest: Roughnecks
- Redfin: Rio Vista, TX Land
- City of Cleburne: City/County Transportation (Cletran)