ellis
COUNTY
MIDLOTHIAN
Population: 11,497
automobile manufacturers, including
Mazda Motor of America and Nissan.
School District: Midlothian &
Waxahachie
1/3-acre. Most lots average 1/2-acre or
larger. The smallest homes are 2,000 sq.
ft., and most new homes are much larger.
The average new home built since 1992
is more than $200,000, with many new
homes priced at more than $400,000.
Chamber of Commerce:
972-775-3481;
www.midlothian.tx.us
Median Home Price: $127,510
Located south of Joe Pool Lake and the
cities of Arlington and Grand Prairie, the
city of Midlothian played an important
part in the mid to late 1800s as the
halfway point between Dallas and
Cleburne with the Gulf, Colorado and
Santa Fe Railroad.
Midlothian ISD offers a full range of technical, vocational and academic courses,
including gifted, special education and
advanced placement courses, and
students’ SAT scores continue to rank
above the national average. The city is
also home to two 18-hole golf courses,
four parks, three tennis courts, and is just
10 miles from popular Joe Pool Lake.
OVILLA
Population: 4,344
Established in 1844, Ovilla grew rapidly
until early 1900, when two fires ravaged
its entire business area. City leaders had
resisted the highway and train growth
during the 1800s. When the fires
destroyed the business center, Ovilla
slowly grew, without trains or busy highways. Today, this historic village is a
peaceful enclave of Ellis County.
School Districts: Red Oak,
Midlothian, Cedar Hill, DeSoto
Now, this city at the northwest corner of
Ellis County covers 28 square miles of
rolling hills along the Great Texas
Escarpment. Residents have maintained
the area’s rural small-town heritage, yet
have grown both residentially and
industrially. Lifestyle choices range from
rural ranch to downtown historic homes,
with a progressive commercial center and
state-of-the-art industry that includes
leaders in manufacturing, recycling, high
technology systems, engineering and
assembly. Due to its central location and
industrial base, Midlothian is home to
more than 20 contract carriers with
full-service terminals.
Chamber of Commerce:
972-617-0906;
www.redoakareachamber.org
Median Home Price: $218,490
Families and retirees are attracted to
Ovilla because of its historic, small village
charm. The smallest home sites are
Only 25 minutes from downtown Dallas
or the Stemmons area, and 35 minutes
from DFW, the town is accessible and
offers excellent shopping. Taxes and
insurance are also among the lowest in
the metroplex. Ovilla students attend the
Red Oak ISD, which offers a special-
ized curriculum with small class sizes
and a wide range of educational
opportunities.
Known as the self-proclaimed “Steel and
Cement Capital of Texas,” the Midlothian-based Chaparral Steel Company ranks
as the most productive in the U.S. Three
other cement plants are here, too—Texas
Industries, North Texas Cement Co. and
Holnam. And, Midlothian’s status as a
foreign trade zone plays host to several
