Land for Sale in Polk County, TX
Polk County, Texas has 50,123 residents (2020 census) over 1,110 square miles of piney woods east of Houston, with Livingston as the county seat and Lake Livingston on its western edge. Buyers come for wooded acreage, lake lots and cheaper land than around Houston. Texas counties generally have no zoning, so what you can do with a lot depends on deed restrictions and the lake's ownership rules, and that is what this guide covers.
Polk County at a glance
- County seat: Livingston. Cities: Goodrich, Onalaska and Seven Oaks; Livingston and Corrigan are towns.
- 2020 population 50,123; 1,110 square miles, including 53 square miles of water.
- Lake Livingston is owned and operated by the Trinity River Authority of Texas; the lake has more than 450 miles of shoreline.
- Part of the Big Thicket National Preserve is in the county, and the Alabama-Coushatta Reservation is here.
- US 59 and US 190 cross the county; Interstate 69 is being built along US 59.
The Polk County land market
Polk County mixes timberland, small rural subdivisions and lake lots. Around Onalaska and Livingston, buyers look for lake-area lots and one- to five-acre homesites, while Corrigan and the northern part of the county are more rural, with timber and larger tracts. The planned conversion of US 59 to Interstate 69 is a long-term factor along that corridor. Prices go up with proximity to the lake, a paved road and utilities, and down with distance to Livingston and to Houston.
Lake Livingston: who owns what
Lake Livingston was built and is owned by the Trinity River Authority (TRA) under contract with the City of Houston for water supply. That matters to buyers because the owner of a "lake lot" may not control the shoreline, docks or water access in the way the listing suggests. The Texas Water Development Board lists the normal pool elevation at 131 feet above mean sea level. Ask the seller for a survey that shows the lot's position against that elevation, ask TRA what rules and permits apply to docks and shoreline work, and ask the title company whether any flowage or shoreline easement burdens the lot. I could not find a single public source describing the TRA's lease and easement terms, so get those answers from the TRA and the title company directly.
No county zoning, but deed restrictions
Texas counties generally cannot zone, so land outside a city is governed by deed restrictions, subdivision covenants and state rules. Many Polk County subdivisions have restrictions on mobile homes, minimum house size, setbacks and animals, so read the recorded restrictions for the specific lot, not the listing. Land with an agricultural or timber appraisal can carry rollback taxes for the previous three years if the use changes, so ask the appraisal district what the parcel is under.
Before you buy land in Polk County
- The recorded deed restrictions and whether the lot is in a subdivision with a property owners association.
- Legal access on a recorded road, and whether the county or the subdivision maintains it.
- For lake lots: the survey against normal pool elevation and any TRA easements or permits.
- Water, septic approval and power; well depth and water quality in the area.
- Flood zone on the FEMA map and the ag or timber appraisal status.
How to verify legal access to landLand due diligence checklist
Frequently asked questions
Does Polk County, Texas have zoning?
Texas counties generally have no zoning authority, so land outside a city is governed by deed restrictions and subdivision covenants. Read the recorded restrictions for the lot.
Who owns Lake Livingston?
The Trinity River Authority of Texas built and operates the lake under contract with the City of Houston. Ask the TRA about shoreline rules before you buy a lake lot.
What is the county seat of Polk County, Texas?
Livingston.