Historic · In town
Older homes near downtown Bonham
Homes on the streets around downtown and the Fannin County courthouse. Close to local businesses and county offices, with mature trees and older construction to inspect carefully.
Bonham ISD
Community guide · Fannin County
Living in Bonham, TX
The Fannin County seat — Sam Rayburn’s hometown, a CCC-built state park and the newest major lake in Texas just northeast of town.
By Shayla Eadler, REALTOR® · TREC #0747934 · Based in Van Alstyne · Updated
- Population
- 11,2632025 Census estimate · 2020: 10,408
- County
- FanninCounty seat
- School district
- Bonham ISD2026 TEA rating: C
- Downtown Dallas
- ~71 miabout 81 min, no traffic
- Property tax
- ≈ 1.36% + citytax year 2025, county + school only
- Bois d’Arc Lake
- Open to boatingwater deliveries since Mar 2023
Bonham, Texas
Is Bonham, TX a good place to live?
Yes — living in Bonham, TX suits buyers who want land, open country and a county-seat town, with McKinney about 47 minutes away on SH-121. You give up a short commute to Dallas, but you get more room for your money and a brand-new lake on the edge of town.
Bonham is one of the oldest towns in North Texas. Bailey Inglish built Fort Inglish here around 1837, and the town was later named for Alamo defender James Butler Bonham and incorporated in 1848. It is best known as the hometown of Sam Rayburn, who served 48 years in Congress and 17 as Speaker of the House; his 1916 home is now a state historic site. The Census Bureau estimates 11,263 residents in 2025, up from 10,408 in the 2020 Census.
What’s changed recently is the lake. Bois d’Arc Lake, owned and run by the North Texas Municipal Water District just northeast of Bonham, is the first major reservoir built in Texas in more than 30 years, and it began delivering water in March 2023. Between the lake, Bonham State Park and the farm and ranch land across Fannin County, most of my Bonham clients are looking at acreage or a home with room around it.
Jobs, growth and what’s coming
Fannin County grew from about 35,800 people in 2020 to an estimated 39,265 in 2025, and Bonham grew about 8% over the same stretch. Bois d’Arc Lake can supply up to 82 million gallons of water a day to more than 2.3 million people across the water district’s service area, which is why it matters to the whole region, not just Bonham.
Infrastructure is catching up. Bonham ISD opened a new L.H. Rather Junior High building through its 2023-24 bond, with construction running from 2024 into late 2025. TxDOT’s SH-121 overpass at US-69 opened to traffic on June 23, 2025, and TxDOT has environmental clearance to widen SH-121 to four lanes from the Collin County Outer Loop to the Fannin County line.
The honest version
Pros and cons of living in Bonham
Every town has trade-offs. Here’s what I tell my own clients before they buy.
Pros
- Lower county + school rateFannin County and Bonham ISD totaled about $1.36 per $100 in 2025, lower than the county-plus-school stack in Sherman, Denison or Whitesboro.
- A brand-new lakeBois d’Arc Lake opened for water supply in 2023 and has open boat ramps for boating and fishing.
- Land and room to roamAcreage, pasture and farm and ranch land surround the town in every direction.
- History you can visitThe Sam Rayburn House and a CCC-built state park are both minutes from downtown.
- Direct route to McKinneySH-121 runs straight to McKinney in about 47 minutes, with no need to touch US-75 until you get there.
Cons
- Long drive to DallasDowntown Dallas is about 81 minutes and DFW Airport about 90 with no traffic.
- County rate went upFannin County’s 2026 rate is 0.384549, which the county describes as an effective 9.7% increase.
- School ratingsBonham ISD earned a C for 2026, with a D in Closing the Gaps.
- Two-lane stretchesMuch of SH-121 in Fannin County is still a two-lane “Super 2,” and the timing of the full widening isn’t settled.
- Shoreline rulesBois d’Arc Lake is a water-supply lake, so dock and shoreline rights are more limited than many buyers expect.
For sale now
Bonham, TX homes for sale & home prices
Bonham has older homes near downtown, established in-town neighborhoods and a lot of country property — acreage, pasture and farm and ranch land across Fannin County. Land and location drive value here as much as the house itself.
Acreage near BonhamFarm & ranch near BonhamLand for sale near Bonham10+ acres around BonhamBonham homes under $300K
Featured listings in and around Bonham
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The kinds of homes you’ll find in Bonham
Older homes near downtown
Homes on the streets around downtown Bonham and the county courthouse, many built decades ago. Character and established trees, with older systems to inspect carefully.
In-town resale homes
Brick and frame homes on established streets across Bonham, inside city limits and close to Bonham ISD campuses, the VA center and the state highways.
Country homes on acreage
Homes on a few acres outside town, often with a shop, barn or pond. Water source, septic and road access are the first things I check.
Farm, ranch and raw land
Larger pasture and hay tracts across Fannin County, plus land near Bois d’Arc Lake. Agricultural valuation, fencing, easements and floodplain all affect what you’ll really pay.
Be the first to know
Get new Bonham listings before everyone else
I’ll send new listings, price drops and my Coming Soon homes in Bonham — with my honest notes on each one.
Lake & land
Bois d’Arc Lake and land for sale near Bonham, TX
Bois d’Arc Lake sits northeast of Bonham and is owned and operated by the North Texas Municipal Water District. Its main job is drinking water, but it’s open for boating, fishing (including trophy bass), picnicking and hunting in designated waterfowl areas. As of October 2026 the FM 897 and South 1396 boat ramps are open, and the North 1396 ramp is closed for launching.
Because it’s a water-supply lake, shoreline use is regulated. The district has a Shoreline Management Plan, and docks and other shoreline uses need its authorization. If you’re looking at Bois d’Arc Lake homes or land near the water, don’t assume you can build a dock — I check the rules for that specific stretch of shoreline first.
What I check near Bois d’Arc Lake
- Whether a dock or shoreline use is allowed under the district’s Shoreline Management Plan
- Distance and road access to the nearest open boat ramp
- Floodplain and how the land drains
- Water source and septic for rural lots
- Agricultural valuation and possible rollback taxes
- Easements, road frontage and any deed restrictions
Cost of living
Cost of living in Bonham, TX
Property tax is where Bonham stands out. For tax year 2025, Fannin County and Bonham ISD together charged about $1.36 per $100 of value. In the Grayson County towns I cover, the county, college and school district alone add up to $1.58 to $1.69 — before any city tax. Inside Bonham city limits, the City of Bonham’s rate adds on top; I’ll pull the exact figure for any address.
Two things to know for 2026: Fannin County adopted $0.384549 per $100 for tax year 2026 on September 15, 2026, which the county says is an effective 9.7% increase. And outside city limits there’s no city tax at all, which is one reason acreage buyers like Fannin County.
| Area | County (+ college) | School district | County + school |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonham | 0.350311 (Fannin) | 1.0088 (Bonham ISD) | ≈ 1.359 |
| Whitesboro | 0.45108 (Grayson + college) | 1.1312 (Whitesboro ISD) | ≈ 1.582 |
| Denison | 0.45108 (Grayson + college) | 1.155 (Denison ISD) | ≈ 1.606 |
| Sherman | 0.45108 (Grayson + college) | 1.2342 (Sherman ISD) | ≈ 1.685 |
Tax year 2025 adopted rates per $100 of value, without city taxes. Sources: Fannin County, Bonham ISD and the Grayson Central Appraisal District.
Where to live
Best neighborhoods in Bonham
I won’t invent subdivision names — here are the real choices Bonham buyers weigh, from downtown streets to open pasture.
Established · Resale
Established in-town neighborhoods
Settled residential streets across Bonham, inside city limits and near the Bonham ISD campuses, the new L.H. Rather Junior High and the Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Center.
Bonham ISD
Lake area · Rural
Land near Bois d’Arc Lake
Rural property northeast of Bonham near the newest major lake in Texas. Shoreline use is regulated by the water district, so check dock rules before you buy.
Confirm by address
Acreage · Commuter
Acreage along SH-121
Country homes and land along SH-121, the direct route southwest toward Collin County and McKinney. A popular setting for buyers who need regular trips to McKinney.
Confirm by address
Acreage · Outside city limits
Country homes along US-82
Rural homes and small acreage along US-82, the highway west toward Bells and Sherman. Handy for anyone working on the Grayson County side.
Confirm by address
Farm & ranch · Rural
Farm and ranch across Fannin County
Larger pasture and hay tracts in the countryside around Bonham, often with agricultural valuation in place. Fencing, water for livestock and easements need careful review.
Bonham ISD or neighboring districts
Subdivision names are a starting point. Lot sizes, HOA rules and school zoning vary street by street — I’ll confirm all of it for any home you’re considering.
Cost of living
Bonham property taxes & cost of living
For tax year 2025, Fannin County (0.350311) and Bonham ISD (1.0088) added up to about $1.36 per $100 of taxable value. Inside Bonham city limits, the City of Bonham’s rate adds on top of that; outside city limits you pay only the county, school and any special-district rates. Fannin County adopted 0.384549 for tax year 2026, and I’ll update this table when Bonham ISD’s 2026 rate is posted.
- Texas school homestead exemption is $140,000, plus another $60,000 for owners 65+ or disabled ($200,000 total), since the November 2025 election.
- Over-65 and disabled homeowners get a school tax ceiling (freeze) once the exemption is in place.
- Bonham ISD’s 2025 rate is 0.6669 for operations and 0.3419 for debt, adopted September 15, 2025.
- Agricultural valuation can cut taxes sharply on qualifying land; a change in use can trigger rollback taxes.
Schools
Bonham schools
Bonham ISD had 1,943 students in 2026 across five campuses, from Bailey Inglish Early Childhood Center to Bonham High School (about 559 students). The district received a C from the Texas Education Agency for 2026, the same as 2025; its 2026 Closing the Gaps score was a D. I look at campus-level results with clients who want the detail.
The district’s 2023-24 bond built a new L.H. Rather Junior High, with monthly construction updates posted from September 2024 through November 2025. Rural homes around Bonham can fall in neighboring districts, so confirm the district for any property outside town.
Getting around
Commute from Bonham: drive times & highways
Bonham is served by US-82 (west to Sherman), SH-121 (southwest to McKinney), SH-56 and SH-78. Between the Collin–Fannin county line and SH-56, SH-121 is a “Super 2” with alternating passing lanes.
Downtown McKinney
45 min≈ 39 mi
via SH-121 SW
Downtown Dallas
80 min≈ 71 mi
via SH-121 & US-75 S
Legacy West (Plano)
65 min≈ 54 mi
via SH-121 SW
DFW Airport
90 min≈ 75 mi
via SH-121 SW
Downtown Sherman
35 min≈ 30 mi
via US-82 W
Downtown Denison
35 min≈ 28 mi
via US-82 W
Van Alstyne
45 min≈ 34 mi
west, then US-75 S
Lake Texoma (Eisenhower SP)
45 min≈ 35 mi
via US-82 W
Typical drive times without heavy traffic. Rush hour on US-75 and the Tollway can add 15–30 minutes.
Road projects to know about
- The SH-121 overpass at US-69 opened to all traffic on June 23, 2025 (TxDOT Paris District).
- TxDOT issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (2018) for widening SH-121 to a four-lane divided highway from the Collin County Outer Loop to the Fannin County line; ask me for the latest construction schedule.
Local favorites
Things to do in Bonham
Bonham pairs Texas history with lake and state-park time, all within a few minutes of downtown.
Bonham State Park
A park built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression, with a 65-acre lake, a fishing pier, boat ramp, 20 campsites and a group barracks.
Bonham State Park trails
8.75 miles of hiking and biking trails, from the easy 1.3-mile Lake Loop to the more challenging 2.7-mile Bois d’Arc Trail.
Paddling at Bonham State Park
Paddle boats, kayaks and canoes rent daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting, on a quiet lake with a 5-mph limit.
Sam Rayburn House State Historic Site
Rayburn’s 1916 home on SH-56, a National Historic Landmark kept with his original furnishings. Tours run hourly Wednesday through Sunday.
Bois d’Arc Lake
Texas’s newest major reservoir, northeast of town. Launch at the FM 897 or South 1396 ramps for boating and fishing, including trophy bass.
Waterfowl hunting at Bois d’Arc Lake
The water district sets aside designated waterfowl hunting areas on the lake, alongside picnic spots for a day on the water.
Downtown Bonham
The Fannin County seat, with county offices on East Sam Rayburn Drive at the center of a town that dates to Fort Inglish around 1837.
Eisenhower Birthplace day trip
A Sam Rayburn House ticket includes free entry to the Eisenhower Birthplace in Denison for a week — about 33 minutes west.
Before you move
Moving to Bonham, TX: what to know
Here’s what I help clients line up when they move to Bonham or the countryside around it.
- Water & sewer
- Water and sewer depend on where the home is. Inside city limits, set up service with the city; rural properties are often on a water supply corporation or a private well with septic. I confirm the source before you make an offer.
- Electric
- The electric provider depends on the address, especially for rural property. I check the provider and any line-extension costs for land you plan to build on.
- Trash & recycling
- Service varies by address. In town, ask about trash when you set up utilities; rural homes usually arrange a private hauler.
- City limits vs ETJ
- The City of Bonham’s property tax applies only inside city limits. Homes and land outside town pay just the county, school and any special-district rates.
- Getting your homestead exemption
- Once you own and live in the home, file for your homestead exemption with the Fannin Central Appraisal District. It’s free and lowers the school and county portion of your bill.
- Local tip
- Buying near Bois d’Arc Lake? Docks and other shoreline uses need approval under the water district’s Shoreline Management Plan, so check before you count on a private dock.
FAQ
Bonham FAQ
Quick answers to the questions I hear most from people moving to Bonham.
Is Bonham, TX a good place to live?
Bonham is a good fit if you want land, a small county-seat town and lake access, and you can handle a longer drive into Collin County. McKinney is about 47 minutes away on SH-121 and Dallas about 81. The trade-offs are distance, C-rated schools and fewer in-town amenities than Sherman or McKinney.
What is the property tax rate in Bonham, TX?
For tax year 2025, Fannin County (0.350311) and Bonham ISD (1.0088) totaled about $1.36 per $100 of value. Inside city limits, the City of Bonham’s rate is added on top. Fannin County adopted 0.384549 for 2026. I’ll pull the full stack, including any city or special-district rate, for any address.
What school district is Bonham in?
Bonham is served by Bonham ISD, which had 1,943 students in 2026 across five campuses, including a new L.H. Rather Junior High. The district’s 2026 TEA rating is a C. Rural homes around town can be in neighboring districts, so I confirm the district for every property.
How far is Bonham from Dallas?
Bonham is about 71 miles from downtown Dallas — roughly 81 minutes with no traffic via SH-121 and US-75. Downtown McKinney is about 47 minutes, Sherman about 35 minutes and DFW Airport about 90 minutes. Many Bonham commuters work in McKinney or Sherman rather than Dallas, and rush hour can add time.
Can you build a house on Bois d’Arc Lake?
You can buy land near Bois d’Arc Lake, but the lake is owned and run by the North Texas Municipal Water District for drinking water, and docks and other shoreline uses need its authorization under a Shoreline Management Plan. I check the rules for any specific property before you make an offer.
Is Bonham, TX growing?
Steadily. The Census Bureau estimates Bonham at 11,263 people in 2025, up from 10,408 in the 2020 Census, and Fannin County grew to about 39,265. A new lake, a new junior high and SH-121 improvements are all signs of growth.
What is Bonham, TX known for?
Bonham is known as the hometown of Sam Rayburn, Speaker of the U.S. House for 17 years, whose home is a state historic site. It’s also the Fannin County seat, home to a Civilian Conservation Corps-built state park and the gateway to Bois d’Arc Lake.
Are there homes with acreage near Bonham?
Yes — acreage, pasture and farm and ranch land are a big part of the Bonham market. For any tract I check water, septic, floodplain, easements, road frontage and whether agricultural valuation is in place, so you know the real cost before you buy.
Compare nearby towns
Towns near Bonham
Grayson CountyShermanAbout 35 minutes west on US-82: TI jobs and more shopping.Read the Sherman guide 
Grayson CountyDenisonAbout 33 minutes northwest: Lake Texoma and a historic Main Street.Read the Denison guide 
Grayson CountyBells & Tom BeanSmall Grayson County town on US-82 between Bonham and Sherman.Read the Bells & Tom Bean guide 
Collin CountyMcKinneyAbout 47 minutes southwest on SH-121 for Collin County jobs and shopping.Read the McKinney guide Sources & data notes
Facts on this page were checked against public sources in October 2026. Tax rates, school ratings and road plans change — confirm anything important for your decision.
- U.S. Census Bureau, city and county population estimates (Vintage 2025)
- Fannin County, tax year 2026 rate ordinance
- Fannin County, Tax Code 26.18 disclosure (2025 and 2026 rates)
- Bonham ISD, 2025 tax rate resolution
- Bonham ISD, L.H. Rather Junior High bond page
- Texas Tribune Schools Explorer (TEA data), Bonham ISD
- Bois d’Arc Lake (North Texas Municipal Water District)
- Texas Parks & Wildlife, Bonham State Park
- Texas Historical Commission, Sam Rayburn House
- VA North Texas, Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Center
- TxDOT, SH 121 Collin and Fannin counties FONSI notice
- Wikipedia, Bonham, Texas
Ready when you are
Thinking about Bonham?
I’ll show you around — the neighborhoods, the schools and the places locals love — and put together homes in Bonham that fit your budget.