Nacogdoches has the distinction of being the “Oldest Town in Texas." It is a small, rural community located within the pine woods of east Texas. Nacogdoches is located 150 miles northeast of Houston, 220 miles southeast of Dallas, and 80 miles southwest of Shreveport, Louisiana. The primary industries are agriculture, manufacturing, education, healthcare, telecommunications, and tourism. Downtown Nacogdoches is lined with antique shops, museums, and historical sites on quaint, old-fashioned brick streets. The many historical sites in Nacogdoches include buildings that date from the Texas Revolution and large Native American burial mounds dating from 1250. Nacogdoches serves as the county seat for Nacogdoches County. It is one of the largest towns in the region with a population of 32,006 individuals. Nacogdoches County has a population totaling 62,435.  Nacogdoches is proud to be home to Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU), founded in 1923. In addition to Nacogdoches County residents, there are approximately 11,900 SFASU students.

The largest population group in Nacogdoches County is individuals 15 - 44 years old. They make up 46.6 percent of the total population. The second largest group is adults 45-64 years old and makes up 21.5 percent of the population. Currently 49 percent of the residents are male and 51 percent are female. The racial demographics of Nacogdoches County are 67 percent white, 17 percent African American, 15 percent Hispanic/Latino, and 1 percent other. To get a potential glance of the future diversity of Nacogdoches County, a look at Nacogdoches Independent School District records indicates the racial demographics to be 28 percent white, 40 percent Hispanic/Latino, and 30 percent African American.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services’ rules, a Medically Underserved status is designated to areas or populations having a shortage of personal health services. These designations are targeted toward areas (MUAs) and populations (MUPs). MUA and MUP populations encounter barriers to primary care access. The barriers may be economic (e.g., low income or Medicaid-eligible populations) or sociologic (e.g., cultural, linguistic). The poverty population of Nacogdoches County has been designated as a Medically Underserved Population (MUP).

Additional socioeconomic factors in Nacogdoches County from the Department of State Health Services include the following:
· 623 average monthly Temporary Assistance to Needy Families recipients
· 8,116 monthly participants in the Food Stamp program
· 12,774 Medicaid clients
· 683 Medicaid covered births occurred in 2005 (70.4% of total births)
· 527 average monthly enrollment in the Children’s Health Insurance Program

Nacogdoches is serviced by Brazos Transit District, a public transportation system, within the Nacogdoches city limits. Service is available from 5 a.m. until 7 p.m. each weekday. There are five routes available and a nominal fee is charged. Special services are available for handicapped residents for an additional charge. Limited taxi service is available to those who can afford it. A Medicaid transportation bus is available to Medicaid patients. Public transportation is still limited for residents outside the city limits.

Nacogdoches County has a diversified industrial base: manufacturing, healthcare, education, retail trades, tourism and agriculture. The manufacturing industry includes such operations as feed and fertilizer, valves, business forms, electrical parts, transformers, motor homes, poultry processing, and sealing components. Agricultural operations include cattle, dairy products, poultry, grain, and timber. The two largest employers in the county are Stephen F. Austin State University (education) with 1,500 employees and Pilgrim’s Pride (poultry) with 1,200 employees. The most recent unemployment rate available for Nacogdoches County was 4.4 percent, compared to Texas as a whole with 4.8 percent.

Roughly 78.5 percent of persons over the age of 25 in Nacogdoches County are high school graduates, and 24 percent are college graduates.  Per capita personal income was $22,688 compared to statewide per capita personal income of $33,253.