De Leon offers quiet country living in the Old West
De Leon is a Western community in the lowland prairies of Central Texas, about 25 miles southwest of Stephenville. While Comanche County has legends of lively saloons and outlaws, De Leon has a rural lifestyle with ranch-style homes, acreage and highly rated schools within two hours of Dallas. "People move to De Leon for a quiet country life," says Mika McInroe, long-term resident and real estate agent at Ebby Halliday Realtors. "It's a growing little town. I have lived here for 10 years, and I love that the community works together to support our youth groups and sports teams."
Ranch-style homes on acres of farmland
Gravel roads lead into the prairie-land backwoods of De Leon, with farm-style properties and parcels of land. This community features traditional architecture and ranch-style homes, ranging from $40,000 to $450,000. Houses with less than an acre of land cost between $40,000 and $310,000, while properties with an acre or more go for $260,000 to $450,000. Manufactured homes cost around $100,000 to $160,000. "It's good for families who want to move farther outside the city, while staying close to the amenities," McInroe says.
This area is moderately at risk for wildfires, typically caused by human-initiated events in the early spring and late summer. One example is the Eastland Complex Fire in 2022. However, with ordinances like burn bans, Comanche County works to prevent disasters and mitigate risks. High-speed wind events are also likely, although tornadoes and hurricanes are infrequent compared to other parts of the state.
Highly rated schools with A-minus grades
The De Leon Independent School District serves three schools, earning A-minus grades from Niche. "De Leon is highly rated academically because students have a smaller class setting," McInroe says. De Leon Elementary School has an experienced teaching staff and a low student-teacher ratio. Perkins Middle School features extracurricular activities like cheerleading and volleyball. De Leon High School offers dual-enrollment and work-related courses like vocational agriculture through the school's barn facility.
Local restaurants and boutiques line Texas Street
The heart of Downtown De Leon is Texas Street, which offers Western boutiques and a mix of locally owned restaurants. Texas Street 301 is a barn-style eatery serving cheeseburgers and fried favorites on an outdoor patio. Prado’s Cafe serves Tex-Mex dishes and breakfast burritos with homemade tortillas. Residents can pick up groceries at DG Market or Spring Market, another local chain.
Peach & Melon Festival plus an annual rodeo
In early August, the De Leon Peach & Melon Festival features a downtown festival, a carnival and a locally famous tractor pull. The De Leon Rodeo is on the last weekend of May, with wrangling competitions and bucking bronco rides. High school football is a popular pastime here, and locals can watch the Bearcats play on Friday nights at De Leon High School in the fall.
Parks and boat ramps at Proctor Lake
De Leon City Park has a picnic shelter and a playground in a shady tree-filled green space with sidewalk paths. About 12 miles south, Proctor Lake State Park features campgrounds, beaches, and boat ramps open to the public and managed by the U.S. Army. With an RV Campground and a walking trail, Hiram Smith Community Park is the area’s venue for rodeo events and festivals.
Getting to Stephenville and DFW
De Leon does not have public transportation, but it is well located to larger cities. Stephenville is about 25 miles east on state Route 6, and Dallas is roughly 135 miles northeast on Interstate 20. The Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is approximately 125 miles northeast, with passenger flights to many destinations, including international cities.
