Hill County business news & data
County seat: Hillsboro · Population (2024 est.): 38,771 · Core 254 county
254 rate centers: Blum; Brandon; Bynum; Covington; Hillsboro; Hubbard; Irene; Itasca; Malone; Mount Calm; Whitney
In the news
254 Biz newsletter: Friday, Oct. 30, 2026
A $550M data center shell in Hutto, a $20.5M Bell County annex, Temple's sales tax jump and 552 new sales tax permits across the 254.
Temple's sales tax allocation jumps 16.6% as 254-area cities collect $25.6M in October
The Comptroller sent $25.6 million in October sales tax allocations to 77 cities across the 254, up 10.5% from a year ago.
Permits & filings
Costs, square footage and dates are owners' estimates filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TABS accessibility registrations) and may change.
| Registered | City | Project / owner | Est. cost | Sq. ft. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-06 | Hillsboro | Bealls #596 Hills Plaza LLC | $742,000 | 24,546 |
Sales tax allocations, October 2026
| City | County | Oct. 2026 | Oct. 2025 | Change | Year to date | YTD change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsboro | Hill | $618,083 | $497,105 | +24.33% | $5,367,719 | +6.03% |
| Whitney | Hill | $120,015 | $82,833 | +44.88% | $1,066,272 | +22.68% |
| Hubbard | Hill | $103,180 | $28,181 | +266.13% | $461,091 | +35.25% |
| Itasca | Hill | $35,426 | $27,371 | +29.43% | $353,470 | +23.62% |
New sales tax permits (businesses)
Sole proprietors and other individuals are left out on purpose; only businesses registered as corporations, LLCs and similar entities are listed.
| Date | City | Outlet | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 22, 2026 | Whitney | Tiger Mart 83 | Gas stations |
| Oct. 21, 2026 | Whitney | Lehmann Barbeque, LLC | Restaurants & food service |
| Oct. 21, 2026 | Whitney | Tiger Mart 83 | Gas stations |
| Oct. 17, 2026 | Hillsboro | Texas Express | Gas stations |
| Oct. 17, 2026 | Blum | Greenway Curated | Non-store retail |
| Oct. 15, 2026 | Hillsboro | Kiss Me Again Vintage | General merchandise |
| Oct. 15, 2026 | Hillsboro | Undignified Designs LLC | Non-store retail |
| Oct. 13, 2026 | Whitney | Chain Smokers Bbq & Catering LLC | Restaurants & food service |
| Oct. 10, 2026 | Hillsboro | Quality Electric Solutions, LLC | Specialty trade contractors |
| Oct. 7, 2026 | Whitney | Le Ohana Ranch | Other |
| Oct. 6, 2026 | Whitney | The Quest Preparedness Group LLC | Other |
| Oct. 3, 2026 | Hubbard | Nexus Alpha I LLC | Other |
| Oct. 2, 2026 | Abbott | Sarah's Ranch Retreat | Other |
| Oct. 2, 2026 | Whitney | Ashlee's Custom Creations LLC | Clothing & accessories |
| Sept. 30, 2026 | Whitney | Black Hearth LLC | Hobby, music & books |
New TABC licenses
| Issued | City | Business | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 20, 2026 | Hillsboro | Fast Trip 3 | Package store (wine only) |
| Oct. 7, 2026 | Whitney | SP Food Mart 2 | Package store (wine only) |
| Sept. 30, 2026 | Hillsboro | Quick Stop | Package store (wine only) |
Top mixed beverage sellers, September 2026
| # | Location | City | Gross receipts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chili's Grill & Bar #1688 | Hillsboro | $35,783 |
| 2 | Double J's Roadhouse | Whitney | $29,032 |
| 3 | Lone Star Cafe | Hillsboro | $27,466 |
| 4 | White Bluff Resort | Whitney | $23,530 |
| 5 | Rumors On The Lake | Whitney | $22,159 |
| 6 | Hillsboro Country Club | Hillsboro | $20,181 |
| 7 | Ihop Applebee's | Hillsboro | $19,927 |
| 8 | Whiskey River Saloon & Grill | Malone | $15,945 |
| 9 | El Charro Mexican Restaurant Bar & Grill | Hillsboro | $12,659 |
| 10 | Lighthouse Pub | Whitney | $11,623 |
County total: $292,613 from 26 locations (August: $318,246 from 29).
Data window: Sept. 30 to Oct. 29, 2026 unless noted. Sources.