Longview is a city in and the county seat of Gregg County, Texas, United States. Longview is located in East Texas, where Interstate 20 and U.S. highways 80 and 259 converge just north of the Sabine River. The population was 81,638 as of the 2020 census, and was estimated at 83,668 in 2024. Longview is the principal city of the Longview metropolitan statistical area, comprising Gregg, Upshur, and Rusk counties. The population of the metropolitan area as of 2025 census estimates was 297,315.
Longview was established in 1870 in what was at the time southern Upshur County; the town incorporated on May 17, 1871. After Gregg County was created on May 7, 1873 and organized on June 28, 1873, Longview was voted the county seat. Today, Longview is considered a major hub city for the region, as is the nearby city of Tyler. Companies with significant presence in Longview include Eastman Chemical, Trinity Rail Group, AAON Coil Products, Komatsu Mining, Dollar General and Old Navy/GAP. Colleges and universities in the area include LeTourneau University, Kilgore College, and the University of Texas at Tyler's Longview University Center.
History The modern-day city of Longview was founded in 1869. In 1870, O.H. Methvin, Sr. sold to the Southern Pacific Railroad (later the Texas and Pacific Railway) for one dollar to persuade them to build their line in the direction of land he owned. Later that year, he sold another for $500 in gold. He hoped the coming of the railroad would increase the value of the rest of his land.
Two railroad surveyors coined the name of the town when they stated, "What a long view!" from the porch of Methvin's home. In June 1871, Longview was incorporated as the first town in Gregg County.
In 1884, the Mobberly Hotel opened for business servicing railroad travelers and as the center of social gatherings for Longview. The hotel featured cherrywood furniture with carved bed posts, marble-top washstands, linen tablecloths, electric crystal chandeliers, and a fireplace in every room. Mobberly was located in the junction part of town near the train depot. The hotel was destroyed by fire on June 13, 1965.
On May 23, 1894, Bill Dalton and three members of his posse robbed the First National Bank of Longview. Several men died in the resulting gunfight, bandit Jim Wallace along with citizens J. W. McQueen, Charles Learn, and George Buckingham. The robbers escaped with $2,000 in cash and some unsigned bank notes. The Gregg County Historical Museum holds its exhibit on the event within the bank vault which was robbed, and holds a yearly event to mark the anniversary of the occasion.
In the Longview race riot in July 1919, a reporter for The Chicago Defender was in Longview looking into the mysterious death of a black man named Lemuel Walters. An armed white mob attacked a home where the reporter, S.L. Jones, was staying, and attempted to batter their way in. A gunfight began between the attackers and the men in the house. Eventually, Jones made a getaway. The white men then began to burn buildings in the black section of the town.
The Gregg Hotel opened in 1930, and served oil boom customers. It had various operators as a hotel until 1978, when it was converted to dormitories for use by male students of LeTourneau College. Following the 1984 spring semester, the building sat empty except for a barbershop, which also closed in 1986. The building was ultimately demolished in 1995.
In 1942, construction began on the Big Inch pipeline in Longview. From 1943 to 1945, the pipeline transported over 261,000,000 barrels of crude oil to the East Coast. At the time of construction, Big Inch and its smaller twin, Little Inch, comprised the longest petroleum pipeline ever built in the world. Both were integral in supplying the United States' war effort in World War II.
After World War II, Longview's population grew from 24,502 to 40,050 in 1960, its growth fueled by migration from rural Gregg County and the annexation of Greggton and Spring Hill.
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (0.18%) is water.
Longview is located within Northeast Texas, a subregion of East Texas. North of Kilgore, and is bordered to the west by the city of White Oak. Longview was founded in Gregg County and has annexed surrounding land as it has grown in population and area, including a comparatively small area on its east that is within Harrison County.
Climate
Demographics
According to realtor website Zillow, the average price of a home as of March 31, 2026, in Longview is $230,973.
As of the 2024 American Community Survey, there were 33,947 estimated households in Longview with an average of 2.35 persons per household. The city has a median household income of $57,259. Approximately 17.7% of the city's population lives at or below the poverty line. Longview has an estimated 59.8% employment rate, with 28.3% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 89.9% holding a high school diploma. There were 36,026 housing units at an average density of .
The median age in the city was 34.5 years.
+Longview, Texas – racial and ethnic composition Race / ethnicity (NH = non-Hispanic) Pop. 1980 Pop. 1990 Pop. 2000 Pop. 2010 White alone (NH) 48,498(77.27%) 52,767(75.05%) 48,028(65.48%) 45,230(56.22%) 40,599(49.73%) Black or African American alone (NH) 11,961(19.06%) 13,912(19.79%) 16,126(21.99%) 18,190(22.61%) 19,173(23.49%) Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 259(0.41%) 293(0.42%) 267(0.36%) 292(0.36%) 255(0.31%) Asian alone (NH) 595(0.95%) 406(0.58%) 606(0.83%) 1,063(1.32%) 1,309(1.60%) Pacific Islander alone (NH) — — 12(0.02%) 21(0.03%) 30(0.04%) Other race alone (NH) 11(0.02%) 37(0.05%) 35(0.05%) 87(0.11%) 219(0.27%) Mixed race or multiracial (NH) — — 706(0.96%) 1,112(1.38%) 3,115(3.82%) Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1,438(2.29%) 2,896(4.12%) 7,564(10.31%) 14,460(17.97%) 16,938(20.75%) Total 62,762(100.00%) 70,311(100.00%) 73,344(100.00%) 80,455(100.00%) 81,638(100.00%)
2020 census As of the 2020 census, there were 81,638 people, 31,798 households, and 20,306 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 35,059 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 54.19% White, 23.75% African American, 0.63% Native American, 1.63% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 10.19% from some other races and 9.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 20.75% of the population.
There were 31,798 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.4% were married couples living together, 33.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and _% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2._ and the average family size was 2._.
In the city the population was spread out with _% under the age of 18, _% from 18 to 24, _% from 25 to 44, _% from 45 to 64, and _% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.7 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $_, and the median income for a family was $_. Males had a median income of $_ versus $_ for females. The per capita income for the city was $_. _% of the population and _% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 24.2% were under the age of 18 and 16.5% were 65 or older.
99.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.3% lived in rural areas.
19.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present.
There were 35,059 housing units, of which 9.3% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.4%.
2010 census As of the 2010 census, there were 80,455 people, 30,562 households, and 20,020 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 32,751 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 63.32% White, 22.94% African American, 0.54% Native American, 1.35% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 9.49% from some other races and 2.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 17.97% of the population.
2000 census As of the 2000 census, there were 73,344 people, 28,363 households, and 19,116 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 30,726 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 70.10% White, 22.11% African American, 0.50% Native American, 0.83% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 4.92% from some other races and 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 10.31% of the population.
There were 28,363 households out of which 33.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 14.5% have a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% have someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,858, and the median income for a family was $42,378. Males have a median income of $33,078 versus $21,400 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,768. 16.0% of the population and 13.0% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 22.7% were under the age of 18 and 10.6% were 65 or older.
Religion As of 2020's religion census by the Association of Religion Data Archives, Baptists were the largest set of Christians, with Christianity being the predominant religion for Longview's metropolitan area. Altogether, Baptists from the American Baptist Association, Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship, Free Will Baptists, National Baptists, National Missionary Baptists, and Southern Baptists numbered 88,811. Non/inter-denominational Protestants numbered 26,874. Other large Christian communities for the MSA were Methodists, Pentecostals, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormons. Its Catholic Christian community numbered 22,952.
Economy
Longview is one of several cities in East Texas that serve as a center for the "patent troll" industry, due to a perception that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas is a favorable venue for patent infringement plaintiffs. As such, it is also one of the major economic hubs for Northeast Texas alongside Tyler.
Top employers According to the city's 2024–2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are:
# Employer # of Employees Percentage of Total City Employment 1 Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center 3,000 3.27% 2 Eastman Chemical 1,510 1.64% 3 Longview Regional Medical Center 1,393 1.52% 4 Dollar General 762 0.83% 5 Komatsu 675 0.73% 6 AAON Coil Products, Inc. 613 0.67% 7 Gap, Inc. 555 0.60% 8 Trinity Rail, LLC 450 0.49% 9 Kito-Crosby Group 400 0.44% 10 Diagnostic Clinic of Longview 350 0.38%—Total employers9,70810.57%
Arts and culture Longview Public Library operates a main branch, and the Broughton Branch.
Longview's cultural district—a area in downtown Longview which includes museums, restaurants, parks, live music, theater, and historic buildings—was designated by the Texas Commission on the Arts in 2019.