Anson is a city in and the county seat of Jones County, in west-central Texas, situated at the junction of U.S. Highways 180 and 277 in the rolling ranchland of the Rolling Plains. At the 2020 census, the city recorded a population of 2,294, and it serves as the governmental and commercial hub of a county of about 19,600 residents. Abilene, the region's principal city, lies about 25 miles to the south, placing Anson within the Abilene metropolitan area and within easy commuting distance of its jobs, medical facilities, and universities. Anson's most distinctive tradition is the Texas Cowboys' Christmas Ball, first held in December 1885. The dance has been staged nearly every year since, making it one of Texas's oldest continuous community celebrations, and it is held today at Pioneer Hall, a local landmark. The event has deep cultural roots in the region's ranching heritage and draws visitors from across the state each December, cementing Anson's reputation as a town that cherishes its western traditions. Anson's history as a county seat reaches back to the late nineteenth century, when Jones County was organized and Anson was selected as its governmental center. The Jones County Courthouse anchors the town square, and the city's older residential streets reflect its growth through the early twentieth century as a ranching and farming service center. Agriculture and ranching, and later oil production, have sustained the local economy, keeping Anson a working small town with deep roots rather than a suburban bedroom community. The local economy has long been tied to agriculture and ranching, with oil production also playing a role in the surrounding Jones County. Public education is provided by the Anson Independent School District. For residents, Anson offers an affordable, close-knit small-town way of life in the heart of the Rolling Plains, with a genuine sense of history, while Abilene supplies the larger shopping, cultural, and educational opportunities of a regional city just down the highway.