Emory is a small city in and the county seat of Rains County, in East Texas, about 70 miles east of Dallas and northeast of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. It was originally known as Springville and was renamed for Emory Rains, an early Texas state legislator, along with the county itself. With a population of roughly 1,250, it is the county's largest town and its center of government, commerce, and education. The city sits at the junction of U.S. Highway 69 and State Highway 19, and its location is defined by water. Lake Fork lies just to the east and Lake Tawakoni to the west, two of East Texas's best-known reservoirs. Lake Fork is legendary among anglers as a trophy largemouth bass destination, while Lake Tawakoni is prized for its striped and hybrid striped bass, boating, and shoreline recreation. That lake-country setting shapes the local economy — tourism, fishing, and lake-area real estate join ranching and small-town services as mainstays. Emory's downtown is anchored by the Rains County Courthouse, and the community is served by Rains Independent School District, which draws students from across the county, including the nearby communities of Point and East Tawakoni. Daily life centers on schools, churches, and the outdoors, with boat ramps, marinas, and lakeside communities minutes from town. Emory suits people who want a quiet, affordable East Texas base with direct access to lake recreation and a reasonable drive to the Dallas area. Housing includes older in-town homes, newer subdivisions, and a range of lake-adjacent and acreage properties in the surrounding countryside, giving buyers options from full-time residences to weekend lake retreats.