Goldthwaite existed as a small village prior to the arrival of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway in 1885.

[6] Goldthwaite was once known as "The City of Windmills" because of the large number of water wells in the city—by around 1900, almost every household had one.

[6] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.4 km2), all land.

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.

[7] As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,738 people, 742 households, and 463 families residing in the city.

[14] Goldthwaite is located on a BNSF Railway line connecting Temple to Sweetwater.

In 2015, 10 T-hangars, a hangar apron, an access road, and a garage storage area for a courtesy car were constructed, and a fly-in golf program was offered in partnership with the adjacent golf course.