[4] It is the principal city of the Jacksonville micropolitan statistical area, which includes all of Cherokee County.

The impressive red iron ore rock Tomato Bowl, built by Works Progress Administration workers during the Great Depression, is home to the Jacksonville High School "Fightin' Indians" football and soccer teams.

Annual events include the "Tops in Texas Rodeo" held in May and the "Tomato Fest" celebration in June.

Jackson Smith built a home and blacksmith shop in the area, and became postmaster in 1848, when a post office was authorized.

During a flurry of subsequent legal actions, Walmart discontinued store-level meatcutting and started shipping in pre-packaged/pre-frozen meat to their stores.

[13] Management of the city and coordination of city services are provided by (as of 2009}:[14] Jacksonville is represented in the Texas Senate by Republican Robert Nichols, District 3, and in the Texas House of Representatives by Republican Travis Clardy, District 11.

In September 2020, the lot it sat on was sold to Chick-fil-A, where construction promptly began on a restaurant location.

Commercial aviation can be accessed by traveling north to Tyler Pounds Regional Airport with an American Eagle flight to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), or simply driving 132 miles directly to either DFW or Dallas Love Field via U.S. Route 175.