Chilton is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Falls County, Texas, in the central part of the state. About 776 residents live in the community, according to the 2020 census. Chilton's origins trace to the railroad: when the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway built through Falls County in 1888, the settlement was moved closer to the tracks and officially designated Chilton by the Texas Townsite Company. That rail-driven founding still shapes the community's compact, track-side layout. Chilton is centered on its school district. The Chilton Independent School District serves the community and the surrounding rural area with a small enrollment of roughly 566 students, making the schools the social and civic heart of the town. The district's small scale ties it closely to local families and to the farms and ranches that characterize this part of Falls County. The community sits within reach of Waco and the I-35 corridor, giving residents access to regional employment, higher education, and services while keeping a quiet, small-town pace. Chilton's unincorporated status means it relies on Falls County for many public services, and its housing consists mainly of modest single-family homes and rural acreage, with most residents owning their homes. The surrounding countryside of Falls County, with its cropland and pasture, sets the backdrop for daily life. Local churches, school events, and agricultural work anchor the community, and residents travel to nearby Marlin, the county seat, or Waco for larger shopping and services. Chilton remains a small, settled place where the school district and the land hold the community together.