Jarrell is a city in Williamson County, Texas, on the Interstate 35 corridor about 30 miles north of Austin and south of Waco. Long a small rural community, Jarrell has been reshaped by the northward expansion of the Austin metropolitan area, with new master-planned residential development transforming its population and character in a relatively short span. The city's population has grown from roughly 1,750 at the 2020 census to about 6,800 in recent estimates, driven largely by the Sonterra community east of the highway. Jarrell's history includes a defining tragedy. On May 27, 1997, an F5 tornado — part of a larger Central Texas outbreak — struck a residential subdivision on the city's northwestern outskirts, killing 27 people and leveling much of the neighborhood. The event is remembered as one of the strongest and most destructive tornadoes ever recorded in Texas, and it remains part of the community's collective memory even as the city has rebuilt and grown. Today Jarrell functions primarily as a residential community for families and commuters drawn to the I-35 corridor. The Sonterra master-planned community anchors much of the new housing, offering contemporary homes, community amenities, and proximity to Jarrell ISD schools. Jarrell Independent School District serves the area across six campuses spanning about 84 square miles. The city retains a small-town core near its original townsite along the railroad, contrasting with the newer subdivisions that now dominate its housing stock. Recreation centers on nearby Lake Georgetown and the surrounding Hill Country, with parks offering camping, boating, fishing, and trails. For residents seeking a small-town setting with direct highway access to Austin and the Round Rock-Georgetown corridor, Jarrell offers a growing, family-oriented option at the northern edge of Williamson County.