Hamlin lies in Jones County, on US 83 and Hwy 92, northwest of Abilene.
The county's first gypsum plant was built six miles west in 1903 and became a major area employer, in later years the Celotex Corporation.
Eighty businesses were reported in 1970. Part of the 1980 population of 3,248 resided in Fisher County. Hamlin is a center for farming and varied manufacturing and part of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1990 the population was 2,791.