Kaufman is the seat of Kaufman County, at the intersection of Hwys 34 and 243 and US 175, thirty-four miles east of Dallas.
In 1936 Kaufman had 2,279 residents. In 1945 eighty businesses, including the town's first manufacturing plant, a uniform factory, served 2,654 residents. In 1963 a tornado did major damage to the business area. In 1990 Kaufman had 5,238 residents and 108 businesses, including a dozen manufacturing plants that produced steel products, furniture, and clothing.