Midlothian is located in Ellis County, south of the Dallas, Texas metro area, where US 67 and US 287 meet.
In the 1980s Midlothian, which called itself the 'Cement Capitol of Texas,' had major industries, including producers of Portland cement and steel. Midlothian also serves as a distribution center for foreign imports. The population rose gradually from 1,175 in the early 1950s to 5,087 in the 1980s, when the city had 120 businesses.
Beginning in the mid-1970s Midlothian saw an influx of residents from Dallas and Fort Worth, who built homes on unused farmland outside of town. Though Midlothian proper was left essentially unchanged, the school district expanded to 20,000 students. In 1990 the population was 5,141.