Rockwall is located just northeast of Dallas toward Greenville on Hwys 205 and 66 above I-30 near Lake Ray Hubbard.
The seat of Rockwall County, it is part of the Dallas, Texas metro area.
In the 1970s and 1980s population growth was fast, influenced by business opportunities in nearby Dallas and the construction of Lake Ray Hubbard. By 1988 Rockwall had 5,939 residents, and by the early 1990s it reported 10,486 residents and 257 businesses.
At this time the town included plants that produced aluminum, leather goods, and steel products.
Also, in recent years Rockwall has become known as a marriage mecca, because of the ease with which a marriage license can be obtained there.