County seat and commercial center of Coryell County, Gatesville's economy is based primarily on retail, agriculture, corrections, and manufacturing. The State of Texas is the city's largest employer, with approximately 2500 employees at several prison facilities. Manufacturing facilities include plastic medical teaching supplies and specialized heavy industrial trailers. Major employers include:

Recently, Retail Coach came to Gatesville and provided a market analysis presentation on the surveys performed. To see the results, click here.