The North Central Plains have rolling plains and tall grasslands. This region has a higher elevation than the Coastal Plains, but it is not as high as the Great Plains. The western border of the North Central Plains is the Caprock Escarpment.

The North Central Plains region receives less rainfall than the Coastal Plains (15-31 in). It has hot summers (hotter than the Coastal Plains) and cold winters (colder than the Coastal Plains). As part of Tornado Alley, this region also has powerful thunderstorms.

The economy of the North Central Plains region is dependent on ranching, farming, oil and gas. There are large cattle ranches in this region. It is also a major producer of cotton.

Major cities in the North Central Plains include Fort Worth, Waco, Wichita Falls, San Angelo, and Abilene. Fort Worth is known as "Cowtown" because it was king of the cattle industry in Texas.