What it's like to live in Brenham
Brenham is a small city in Texas with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Brenham deals with household incomes below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, hot summers, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Fast-growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- High poverty rate
- Hot summers
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Brenham compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Brenham
Based on Brenham's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,314
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $46,280 a year
- 42% of Brenham renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$48,220
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $24,110
- Homes cost 3.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 18% below US
$1,157/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,157 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $241,100. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $241,100 · 42% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.9% county unemployment
Unemployment in Washington County is 3.9%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Washington County (county-wide)
SafetyNear US average
319 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1748/100k · Brenham Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 32% below US
18 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 17.6 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 93°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 41°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
33% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 33% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail (57 miles away).
Bottom line
Brenham's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and a poverty rate above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,157/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Brenham
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