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Living in
Brenham.
About
Life in Brenham
This is a small-town lifestyle with real advantages if you're looking to escape higher costs without sacrificing community. With a median home value around $241,100 and median rent at $1,157 a month, your money stretches further here than in most of Texas, and the 3.8% unemployment rate suggests steady work is available—though the job market is built around anchor employers like Blue Bell Creameries headquarters, Valmont Industries (metal pole manufacturing), and the state's largest residential facility for intellectually disabled persons, so your career options depend heavily on what these institutions and local government offer. The median household income of $65,112 is modest, and realistically, many people commute to nearby Bryan or Houston for better-paying work (the average commute is just 15.4 minutes, which helps), so think of Brenham as a home base rather than a job hub.
Brenham at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
33.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
18.9%
Foreign-Born
9.1%
Broadband Internet
84.7%
of households
Population Growth
+15.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics9.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Brenham: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Brenham, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (52.0%), and 15.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.0%
of residents
65 and Older
20.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
40.7%
of households
Married Couples
39.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.12
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 18% below TX average
Rent, home values, and income in Brenham
In Brenham, rent runs 18% below the TX average, and home values are 15% below the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
41.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
15.5%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$3,097
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
51.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1983
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $323,597 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for TX
Unemployment in Brenham
Unemployment in Washington County, which includes Brenham, is close to the TX average.
Unemployment rate
Brenham: Washington County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Washington County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Brenham Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17.6 min avg
How Brenham residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Brenham, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 80% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 29 mi
Easterwood Field (CLL)
Regional airport · few flights69k passengers boarded in 2025
- 64 mi
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
Major hub23.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyabout average for violent crime
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Brenham is close to the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
319.2
per 100,000 residents
About average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,747.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Brenham Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 3 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
72.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Washington County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Washington County, which includes Brenham, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 3 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2024 | 2 | Flash Flood | $700,000 |
| 2023 | 13 | Excessive Heat | None reported |
| 2022 | 5 | Drought | $200,000 |
| 2021 | 4 | Ice Storm | $5.6M |
| 2020 | 2 | Thunderstorm Wind | $100,900 |
| 2019 | 2 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 2 | Flash Flood | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
5 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Washington County, county-wide
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Brazos County, TX (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 35 miles from Brenham) is typically good — 233 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
40
Good Days
233
per year
Moderate Days
107
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Brazos County, TX (35 mi away)
Climate93°F summers, 41°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Brenham has hot summers (avg high 93°F) and mild winters (avg low 41°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
78°/57°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
93°/73°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
80°/58°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
63°/41°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
48.0"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
112
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
18
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
91
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 61°F | 40°F | 3.66" |
| Feb | 64°F | 43°F | 3.36" |
| Mar | 71°F | 49°F | 3.63" |
| Apr | 78°F | 57°F | 3.56" |
| May | 85°F | 65°F | 5.39" |
| Jun | 91°F | 72°F | 4.46" |
| Jul | 94°F | 74°F | 2.58" |
| Aug | 95°F | 74°F | 3.83" |
| Sep | 90°F | 68°F | 4.59" |
| Oct | 81°F | 59°F | 5.07" |
| Nov | 70°F | 48°F | 4.21" |
| Dec | 63°F | 41°F | 3.69" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Brenham
Brenham has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
14.6%
of residents
Baylor Scott & White Hospital Brenham
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Brenham
Brenham's student/teacher ratio is 13.2:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 32.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
32.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Brenham
Public · 2-year · 15,535 students · in-state tuition $4,920 · 17% graduate · median earnings $50,166 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail, 57 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Brenham
Brenham has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail (57 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
57 mi awayPublic Libraries in Brenham
Nancy Carol Roberts Memorial Library
100 Martin Luther King Jr Pkwy, Brenham
Cities Near Brenham
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Brenham?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Brenham FAQ
Is Brenham, Texas affordable?⌄
Brenham's median rent is $1,157/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $65,112/year. Median home value is $241,100.
Is Brenham, Texas safe?⌄
Brenham's violent crime rate was 319 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1748 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Brenham, Texas?⌄
Washington County, which includes Brenham, has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Brenham, Texas?⌄
The cost of living in Brenham is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,157/month and median household income is $65,112/year. The median home value is $241,100. About 42% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Brenham, Texas?⌄
The average commute in Brenham is 18 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from