Population 242,311 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Brazos County
Household size in Brazos County
| Period | Brazos County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.58 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.63 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.64 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.48 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Brazos County run small, averaging 2.48 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.58, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the northwest and smallest in the east.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Brazos County
| Period | Brazos County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.9 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 29.9 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 30.4 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 30.1 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.2 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 30.1, Brazos County is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has climbed from 28.9 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only five of Texas' 254 counties are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Brazos County
| Period | Brazos County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.2% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.0% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Brazos County as they are nationally: 10.7%, against 11.6%. Single parents are less common here than in Texas overall (12.9%). The single-parent share is down 1.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Brazos County
Renters in Brazos County
| Period | Brazos County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 52.9% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 54.7% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 52.9% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 53.2% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Brazos County: 53.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 51.2% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the north. Only one other Texas county has a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Brazos County
| Period | Brazos County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.6% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.7% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.6% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.6% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs a little high in Brazos County: 11.6% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Compared with other Texas counties, though, Brazos County has a lower vacancy rate than most.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Brazos County
| Period | Brazos County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1986 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1989 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1992 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1998 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +12 | +8 | +6 |
Brazos County has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1998, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1986 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the northwest. Of Texas' 254 counties, only 19 have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Brazos County
| Period | Brazos County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $901 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $992 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,117 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,405 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$504 | +$639 | +$606 |
Rent in Brazos County runs $1,405 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $504 a month from 2006–10, a 56% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 39.2% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Brazos County
Bachelor's degrees in Brazos County
| Period | Brazos County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.1% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.8% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.9% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 50.2% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Brazos County: 50.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 5.1 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of Texas' 254 counties, only three have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Brazos County
| Period | Brazos County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.2% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.5% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.3% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.1% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Brazos County have finished high school (91.1%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 4.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Brazos County has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Texas counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Brazos County
| Period | Brazos County | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Brazos County: 6.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Brazos County has higher unemployment than the great majority of Texas counties. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Brazos County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazos County | 2.48 | 30.1 | 10.7% | 53.2% | 11.6% | 1998 | $1,405 | 50.2% | 91.1% | 6.7% |
| Milam County | 2.49 | 42.7 | 8.5% | 23.1% | 13.1% | 1984 | $1,106 | 20.4% | 88.9% | 5.2% |
| Walker County | 2.57 | 37.9 | 9.3% | 43.5% | 16.9% | 1989 | $1,026 | 22.7% | 85.0% | 10.5% |
| San Jacinto County | 2.67 | 45.7 | 12.8% | 15.4% | 25.8% | 1993 | $1,015 | 15.2% | 81.0% | 6.6% |
| Williamson County | 2.74 | 37.9 | 9.4% | 33.6% | 4.9% | 2005 | $2,004 | 49.1% | 94.3% | 3.8% |
| Polk County | 2.59 | 44.4 | 13.9% | 21.9% | 24.8% | 1990 | $1,027 | 17.6% | 83.8% | 9.6% |
| Burnet County | 2.49 | 45.5 | 8.3% | 23.7% | 15.2% | 1995 | $1,242 | 27.9% | 88.6% | 2.7% |
| Tyler County | 2.55 | 43.5 | 11.3% | 18.8% | 24.8% | 1985 | $1,014 | 12.3% | 86.0% | 7.8% |
| Llano County | 2.14 | 54.7 | 9.7% | 23.5% | 27.8% | 1990 | $1,091 | 31.8% | 90.0% | 3.8% |
| Jasper County | 2.30 | 43.6 | 12.2% | 21.0% | 16.1% | 1987 | $905 | 15.6% | 90.0% | 12.1% |
| Newton County | 2.55 | 46.3 | 11.0% | 17.1% | 21.4% | 1990 | $1,004 | 7.4% | 85.3% | 8.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Marin County, CA · Calcasieu Parish, LA · Chatham County, GA · Cumberland County, ME · Delaware County, OH · Dona Ana County, NM · Erie County, PA · Harrison County, MS · Hawaii County, HI · Jackson County, OR
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Brazos County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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