1st Advantage MortgageBrazos County households have a median income of $58,553 and median rent of $1,193 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- First look: Brazos County, TX
- How Brazos County ranks in Texas
- Brazos County income bands
- How Brazos County residents earn a living
- Where Brazos County households live
- Brazos County, Grimes County and other neighbors
- Brazos County towns compared
- Local borrowing considerations for Brazos County
- Brazos County demographics against Texas
- A Brazos County household budget, worked through
- Before you sign
- Texas lender licensing
- More guides for Brazos County
- Frequently asked questions
First look: Brazos County, TX
Brazos County is home to about 242,311 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 23rd most populous of 254 county-level areas in Texas. Brazos County spans 586 square miles; with 242,311 people, that is 413.4 per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the College Station-Bryan, TX metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Largest place: College Station, about 124,570 residents (51% of Brazos County); 5 Census places in all.
How Brazos County ranks in Texas
Ranked against the other 253 county-level areas in Texas, these are the Brazos County figures furthest from the middle.
- On homeownership, Brazos County sits near the bottom of Texas at 47%, 2nd lowest of 254. In a renter-heavy county, unsecured loans and cards are the main options.
- The share of renters paying 30% or more of income for rent: 61% in Brazos County. Only 4 of 249 Texas counties are higher. Make sure a consolidation loan lowers what you pay each month.
- Few Texas counties match Brazos County on median age: 26.8 here, 35.6 for the state, ranking 2nd lowest of 254. Younger borrowers often have thin credit files; a co-signer or credit union may help.
Brazos County income bands
Half of Brazos County households take in less than $58,553 a year and half take in more, 25% below the Texas median of $78,476. That places it 185th among Texas's 254 county-level areas.
| Income band | Share in Brazos County | Difference from Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 31.9% | +10.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 37.9% | -1.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 21.1% | -5.7 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 9.0% | -3.4 pts |
The spread is wide: 30% of Brazos County households make $100,000 or more, and 32% make less than $35,000. Poverty rate, Brazos County: 24.3%; Texas: 13.8%. For a borrower in Brazos County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
How Brazos County residents earn a living
By the Census industry count, 32% of employed Brazos County residents work in education and health care and 12% in arts, lodging and food service. Brazos County over-indexes on education and health care: 32% versus 22% in Texas. The survey's unemployment rate for Brazos County averages 4.7% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 5.3%). 39% of Brazos County workers get to work in under 15 minutes, while 6% need 45 or more. No car: 6.0% of Brazos County households.
| Sector | Brazos County | Compared with Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 32.1% | +10.5 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 11.9% | +3.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.4% | +0.4 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.3% | -2.6 pts |
| Construction | 7.7% | -0.8 pts |
| Manufacturing | 6.0% | -2.6 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Where Brazos County households live
Half of Brazos County renters pay more than $1,193 a month and half pay less; the Texas midpoint is $1,403. Cost-burdened renters, paying 30%-plus of income: 61% in Brazos County, 52% statewide. Home values center on $296,000, or 5.1 years of median income. In Brazos County, 47% of occupied homes are owned by the people living in them. Nationally, Brazos County's $1,193 rent is 36% above the middle county.
| Home costs | Brazos County | Texas | Compared with Texas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,193/mo | $1,403/mo | 15% lower |
| Median home value | $296,000 | $283,800 | 4% higher |
| Owners | 47% | 63% | -15.7 pts |
| Rent-burdened renters | 61% | 52% | +9.8 pts |
| Burdened owners | 29% | 29% | -0.2 pts |
| Vacant units | 10% | 9% | +0.3 pts |
53% of Brazos County households rent, so most local borrowing is unsecured; your credit and income set the price. High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
Brazos County, Grimes County and other neighbors
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (20 to 42 miles). All of the six report a higher median household income than Brazos County; Washington County is highest at $77,825 and Milam County lowest at $66,141.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazos County | - | $58,553 | $1,193/mo | 47% |
| Grimes County, TX | 20 mi | $69,803 | $1,069/mo | 80% |
| Burleson County, TX | 22 mi | $70,000 | $1,063/mo | 82% |
| Robertson County, TX | 28 mi | $72,236 | $779/mo | 72% |
| Madison County, TX | 31 mi | $74,596 | $851/mo | 75% |
| Washington County, TX | 31 mi | $77,825 | $1,165/mo | 70% |
| Milam County, TX | 42 mi | $66,141 | $984/mo | 77% |
Brazos County towns compared
215,429 of Brazos County's 242,311 residents live in its 5 Census places (89%); the 5 largest are listed. Lake Bryan ($77,419) and College Station ($50,900) mark the top and bottom of Brazos County's income range among larger places. None of the 5 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College Station | city | 124,570 | $50,900 | $1,194 | 5 mi |
| Bryan | city | 87,939 | $59,289 | $1,195 | 5 mi |
| Lake Bryan | CDP | 2,165 | $77,419 | n/a | 11 mi |
| Kurten | town | 555 | $62,375 | n/a | 9 mi |
| Wixon Valley | city | 200 | $116,875 | n/a | 8 mi |
Local borrowing considerations for Brazos County
A few patterns in the Brazos County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Hospital bills in Brazos County. For the 12% of residents without coverage, the provider's charity-care program comes before any loan (details).
- 24% below poverty. Emergency aid, payment plans and counseling (list) come first.
- 61% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
Brazos County demographics against Texas
In Brazos County, 43% of adults have at least a four-year degree (34% in Texas). The uninsured rate is 12.2%, against 17.1% for Texas.
| People and households | Brazos County | Compared with Texas | Compared with median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 24.3% | +10.5 pts | +11.1 pts |
| Bachelor's or higher | 43.0% | +9.2 pts | +20.9 pts |
| Median age | 26.8 | -8.8 yrs | -14.7 yrs |
| No health insurance | 12.2% | -4.9 pts | +4.4 pts |
| Work from home | 10.7% | -3.7 pts | +2.0 pts |
| No high school diploma | 11.2% | -2.8 pts | n/a |
| No vehicle | 6.0% | +0.6 pts | +0.6 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.7% | -0.5 pts | +0.3 pts |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 39.4% |
| 15 to 29 min | 45.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 9.3% |
| 45 to 59 min | 2.2% |
| 60+ min | 3.7% |
A Brazos County household budget, worked through
How much room does a median Brazos County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- $4,879 a month: gross income for a household at the Brazos County median
- Housing at the median rent of $1,193 uses 24%
- 40% debt-to-income limit: $759 left for all other debt payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Brazos County's.
Before you sign
Before you apply, wherever you live in Brazos County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Verify the Texas license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Texas lender licensing
Brazos County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Texas Department of Banking. The Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner handles consumer-credit questions as well. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. The Texas guide covers state rules in more detail.
More guides for Brazos County
Statewide:
Frequently asked questions
Where does Brazos County rank on income in Texas?
185th of 254, with a median of $58,553. The state median is $78,476.
How much is rent in Brazos County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,193 a month; 61% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I live near College Station. Which guide is mine?
This one. College Station and the rest of Brazos County have no separate city guide.
Will a Brazos County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Texas as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
What agency protects Brazos County borrowers?
The Texas Department of Banking at the state level and the CFPB federally.