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Belton vs Brenham

89 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (6.2× in Brenham) and growth since 2010 (+16.1 pts in Belton).

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Belton, TXA history townTexas · 24,356 people
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Brenham, TXA history townTexas · 18,641 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

BeltonA history town
HistorySettled in 185041 places on the National Register Outdoors#81 most conserved land in TX2.6 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves Housing$313K typical home4% above the TX typical home All about Belton →
BrenhamA history town
HistorySettled in 184434 places on the National Register Work12,718 jobsbased in Brenham, a regional job hub Outdoors#46 most trails in TX16 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves All about Brenham →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Trails6.2×
Brenham has more miles of trail
Brenham 16.1 miBelton 2.6 mi
Growth since 2010+16.1 pts
Belton has grown faster since 2010
Belton +26.6%Brenham +10.5%
Work in town+19.2 pts
More of Brenham’s workers stay in town
Brenham 35.6%Belton 16.4%
Property tax bill+30%
Tax bills are bigger in Belton
Belton $4,038Brenham $3,097
Average commute5 min
Brenham has the shorter commute
Belton 23 minBrenham 18 min
Age 65++6.3 pts
Brenham has more people 65 and up
Brenham 20.2%Belton 13.9%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Belton$2,050/mo
Typical home $313K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.56% · or rent about $1,252/mo · Housing →
Brenham$2,080/mo
Typical home $329K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.28% · or rent about $1,157/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Brenham places higher on 18 of 25 TX lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Texas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
–BeltonNot graded C−BrenhamSafer than 23% of U.S. towns
Schools
BBeltonBetter than 57% of districts in the state B+BrenhamBetter than 71% of districts in the state
Health
CBeltonHealthier than 32% of U.S. towns C+BrenhamHealthier than 43% of U.S. towns
6Belton
18Brenham

Lists won, of 25 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most trailsOutdoors · 405 towns #372#46 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 180 towns #169#37 Lowest depressionHealth · 652 towns #642#256 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 632 towns #187#480 Most library borrowingLibraries · 183 towns #102#51 Lowest obesityHealth · 652 towns #495#314 Shortest commuteGetting around · 653 towns #236#65 Most walkableOutdoors · 653 towns #421#252

Left end = #1 in Texas. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Belton’s rankings →

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
BeltonBrenham
Snow a year0″0″
January low36°F41°F
July high95°F94°F
Growing season (days)251d279d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)22nd27th
Outdoors & history
BeltonBrenham
Trails3 mi16 mi
Conserved land8.2%2.9%
Settled18501844
National Register places4134
Archive photos1212
Famous people born here—39
Community
BeltonBrenham
Library hours a week42 hrs40 hrs
Colleges in town11
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

89 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BeltonTXBrenhamTX
Belton ↔ Brenham89 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

BeltonBrenham
People
Population 24,356Highest 18,641Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +26.6%Highest TX: +15.9% +10.5%Lowest TX: +15.9%
Median age 32.4±1.5Lowest 9% below TX 33.8±1.8Highest 5% below TX
Brenham and Belton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.3%±3.2Highest TX: 25% 22%±2.8Lowest TX: 25%
Belton and Brenham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13.9%±2Lowest TX: 13.4% 20.2%±2.5Highest TX: 13.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 28.3%Lowest TX: 33.8% 32.5%Highest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 11.1%±1.5Highest TX: 6.2% 10.6%±1.4Lowest TX: 6.2%
Belton and Brenham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $59,130±$6kLowest 25% below TX $65,112±$9kHighest 17% below TX
Brenham and Belton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $258,700±$23kHighest 9% below TX $241,100±$12kLowest 15% below TX
Belton and Brenham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,252±$80Highest 11% below TX $1,157±$67Lowest 18% below TX
Belton and Brenham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,038Highest 5% below TX $3,097Lowest 27% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 63%±10.7Highest TX: 51.7% 45.8%±9.6Lowest TX: 51.7%
Belton and Brenham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 16.7%Lowest TX: 13.8% 18.9%Highest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 56%Highest TX: 62.6% 51.1%Lowest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1994Highest 2 yrs newer than TX 1983Lowest 9 yrs older than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minHighest 15% below TX 18 minLowest 34% below TX
Work from home 10.6%±3.5Highest TX: 14.4% 8.4%±3.2Lowest TX: 14.4%
Belton and Brenham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 16.4%Lowest 35.6%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.8 miLowest 33.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.41Lowest 1.59Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Temple (24%)Houston (13%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BrenhamFew work in Belton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 8.2%Highest 2.9%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 2.6 miLowest 16.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 1.2 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 16Highest 7Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 50.3Lowest 71.7Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #318 of 583 in TX#194 of 583 in TX
School district BELTON ISDBRENHAM ISD
High school in town Belton H SBrenham H S
Students per teacherat that high school 13.7Lowest 14.1Highest
Texas average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Belton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Belton’s Town Square.

Brenham neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Brenham’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Belton and Brenham

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Bordering Belton

T
+ Compare
Temple89,602 people · $239K homes

Towns like Belton

H
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Harker Heights34,128 people · $288K homes
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Portland20,543 people · $235K homes
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Eagle Pass28,339 people · $188K homes
A
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Alvin28,333 people · $229K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Texas towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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