Compare towns

Brenham vs Belton

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

Brenham, TXA history townTexas · 18,641 people

Belton, TXA history townTexas · 24,356 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.

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 →

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 →

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.

Down paymentRate%

Brenham$2,080/mo

Typical home $329K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.28% · or rent about $1,157/mo · Housing →

Belton$2,050/mo

Typical home $313K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.56% · or rent about $1,252/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

C−BrenhamSafer than 23% of U.S. towns –BeltonNot graded

Schools

B+BrenhamBetter than 71% of districts in the state BBeltonBetter than 57% of districts in the state

Health

C+BrenhamHealthier than 43% of U.S. towns CBeltonHealthier than 32% of U.S. towns

18Brenham

6Belton

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

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

Left end = #1 in Texas. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Brenham’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

BrenhamBelton

Snow a year0″0″

January low41°F 36°F

July high94°F 95°F

Growing season (days)279d 251d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)27th 22nd

Outdoors & history

BrenhamBelton

Trails16 mi 3 mi

Conserved land2.9%8.2%

Settled1844 1850

National Register places34 41

Archive photos12 12

Famous people born here39 —

Community

BrenhamBelton

Library hours a week40 hrs 42 hrs

Colleges in town1 1

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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.

BrenhamTX BeltonTX

Brenham ↔ Belton89 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.

Only big differences vs Texas average

BrenhamBelton

People

Population 18,641Lowest 24,356Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +10.5%Lowest TX: +15.9% +26.6%Highest TX: +15.9%

Median age 33.8±1.8Highest 5% below TX 32.4±1.5Lowest 9% 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 22%±2.8Lowest TX: 25% 24.3%±3.2Highest TX: 25%

Belton and Brenham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 20.2%±2.5Highest TX: 13.4% 13.9%±2Lowest TX: 13.4%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 32.5%Highest TX: 33.8% 28.3%Lowest TX: 33.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 10.6%±1.4Lowest TX: 6.2% 11.1%±1.5Highest 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 $65,112±$9kHighest 17% below TX $59,130±$6kLowest 25% 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 $241,100±$12kLowest 15% below TX $258,700±$23kHighest 9% 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 $1,157±$67Lowest 18% below TX $1,252±$80Highest 11% 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 $3,097Lowest 27% below TX $4,038Highest 5% below TX

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 45.8%±9.6Lowest TX: 51.7% 63%±10.7Highest 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 18.9%Highest TX: 13.8% 16.7%Lowest TX: 13.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 51.1%Lowest TX: 62.6% 56%Highest TX: 62.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1983Lowest 9 yrs older than TX 1994Highest 2 yrs newer than TX

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 18 minLowest 34% below TX 23 minHighest 15% below TX

Work from home 8.4%±3.2Lowest TX: 14.4% 10.6%±3.5Highest 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 35.6%Highest 16.4%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 33.8 miHighest 17.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.59Highest 1.41Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Houston (13%)Temple (24%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BeltonFew work in Brenham

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 2.9%Lowest 8.2%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 16.1 miHighest 2.6 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.2 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 7Lowest 16Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 71.7Highest 50.3Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #194 of 583 in TX #318 of 583 in TX

School district BRENHAM ISDBELTON ISD

High school in town Brenham H SBelton H S

Students per teacherat that high school 14.1Highest 13.7Lowest

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.

Brenham neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Brenham’s Town Square.

Belton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Belton’s Town Square.

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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.

Brenham vs Belton

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

A typical home costs about the same each month

Brenham places higher on 18 of 25 TX lists

What daily life feels like in each

89 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Brenham and Belton

Towns like Brenham

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