Brazoria County, Texas facts for kids

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Brazoria County

U.S. county

The Brazoria County Courthouse in Angleton

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Texas

Texas's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Texas

Founded

1836

Largest city

Area

• Total

1,609 sq mi (4,170 km²)

• Land

1,358 sq mi (3,520 km²)

• Water

251 sq mi (650 km²) 16%%

Population

(2020)

• Total

372,031

• Density

272.9/sq mi (105.4/km²)

Time zone

UTC−6 (Central)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−5 (CDT)

Congressional districts

9th, 14th, 22nd

Brazoria County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2020, about 372,031 people lived there. The county seat is Angleton.

Brazoria County is part of the larger Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land area. It is located in the Gulf Coast region of Texas. Its largest city is Pearland. The county is named after the Brazos River, which flows through it.

This area was the first place where Anglo-American settlers arrived in Texas in 1821. It also includes Columbia and Velasco, Texas, which were early capital cities of the Republic of Texas. The highest point in Brazoria County is Shelton's Shack, which is 342 feet (104 meters) above sea level.

History of Brazoria County

Brazoria County gets its name from the Brazos River. The first 300 American settlers, led by Stephen F. Austin, arrived here in 1821. Many important events that led to the Texas Revolution happened in Brazoria County. In 1832, the Mexican government made Brazoria a separate district. It became one of Texas's first counties when Texas gained independence in 1836.

Joel Walter Robison, an early resident, fought in the Texas Revolution. He later served in the Texas House of Representatives.

Stephen F. Austin was first buried at Gulf Prairie Cemetery in Jones Creek. This was on his brother-in-law's Peach Point Plantation. In 1910, his remains were moved to Austin, the state capital. The town of West Columbia was the first capital of Texas before the revolution.

Group of men working in Brazoria County, 1939

The Hastings Oil Field was found in 1934. It produced a lot of oil from deep underground. By 1954, about 242 million barrels of oil had been taken from this field.

Lake Jackson was built in the early 1940s. It provided homes for workers at a new Dow Chemical Company factory in nearby Freeport. Brazoria County has both rural and suburban areas. It is part of the larger Houston metropolitan area.

Agricultural trucks in Brazoria County, 1939

In June 2016, the Brazos River flooded. This caused some parts of Brazoria County to be evacuated.

Geography of Brazoria County

Brazoria County covers a total area of 1,609 square miles (4,167 square kilometers). About 1,358 square miles (3,517 square kilometers) is land. The remaining 251 square miles (650 square kilometers) is water, which is about 16% of its total area.

Neighboring Counties

Harris County (north)
Galveston County (northeast)
Gulf of Mexico (southeast)
Matagorda County (southwest)
Wharton County (west)
Fort Bend County (northwest)

Protected Natural Areas

Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge
San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge (part of it)

Communities in Brazoria County

Brazoria County has many different communities.

Cities

Towns

Villages

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated.

Unincorporated Communities

These are small communities that are not part of any city or town.

Amsterdam
Anchor
Brazosport
Bryan Beach
Chenango
China Grove
Chocolate Bayou
Danciger
English
Four Corners
Hinkle's Ferry
Lochridge
Old Ocean
Otey
Silverlake
Snipe
Turtle Cove

Ghost Towns

These are towns that no longer exist or are abandoned.

Hasima
Hastings
Lake Barbara
Mims
Oakland
Perry's Landing
Velasco

Population and People

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	4,841	—
1860	7,143	47.6%
1870	7,527	5.4%
1880	9,774	29.9%
1890	11,506	17.7%
1900	14,861	29.2%
1910	13,299	−10.5%
1920	20,614	55.0%
1930	23,054	11.8%
1940	27,069	17.4%
1950	46,549	72.0%
1960	76,204	63.7%
1970	108,312	42.1%
1980	169,587	56.6%
1990	191,707	13.0%
2000	241,767	26.1%
2010	313,166	29.5%
2020	372,031	18.8%
2023 (est.)	398,938	27.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010–2020

In 2000, Brazoria County had 241,767 people. By 2010, the population grew to 313,166. In 2020, it reached 372,031 people.

In the late 1800s, most people in Brazoria County were Black. Many were formerly enslaved people who worked on plantations. However, after Jim Crow laws were put in place, many African Americans moved to Houston. This made the county mostly white. By 2022, due to growth of different groups, white people were no longer the majority in the county.

**Brazoria County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition**
*Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.*
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	158,052	166,674	161,833	65.37%	53.22%	43.50%
Black or African American alone (NH)	20,183	36,880	53,668	8.35%	11.78%	14.43%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	828	1,013	1,022	0.34%	0.32%	0.27%
Asian alone (NH)	4,776	17,013	26,231	1.98%	5.43%	7.05%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	54	58	129	0.02%	0.02%	0.03%
Other race alone (NH)	215	472	1,374	0.09%	0.15%	0.37%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	2,596	4,413	12,572	1.07%	1.41%	3.38%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	55,063	86,643	115,202	22.78%	27.67%	30.97%
Total	241,767	313,166	372,031	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

Education in Brazoria County

Many different school districts serve students in Brazoria County. These include:

Alvin ISD
Angleton ISD
Brazosport ISD
Columbia-Brazoria ISD
Danbury ISD
Damon ISD
Friendswood ISD
Pearland ISD
Sweeny ISD

For higher education, there are two colleges: Alvin Community College and Brazosport College. Alvin Community College serves areas like Alvin, Danbury, and Pearland. Brazosport College serves Angleton, Brazosport, Columbia-Brazoria, Damon, and Sweeny areas.

The Brazoria County Library System has many branches. You can find them in Alvin, Angleton, Brazoria, Clute, Danbury, Freeport, Lake Jackson, Manvel, Pearland, Sweeny, and West Columbia. The county also has the Brazoria County Historical Museum.

Transportation in Brazoria County

Major Highways

State Highway 6
State Highway 35
State Highway 36
State Highway 288
State Highway 332

Airports

The Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport is the main public airport in Brazoria County.

There are also several private airports open for public use:

Flyin' B Airport
Skyway Manor Airport in Pearland
Pearland Regional Airport

The closest airport with regular flights is Houston's William P. Hobby Airport. It is located in southern Houston, in Harris County. George Bush Intercontinental Airport, a larger international airport, also serves Brazoria County.

Toll Roads

Brazoria County Toll Road Authority
Authority overview
Formed	December 2003 (2003-12)
Jurisdiction	Brazoria County, Texas
Headquarters	Brazoria Commissioners Court

The Brazoria County Toll Road Authority (BCTRA) manages toll lanes on TX 288. These lanes connect to other toll lanes in Harris County.

History of the Toll Road Authority

The BCTRA was created in December 2003. It was formed because the Houston area needed more roads. The authority wanted to have a say in new roads built in Brazoria County.

Roadway System

The only toll road operated by BCTRA is the Brazoria County Expressway. This expressway is located in the middle of SH 288. It starts at County Road 58 in Manvel. The BCTRA maintains it for five miles up to the Harris County line. The 288 Toll Lanes then continue into Harris County for ten more miles.

Construction on the Brazoria County Expressway started in late 2016. It was finished on November 16, 2020. You need an EZ Tag, TxTag, or TollTag to pay the tolls electronically.