Brenham is a city in east-central Texas in Washington County, United States, with a population of 15,716 according to the 2010 U.S. census. It is the county seat of Washington County. Brenham is south of College Station, and about halfway between Houston and Austin approximately northwest of Houston, and about east of Austin. Brenham is renowned as the heart of the bluebonnet region in Central Texas. The local chamber of commerce promotes the Bluebonnet Trails and offers free maps to guide visitors along the most scenic wildflower routes, which also pass historic sites and attractions. Washington County is known as the "Birthplace of Texas," as it contains the site of the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836 in the town of Washington-on-the-Brazos. This is now a state historic site. Brenham is also known for its annual German heritage festival that takes place each May called Maifest, similar to Volksfest. Numerous German immigrants settled here in the mid-nineteenth century, following the Revolutions in German states in 1848. Brenham is also the Home of "The World's Largest BBQ Pit" on 290 West.
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,507 people, 4,907 households, and 3,115 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,541.5 people per square mile. There were 5,317 housing units at an average density of 606.8 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 69.99% White, 21.91% African American, 0.25% Native American, 1.86% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 4.75% from other races, and 1.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.25% of the population. There were 4,907 households, out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.01. In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 15.9% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $32,198, and the median income for a family was $41,486. Males had a median income of $31,133 versus $22,152 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,351. About 12.8% of families and 17.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.9% of those under age 18 and 20.7% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Bluebonnet Cabs offers taxi service in and around the Brenham area. -affiliated operations Until 2009 Greyhound Lines offered bus services from the Stop N'Save at 601 East Main Street, but as of 2015 Brenham is not served by intercity bus. The population has increased steadily, but people have preferred to rely on their privately owned automobiles for transportation.
Industry
Brenham is the home of and headquarters for Blue Bell Creameries, an ice cream brand that is especially popular in the state of Texas and the southeastern United States. Blue Bell is the 4th best-selling ice cream brand in the United States, and is sold in 16 states. Brenham is also home to a large plant of Valmont Industries, manufacturing metal poles. The city is the site of the Brenham State Supported Living Center, the largest of such facilities in the state. This facility provides residence and care for intellectually disabled persons.
Education
The City of Brenham's primary education is provided by Brenham Independent School District and also various private schools. The public schools in BISD include Brenham Elementary, Krause Elementary, Alton Elementary, Brenham Middle School, Brenham Junior High, and Brenham High School. The mascot for Brenham high school is the lion cub. Brenham is also the home of Blinn College, the oldest county-owned junior college in Texas. Blinn has campuses also in Bryan, Schulenburg, and Sealy.
The climate in this area is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. The Köppen Climate System describes the weather as humid subtropical, and uses the abbreviation Cfa.
