Brazos County, Texas
25 local notes for Brazos County — practical, plain-English, and pointed at the official source to confirm. Austin / Central Texas / Hill Country.
See the College Station place page ->Money & Taxes
Property tax
How to file your homestead exemption in Brazos County
Filing a homestead exemption with Brazos CAD can lower your annual property tax bill if your home is your primary residence.
Property tax
Appraisal district vs. tax office: who does what in Brazos County
In Brazos County, two separate offices handle property taxes — Brazos CAD sets values and grants exemptions, while the Brazos County Tax Office collects bills.
Property tax
How to protest your property appraisal in Brazos County
Brazos County property owners can challenge their appraised value through the Brazos CAD Appraisal Review Board — the deadline depends on property type and when notice is mailed.
Agricultural valuation
Ag valuation and wildlife management on Brazos County land
Qualifying rural land in Brazos County can be taxed on what it produces, not its market value. That can cut your tax bill sharply.
Property tax / Veterans
Disabled veteran property tax exemptions in Brazos County
Texas veterans with a VA disability rating of 10% or higher can get a partial property tax exemption. Those rated 100% disabled get a full exemption on their home.
Home & Property
Flood
Flood zones and development permits in Brazos County
Parts of Brazos County sit in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas along the Brazos and Navasota rivers, and any construction in those zones requires a county floodplain development permit.
Water
Groundwater wells and permits in Brazos County
Brazos County sits over productive aquifer systems managed by the Brazos Valley Groundwater Conservation District, which regulates well permits and water use in the county.
Water / Septic
Septic system permits in Brazos County
If you build or replace a septic system on unincorporated Brazos County land, you need a permit from the Brazos County Health Department before you start.
Land use
No county zoning in Brazos County — but rules still apply
Unincorporated Brazos County has no general zoning code. But if your land is inside Bryan's or College Station's extraterritorial jurisdiction, city rules still apply.
Oil & Gas / Mineral rights
Oil, gas, and mineral rights in Brazos County
Brazos County has active oil and gas production regulated by the Texas Railroad Commission, and mineral rights are commonly severed from surface ownership, so buyers should check deed records carefully.
Special districts / Emergency services
Emergency Services Districts in Brazos County
Four Emergency Services Districts cover unincorporated Brazos County and provide fire protection and EMS to rural areas outside city limits — and their tax rates appear on your property tax bill.
Weather / Emergency
Natural hazards and severe weather in Brazos County
Brazos County's official Hazard Mitigation Plan lists floods, severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, hail, wildfire, drought, extreme heat, and severe winter storms as significant hazards.
Water
The Simsboro aquifer dispute and what it means for Brazos County water
A legal dispute over permits to export water from the Simsboro aquifer could affect long-term water supply for Bryan, College Station, and private well owners in Brazos County.
Cars & Driving
Outdoors
Fishing / Outdoors
Fishing at Lake Bryan
Lake Bryan, a 829-acre reservoir five miles west of downtown Bryan, offers public bank and boat fishing for largemouth bass, catfish, and sunfish.
Flood / River
The Brazos River and flooding in Brazos County
The Brazos River has a long history of major floods near Bryan and College Station, and USGS monitors the river's level in real time at a gauging station on SH 21.
Wildlife / Outdoors
Wildlife watching and the Brazos Valley Loop trail
The TPWD Brazos Valley Wildlife Trail connects viewing sites across the area, and Lick Creek Park in College Station offers 515 acres of Post Oak Savannah habitat for hiking, biking, and birding.
Rules & Licenses
Short-term rentals
Short-term rental rules in College Station
College Station requires an annual permit and monthly hotel occupancy tax filing for any home rented for fewer than 30 days at a time.
Wildfire / Burn ban
Burn bans and outdoor burning rules in Brazos County
The Brazos County Commissioners Court can issue burn bans during dry or high-fire-danger periods, and violating a ban can result in a misdemeanor charge.
Hunting / Fishing
Hunting and fishing licenses for Brazos County
Anyone hunting or fishing in public waters in Brazos County needs a current Texas license from TPWD, and Brazos County has specific deer bag and antler restrictions.
History & Culture
History
Downtown Bryan's National Register Historic District
Downtown Bryan was added to the National Register of Historic Places in February 2026. It is known for its railroad-era buildings and its unusual diamond-shaped street grid.
History
Texas A&M: Brazos County's land-grant university
Texas A&M University opened in College Station in 1876 on land donated by Brazos County residents. It was the first public college in Texas.
History
Millican: the railroad town that boomed and faded in Brazos County
Millican was briefly one of the largest towns in Texas during the Civil War era when it was the Houston and Texas Central Railroad's northern end point, but it faded after the rails pushed north.
History
Brazos County: from Stephen F. Austin's colony to county seat at Bryan
Brazos County was created in 1841, originally named Navasota County, and moved its county seat from Boonville to Bryan in 1866 to follow the railroad.
History
Hall's Town: Bryan's Freedman community after the Civil War
Newly freed Black residents began buying land in Bryan's Hall's Addition as early as 1867, forming one of the county's first Freedman communities on the northeast edge of town.