Brownwood, Texas
Brownwood sits in Brown County on the northern edge of the Texas Hill Country, about 68 miles southeast of Abilene. It is the home of Howard Payne University and serves as a trade center for the surrounding ranching and farming country of rolling hills and pecan bottoms. Lake Brownwood, a large reservoir formed by damming Pecan Bayou north of the city, anchors a state park and draws visitors for fishing and boating.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- City
- July 2025 population
- 18,635
- Change from 2020 base
- -1.3%
- Land area
- 14.9 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Brown County
Place type, county footprint, and land area use the Census Bureau's January 1, 2025 geography. Population uses Vintage 2025 estimates through July 1, 2025; change compares that estimate with the April 1, 2020 estimates base. Geography file | Population file
Property here runs through the appraisal district and tax office for Brown County. The homestead exemption, appraisal cap, protests, and any MUD, PID, or special districts all sit at the parcel level.
Official routes
Use the office for the parcel address; a mailing city is not always the governing city.
County context
What to know around Brownwood
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around Brownwood.
History
Camp Bowie: Brown County's World War II Training Center
During World War II, a massive military training camp covering about 120,000 acres south of Brownwood trained more than a quarter million soldiers and housed German prisoners of war.
Property tax
How the Brown County Appraisal District Handles Your Property Tax
The Brown County Appraisal District sets property values and processes exemptions separately from the tax assessor-collector who sends your bill.
Agricultural valuation
Ag Valuation Can Lower Taxes on Rural Land in Brown County
Land used for qualifying agricultural purposes in Brown County can be taxed on its productive value rather than its market value, which is usually lower.
Nearby
Places near Brownwood
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Next steps for Brownwood
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