Surfside Beach, Texas
Surfside Beach is a small coastal city in Brazoria County on the upper Texas Gulf Coast, about 37 miles southwest of Galveston near the mouth of the Brazos River. It occupies a low barrier-island setting of sand beaches, dunes, and marsh where the river and intracoastal waterway meet the Gulf. The town is known chiefly as a beach and fishing destination, with much of its activity centered on the shoreline and surrounding waters.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- City
- July 2025 population
- 694
- Change from 2020 base
- +10.3%
- Land area
- 1.6 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Brazoria 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 Brazoria 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 Surfside Beach
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around Surfside Beach.
History
Brazoria County Is Where the Republic of Texas Was Born
Brazoria County was settled by Stephen F. Austin's first authorized colonists in 1821, hosted the treaties that ended the Texas Revolution, and served as the site of the Republic of Texas's first capital.
Property tax
How to Apply for Your Homestead Exemption in Brazoria County
Homeowners in Brazoria County can reduce their property tax bill by filing a homestead exemption with the Brazoria Central Appraisal District.
History
West Columbia Served as the First Capital of the Republic of Texas
The town of Columbia, present-day West Columbia in Brazoria County, was the seat of Texas's first elected government in 1836, where Sam Houston took the presidential oath and Stephen F. Austin died.
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