Burleson County, composing an area of 666 square miles, is located in the Brazos River Basin in Southeastern Central Texas. The county is located 25 miles west of Bryan and College Station, 80 miles east of Austin, 80 miles south of Waco, 100 miles northwest of Houston, 140 miles northeast of San Antonio and 160 miles south of Dallas and Fort Worth providing this agriculturally based county an excellent strategic site within the population triangle, which accounts for two-thirds of Texas population.

Oil and gas is the number one source of income in the county. Agriculture, with an annual income of more than $30 million annually, ranks second in gross income. Twenty-seven percent of the county is employed in some area of agriculture. Tourism is also a large industry in Burleson County with Lake Somerville providing opportunities for hunting, fishing, boating and other forms of recreation.

Demographically, projections for Burleson County in the year 2000 shows an anticipated increase. In 1996 its population was 15,192, and the prediction for 2000 is 15,814. The largest age group is 18-64, not unlike many counties throughout Texas.

Burleson County Per Capita Personal Income in 1996 was $16,121. Burleson ranked 177th in the state and was 72 percent of the state average. Twenty-two percent of the county population earn income below the poverty level. The educational census in 1994-95 showed that there was 3,174 youth with 97% enrolled in public schools. 58% of the population over 25 years of age had a high school education and 9.5% had a college degree.

Burleson County, like other Texas counties, is concentrating on growing a strong educational system and developing a strong economy that will prepare its citizens and its children for the 21st century.