Brooks

Brooks County

Updated on: November 16, 2021
Coordinates
27° 2' 24" N, 98° 12' 36" W (27.04, -98.21)
State
Texas
Region
South
County Seat:
Falfurrias
Year Organized:
1911
Total Square Miles:
943.65
Population:
7235 (2017)
Persons/Square Mile:
8
Brooks County Website
http://www.co.brooks.tx.us/

Contiguous Counties

Jim Wells (N)
Kleberg (NE)
Kenedy (E)
Hidalgo (S)
Starr (SW)
Jim Hogg (W)
Duval (NW)

Brooks County Town List

County structure

Government Type:
County
Authority:
Dillon's Rule
Legislative Body:
Commisioners Court
Size of Legislative Body:
5

Demographics

2018 Population:
7235
25 to 64 Years of Age:
44.28%
65 Years of Age and Older:
18.32%

Economy, 2018

Gross Domestic Product (GDP):
$360.8 M
Labor Force:
2,444
Unemployment Rate:
6.50%

County Contact

PO BOX 515
County Courthouse
Falfurrias, TX, 78355-0515

http://www.co.brooks.tx.us

Brooks is a county in Texas, United States. It covers 942 square miles.  According to the 2019 US Census, Brooks has a population of 15,457 people. Brooks County is named after James Abijah Brooks who was a legislator. 

The county’s largest town is Falfurrias, and it is also the county seat. 

Adjacent counties neighboring Brooks County include: 

  • Kleberg County (northeast) 
  • Jim Wells County (north) 
  • Starr County (southwest) 
  • Hidalgo County (south)  
  • Jim Hogg County (west) 
  • Kenedy County (east) 
  • Duval County (northwest) 

Airports in Brooks County 

The Brooks County Airport 

The Brooks County Airport is situated in Falfurrias, Texas. It mainly serves residents of Brooks County. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is in charge of the Airport in Falfurrias. 

Brooks County Airport has a number of facilities including: 

  • Control towers
  • Maintenance area and facilities
  • Hangars
  • Terminals

The Airport provides customers with dining services, retail services, Access to hotels, and local transport means like taxis, buses, etc. 

Another airport facility within Brooks County is the Cage Ranch Airport. 

Major airports near Brooks County are: 

General Lucio Blanco International Airport (REX / MMRX) – It provides domestic flights from Reynosa, Mexico. It is 82 miles from Brooks County. 

Brownsville/South Padre Island Intl AirportIt is 115 miles from Brooks County, and provides domestic flights from Brownsville, Texas. 

Quetzalcóatl International Airport (NLD / MMNL) – It is 114 miles from Brooks County and offers domestic flights from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. 

Corpus Christi International Airport (CRP / KCRP) – It is 83 miles from Brooks County and has domestic flights from Corpus Christi, Texas. 

Valley International Airport (HRL / KHRL) – It is 87 miles from Brooks County and offers domestic flights from Harlingen, Texas.   

McAllen-Miller International Airport (MFE / KMFE) – It is the nearest facility to Brook County. It has both domestic and international flights from McAllen, TX. 

Laredo International Airport (LRD / KLRD) – It is 103 miles from Brooks County and provides domestic flights from Laredo, Texas. 

Education in Brooks County, Texas 

The highest-ranked public schools in Brooks County are: 

The ranking is based on two parameters; learner’s ability to read proficiently and Mathematics. Other schools in Brooks County are: 

  • La Gloria School
  • Lasater Elementary School

Where to Visit in Brook County, Texas 

The Heritage Museum at Falfurrias, Texas 

The Heritage Museum is situated along Chisholm Trail. The frontier heritage of the region is preserved in maps, personal papers of early Brook County pioneers, records, pictures, relics, and artifacts. The museum is under the leadership of a board of directors.  You can visit the museum from Tuesday to Friday. It is usually open between  9 am and 4 pm.   

The Carol Dryden Collection 

Approximately 90,000 photo negatives are exhibited for public viewing at the Carol Dryden Collection, and you can obtain a reprint of a photo at a minimal fee.  

The displays include a collection of photos from Texas, Hebbronville, Benavides, Encino, Premont, and Falfurrias. 

How Safe is Brooks County? 

The rate of crime in Brooks County is higher than the national average. 93% of the county is safe, while the rest is dangerous. The northwest region is safer. The crime rate in Brooks County is 70.45 in every 1000 residents. The probability of being a crime victim is 1 in twenty people in the northwest, while one in one person in the southwest. 

Housing Costs in Brooks County, Texas 

Housing is a significant factor in determining the cost of living. The median home value of Falfurrias is $61,400. It is lower compared to the United States average of $204,900. 

The standard renting rate in Falfurrias is $620 more than the US average of $1,023 monthly rental fee. 46.20% of homes in Falfurrias are rented, higher than the national percentage of 36.2%. 

In considering housing as a factor in the cost of living, the household income also determines what kind of housing you can afford. The household income average in Falfurrias is $25.772, which is 2.4 times the average home value. This is lower than the US. The national home value is 3.4 times the $60.293. 

Transportation Costs in Brooks County, Texas 

Cost of living can also be analyzed using transport costs. 92.7% of commuters in Brooks County drive to work. Compared to the national median of 85.5%, it is higher. Commuters spend an average of 14.2 minutes getting to work. In comparison, commuters spend 26.6 minutes on average in the US to get to work. That means residents in Brook County pay less on gas compared to the national average. 

About 41.60% of residents of Brook County work outside Falfurrias compared to 43.7% of residents nationwide who live and work in different cities. 

On average, a resident in Falfurrias spends $10,684 yearly on transport, higher than the US average of $9,760. 

Brooks County Offices 

Brooks County has several county offices. The county offices include the offices of County Judge, Sheriff, County Clerk, Commissioners Court, County Treasurer, and Peace Justice. 

The Brooks County judge is Eric Ramos. You may reach him through Phone (361)-325-5604 x 157 and Fax 512-895-9680. 

 In the commissioner’s court, there is you have the precinct commissioners: 

  • Precinct number one –Eduardo “Eddy” Garza 
  • Precinct number Two –Rolando Gutierrez 
  • Precinct number Three –Horacio Villarreal III 
  • Precinct number Four –Ernesto “Pepe” Williams 

Brooks County clerk is Elvaray B. Silvas. You may reach him by phone at 361-325-5604 or fax him at 512-895-9680. His office is open from seven-thirty am to six pm from Monday to Thursday, and it’s available at noon and on Fridays.  

The treasurer of Brooks County is called Alan Hernandez. You can reach him by Fax (361)-325-4019 or office phone (361)-325-5670. The current tax collector is Jamie Craig. His office phone is (806) 553-2860, and the office hours are Mon thru Thursday from seven-thirty to six pm.  

What’s more? Urbino “Benny” Martinez is the current county sheriff. You can reach her department via phone at (361)-325-3696 x 503 or Fax: (361)-325-1743 

You may find Brooks County offices’ and other offices’ details on Brooks County’s website