Washington County

Texas · Brenham, TX micropolitan area · 38,288 residents (2025 est.)

FHFA annual index 1986–2025Developmental county indexPermits through August 2026

Washington County (100 = first year)United States, rebased to the same startNBER recession

FHFA notes: The FHFA HPI is a broad measure of the movement of single-family house prices. The FHFA HPI is a weighted, repeat-sales index, meaning that it measures average price changes in repeat sales or refinancings on the same properties. FHFA describes its county indexes as developmental and subject to revision. The index does not give a dollar value for any home.

FHFA's index for Washington County, Texas, starts in 1986 and stood at 417 in 2025, +317.4% above its base of 100.

Over the ten years to 2025 the index rose +84.9% (+6.3% a year), close to Texas at +88.2% and close to the national +85.0%. The Brenham, TX area rose +84.9%. The latest one-year change is +1.9%.

The strongest decade was the 1990s (+51.9%); the weakest the 2010s (+44.3%).

Builders were authorised for 116 housing units in the county in the 12 months to August 2026 (−44.0% on the previous 12 months), 3.0 units per 1,000 residents; 85% were single-family houses. Since 1995 the county has authorised 3,504 units, most in 2020.

+1.9%1 year, 2024–2025Texas +0.8%

+46.8%5 yearsUS +47.0%

+84.9%10 years+6.3% a year annualised

+217.7%since 2000US +158.3%

116units permitted, 12 months3.0 per 1,000 residents

Same span, four levels

Change in the FHFA index	Washington County	Brenham area	Texas	United States
1 year (2024–2025)	+1.9%	+1.9%	+0.8%	+2.8%
5 years (2020–2025)	+46.8%	+46.8%	+43.5%	+47.0%
10 years (2015–2025)	+84.9%	+84.9%	+88.2%	+85.0%
20 years (2005–2025)	+152.6%	+152.6%	+147.8%	+79.1%
Since 2000	+217.7%	+217.7%	+195.2%	+158.3%
Since 1986	+317.4%	+317.4%	+263.0%	+347.1%
10-year annualised	+6.3%	+6.3%	+6.5%	+6.3%
20-year annualised	+4.7%	+4.7%	+4.6%	+3.0%

All columns are FHFA annual all-transactions indexes over the same years.

Decade by decade

Decade	Change	United States
1990s (1990–2000)	+51.9%	+33.9%
2000s (2000–2010)	+50.0%	+29.7%
2010s (2010–2020)	+44.3%	+35.5%
2020s so far (2020–2025)	+46.8%	+47.0%

FHFA reports each index with a value of 100 in its base period, the first year the area has enough transactions (1986 here). A decade's change is the index at the end of the decade divided by the index at the start, so it does not depend on the base year; the United States column covers the same years. Decades before 1986 are not shown.

Peak-to-low declines

Peak	Low	Decline	Peak regained
1987	1988	−16.2%	1995

Building permits

Housing units authorised by building permits in Washington County, by month over the latest five years and by year since 1995.

Housing units authorised in Washington County by month, latest 12 monthssingle-family2+ unit buildings

Housing units authorised in Washington County by month, latest 60 monthssingle-family2+ unit buildings

Housing units authorised in Washington County by year, 1995–2025single-family2+ unit buildings

Permits, 12 months to August 2026	Washington County	Texas	United States
Housing units authorised	116	194,150	1,418,086
Units per 1,000 residents	3.0	6.1	4.1
Single-family share	85%	70%	63%
Change on previous 12 months	−44.0%	−10.8%	−0.1%
Units authorised since 1995	3,504	5,276,895	43,082,761

Population is the Census Bureau's vintage 2025 estimate. Permits authorise construction; they are not completions.

ZIP codes in Washington County

Ranked by ten-year change in the FHFA ZIP index. Where a ZIP's index ends before 2025, its spans end in that year.

ZIP	1 year	10 years	Since 2000	Index through	Years
77426	+13.1%	+111.1%	—	2022	20
77833	+2.5%	+82.9%	+209.2%	2025	40

Cities and permit-issuing places in Washington County

Housing units authorised in the 12 months to August 2026; places with at least 12 units in the year, or in the year before.

Place	Units, 12 months	Per 1,000 residents	Single-family
Brenham	116	5.8	85%

Questions and answers

How much have home values in Washington County risen over 10 years?

The FHFA index for Washington County rose +84.9% from 2015 to 2025, about +6.3% a year. Over 20 years: +152.6%; since 2000: +217.7%.

How does Washington County compare with Texas and the United States?

Over the ten years to 2025: Washington County +84.9%, Texas +88.2%, United States +85.0%, Brenham, TX +84.9%.

What happened to Washington County prices in 2008?

The county index shows no decline of 5% or more from a 2005–2008 peak. The Texas index fell — over —–—.

How many homes are being built in Washington County?

116 housing units were authorised by building permits in the 12 months to August 2026 (99 single-family, 17 in buildings of five or more units), or 3.0 per 1,000 residents against 6.1 for Texas.

Where does this data come from?

The index is FHFA's annual county house price index (all-transactions, developmental), last updated March 31, 2026, with values through 2025. Permits are from the Census Bureau Building Permits Survey through August 2026; population is the Census Bureau's vintage 2025 estimate.

Provenance

Index: Federal Housing Finance Agency, annual house price index for counties (all-transactions, developmental), last updated March 31, 2026, values 1986–2025; metro, state and national comparisons from FHFA's annual indexes in the same release. Permits: Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, county and place files, through August 2026. Population: Census Bureau vintage 2025 estimates. ZIP assignment: 2020 ZCTA-to-county relationship file. Public domain throughout. Corrections · FHFA HPI datasets · Building Permits Survey.