I live in Burleson. I grew up in Fort Worth, so I have watched this town go from “that exit on the way to Cleburne” to a city of about 57,000 people with two billion-dollar communities going in on its west side. When someone asks me what it is actually like to live here, this is the answer I give — the good parts, the parts that are changing, and the parts nobody mentions until after closing.
| What | The answer |
|---|---|
| Population | 56,907 (Census estimate, July 2025), up from 47,641 in 2020 |
| Where | Southern edge of Fort Worth on I-35W, about 14 miles from downtown |
| Counties | Two — mostly Johnson, with a northern slice in Tarrant |
| School districts | Mostly Burleson ISD and Joshua ISD, with edges in three others |
| Median household income | $93,928 |
| Median owner-occupied home value | $308,200 |
| Average commute | 30.9 minutes |
Income, home value and commute are Census American Community Survey five-year estimates, so they lag the market. Today’s sale prices run higher.
That income-to-home-value ratio is the whole reason a young family priced out of Fort Worth ends up looking here. It is also why Burleson is still, mostly, a town people sleep in and drive out of. That is starting to change, and I will get to why.
This trips up more buyers than anything else. Which county your house sits in decides who appraises it and which county rate lands on your tax bill. Two homes a mile apart, same city, can carry noticeably different bills. I break the money side down in Burleson property taxes, explained.
Schools are the bigger surprise. A Burleson address can fall in Burleson ISD, Joshua ISD, Crowley ISD, Everman ISD or Mansfield ISD. Joshua ISD alone runs four campuses inside Burleson, and the new west-side communities are all Joshua ISD. If schools drive your search, I pull the district for every house before you fall in love with it. The full story is in how Burleson got its name.
Old Town is the center of gravity — a real downtown, not a strip center with a clock tower, because the interurban stop it grew up around was real. One of my favorite spots is Old Texas Brewing Company. The brunch is amazing, and on weekends there’s live music on the rooftop. It’s always a great vibe.
Beyond that: the Saturday farmers market in Mayor Vera Calvin Plaza, Hidden Creek Golf Course, the BRiCk recreation center, Bailey Lake and a lot of trail. I have written each of these up properly rather than cramming them in here:
Along Chisholm Trail Parkway, two master-planned communities, Chisholm Summit and Tallgrass, plan roughly 7,000 homes between them, plus office, retail and new parks. If you are shopping new construction in Burleson, you will almost certainly be looking at one of them. Start with Burleson’s $2.2 billion boom, and for what else is being built around town, read what’s being built in Burleson through 2028.
I would rather you hear these from me than find them on your first tax bill.
People who want Fort Worth within reach without Fort Worth prices per square foot. Families who want a real town center and Friday night football. Veterans — I wrote everything about VA loans in Burleson in one place. And anyone who wants room to breathe; if that means acreage or horses, read horse property in Burleson first, because the rules change the second you leave city limits.
For buyers who want a small-town center with Fort Worth access, yes. Burleson has a real historic downtown, strong community events and a median household income of $93,928 against a median home value of $308,200. The trade-offs are growth-related traffic and construction, and property taxes that vary by county and school district.
About 14 miles from downtown Fort Worth via I-35W. West Burleson also has direct access to Chisholm Trail Parkway, a toll road that runs into downtown.
Both Johnson and Tarrant. Most of the city is in Johnson County, with a smaller northern portion in Tarrant County.
Mostly Burleson ISD and Joshua ISD, but a Burleson address can also fall in Crowley ISD, Everman ISD or Mansfield ISD. The new west-side communities, Chisholm Summit and Tallgrass, are in Joshua ISD. Always check the specific address.
Yes. The Census Bureau estimated 56,907 residents in July 2025, up from 47,641 at the 2020 Census, and two master-planned communities on the west side plan roughly 7,000 more homes.
Thinking about Burleson? I live here. Tell me what matters to you — commute, schools, land, budget — and I will tell you which side of town fits, and which does not.
Talk Burleson with me
REALTOR® · BHHS PenFed Realty Texas
I help buyers and sellers across the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex — Fort Worth, Burleson, Crowley and Keller, and the surrounding Dallas area. I write these because they are the questions I answer on the phone every week, and most people never get a straight answer to them. If you have one I have not covered, ask me — I will probably turn it into the next post.