NCTCOG President
Burleson Cnclmbr. Victoria Johnson — 2025-26 term
City · Tarrant County
Burleson
Population ~53,283 · burleson-isd
☕ Burleson brief Mon, Jun 1
Hilton Tapestry coming
'The Standard' hotel — construction 2026, opens late 2027
Founded 1881 by MKT railroad
Named for Dr. Rufus C. Burleson, Baylor president
Local News
Burleson headlines
What's happening in Burleson right now
Civic
Population pushing 55,000 along the south Tarrant edge
Burleson recorded 47,793 residents in the 2020 U.S. Census and has continued steady growth along U.S. 174 and Old Town Burleson, with city demographers tracking estimates above 50,000 by the mid-2020s. The city spans Tarrant and Johnson counties. Source: U.S. Census; City of Burleson.
Updated 2026
Schools
Burleson ISD anchors growth
Burleson ISD operates two high schools — Burleson High and Burleson Centennial — and continues to expand campuses to keep pace with residential growth in south Tarrant and north Johnson counties. Source: Burleson ISD.
Ongoing
Heritage
Hometown of Kelly Clarkson
Singer Kelly Clarkson, the inaugural American Idol winner in 2002, was raised in Burleson and graduated from Burleson High School in 2000 — the city's most widely recognized native daughter. Source: Burleson ISD; Wikipedia.
Ongoing
Council
Council meets first and third Mondays
The Burleson City Council meets on the first and third Mondays at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 141 W. Renfro Street. Source: City of Burleson.
Ongoing
🏛️ Civic
Burleson Councilmember Victoria Johnson elected NCTCOG Executive Board President
Burleson City Councilmember Victoria Johnson was elected President of the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) Executive Board for the 2025–2026 term. NCTCOG is the regional planning body covering 16 counties including Tarrant. Source: Burleson city news.
🏨 Business
Hilton Tapestry-brand hotel 'The Standard' coming to Burleson
A new hotel project named The Standard will bring the Hilton Tapestry brand to Burleson. Construction is expected to begin in 2026 with a targeted grand opening in late 2027. Source: Burleson city news flash.
From across Tarrant County
🗳️ Election
Contested mayor races in nine Tarrant cities on May 2 ballot
The May 2, 2026 ballot featured contested races for mayor in nine Tarrant cities: Arlington, Euless, Keller, Kennedale, North Richland Hills, Pelican Bay, Sansom Park, Westlake, and Westover Hills. The slate also included numerous city council positions, school board trustee seats, and other municipal offices across the county. Source: NBC 5 DFW / Tarrant County Elections.
🗳️ Politics
Taylor Rehmet (D) wins Texas State Senate District 9 special election
In Tarrant County's state Senate District 9 special election held November 4, 2025, Democrat Taylor Rehmet finished as the top vote-getter, ahead by roughly 14,000 votes and a margin of nearly 15%. Rehmet replaces Republican Kelly Hancock, who left the seat in 2025 to become acting state comptroller. Rehmet completes the remainder of Hancock's term. Source: NBC 5 DFW.
Around Town
Around Town
Burleson's places, people, and traditions
Heritage
Old Town Burleson
Old Town Burleson along Wilson Street preserves the city's late-1800s commercial core with restaurants, boutiques, and a regularly programmed event calendar built around the Russell Farm and Old Town Plaza. Source: City of Burleson; Visit Burleson.
Year-round
Park
Chisenhall Sports Complex and Bailey Lake Park
The Chisenhall Sports Complex anchors Burleson's youth and adult sports leagues, while Bailey Lake Park and the city's Hidden Creek Golf Course round out outdoor recreation. Source: City of Burleson Parks.
Year-round
Festival
Hot Sounds of Summer concert series
The city's Hot Sounds of Summer free concert series at Old Town Plaza is a long-running Burleson tradition through June and July. Source: City of Burleson.
Summer
Park
Russell Farm Art Center
Russell Farm Art Center on County Road 920 hosts an artist colony, classes, and Old West-themed events on a historic farm site adjacent to Old Town. Source: Russell Farm.
Year-round
Heritage
Burleson Heritage Foundation Museum
The Heritage Foundation's museum in Old Town preserves city, schools, and railroad-era history. Source: Burleson Heritage Foundation.
Year-round
Civic
BRiCk recreation center
The BRiCk (Burleson Recreation Center) on John Jones Drive houses the city's primary indoor recreation, fitness, and aquatic programming. Source: City of Burleson.
Year-round
Known for
- Kelly Clarkson's hometown
- Old Town Burleson historic district
- Hidden Creek Golf Course
- Texas Health Huguley Hospital
The Story of Burleson
Burleson sits on the Tarrant–Johnson county line, and it was born from a railroad bargain. When the Missouri-Kansas-Texas railroad planned a line from Fort Worth to Hillsboro in 1881, rancher and minister Henry Carty Renfro sold his land to the railroad — on the condition that he get to name the depot.
Renfro chose to honor his old Baylor University mentor, Dr. Rufus C. Burleson, the school's longtime president. The depot, and the town that grew around it, became Burleson.
For decades Burleson was a small farming and ranching town south of Fort Worth.
Suburban growth has since made it one of the fastest-growing cities on Fort Worth's southern edge, straddling two counties.
Sources: Texas State Historical Association, Handbook of Texas.
🗓️ Coming this week Full calendar →
TUE
28
Birdville ISD Board of Trustees
6:30pm · agenda online
TUE
2
Tarrant County Commissioners Court
10am · agenda online
TUE
2
Fort Worth City Council
7pm · agenda online
TUE
2
Arlington City Council
6:30pm · agenda online
MON
8
Northwest ISD Board of Trustees
6:30pm · agenda online
MON
8
Keller ISD Board of Trustees
6:30pm · agenda online
MON
8
Carroll ISD Board of Trustees
5:30pm · agenda online
🎈 Kids Trading Post · Burleson 6 activities →
Storytime, classes, camps, leagues, and open-play in Burleson, sourced from libraries and partner orgs. Updated nightly · no manual data entry.
See all 6 kid activities →
Sports
Burleson Elks (BISD)
Old Town Burleson + multi-county school district
HS
Burleson HS Elks (BISD)
Burleson ISD covers city + parts of Johnson. UIL Class 6A.
Source: BISD
Multi-HS
Burleson HS + Burleson Centennial HS
BISD operates two HSs.
Source: BISD
Old Town
Old Town Burleson cultural center
Music + arts + history + axe throwing at Burleson Visitors Center + Museum.
Source: Burleson EDC
Future
Hilton Tapestry 'The Standard' hotel by late 2027
Construction starting 2026.
Source: Burleson city news
⭐ Game of the week
Carroll Dragons — district football (anchor program)
🏈 District football ·
Tarrant County's anchor programs — Carroll (8 state titles), Keller (top-of-district 5A), Mansfield (B-rated district), Arlington Martin (AISD flagship), Fossil Ridge (KISD power program) — get priority weekly coverage from the news radar. Carroll Dragons headline the off-season anchor framing; weekly schedule populates from MaxPreps DFW + each ISD's athletics site.
📜 On this day in Tarrant County sports
1988
🏈 Carroll (Southlake) Dragons claim 1st state football championship — beginning of the dynasty that would produce 8 UIL state titles. Under coach Bob Ledbetter.
1993
🏈 Carroll Dragons capture their 3rd state football title (1988, 1992, 1993 = three-in-a-row 3A run under Coach Ledbetter; QB Kris Brown led the '93 squad past Cuero).
2011
🏈 Carroll Dragons win their 8th and most recent UIL state football title — capping the program's run as Tarrant County's most successful HS football dynasty.
2018
🥎 Mansfield Tigers softball reaches UIL state semifinals — anchor moment for MISD's growing softball program under HC Gregory George's broader program leadership.
2026
🏃 Keller ISD sends 11 athletes to UIL State Track & Field — multiple medal-stand finishes per district release.
📻 Radio guide
Southlake Carroll Dragons football
KKGM 1630 AM (Fort Worth; news/sports) — exclusive radio home of Carroll football
Dragon Sports Network
Aledo Bearcats football (Tarrant-area marquee program)
KTFW-FM 92.1 'Hank FM' (LKCM Radio Group; country) — flagship for Aledo broadcasts
Aledo Sports Network
Arlington ISD football (Martin · Lamar · Bowie)
NFHS Network (streaming platform) — official AISD broadcast partner
NFHS Network
Mansfield Tigers football
NFHS Network (streaming platform) — Mansfield ISD live broadcasts
NFHS Network
Keller / Fossil Ridge (Keller ISD) football
NFHS Network (streaming platform) — Keller ISD live broadcasts
NFHS Network
Fort Worth-area HS football game of the week
KTCU-FM 88.7 'The Choice' (TCU student station, Fort Worth)
KTCU 88.7
🏆 UIL playoff bracket
No active Tarrant County UIL playoff bracket on the desk. Populates when a Tarrant County team is in a UIL playoff round (football, basketball, baseball/softball, volleyball). Source: UIL playoff records.
Activities
Things to do in Burleson
Kids, library, sports, fitness, classes, camps, open play — sourced from libraries, parks, and partner orgs across Burleson.
event
Old Town Burleson Events
Year-round
City of Burleson · Old Town Burleson
story-time
Burleson Library Storytime
Weekly
Burleson Public Library · 248 SW Johnson Ave, Burleson
event
Burleson Summer Reading Program
June–August
Burleson Public Library · 248 SW Johnson Ave, Burleson
camp
BRiCk Recreation Center Summer Camp
Week-long sessions
The BRiCk (Burleson Recreation Center) · 550 NW Summercrest Blvd, Burleson
class
BRiCk Swim Lessons
Multiple session blocks
The BRiCk (Burleson Recreation Center) · 550 NW Summercrest Blvd, Burleson
league
Burleson Youth Athletic Association Leagues
Weekly games
Burleson Youth Athletic Association · Chisenhall Sports Complex, Burleson
Civic & Government
Civic & Government
Burleson city hall, schools, and county connection
Government
Council-manager government with seven-member council
Burleson operates under a council-manager government with a mayor elected at-large and six council members elected from numbered places. Source: City of Burleson.
Mayor
Mayor presides over at-large council
The Burleson mayor is elected citywide and presides over the council that sets policy and appoints the city manager. Source: City of Burleson.
Schools
Burleson ISD serves the city
Burleson ISD is the primary district within the city; portions of southwestern Burleson sit in Joshua ISD and Crowley ISD in adjacent neighborhoods. Source: Burleson ISD.
County
City sits in Tarrant County (judge Tim O'Hare)
Most of Burleson sits in Tarrant County, with the southern portion in Johnson County. Tarrant County is led at the county level by County Judge Tim O'Hare. Source: Tarrant County.
Reach the right desk
By the Numbers
Burleson by the Numbers
Census + BISD + counties
Pop
53,283 (recent Census)
Growing SE corridor city. Source: Census.
Source: City + ISD records
Counties
Tarrant + Johnson
Cross-county city. Source: Wikipedia.
Source: City + ISD records
BISD
Coverage + ~12,000 students
Burleson ISD covers city + parts of Johnson. Source: BISD.
Source: City + ISD records
History
Founded 1881, incorporated as city
MKT Railroad town named for Baylor president Rufus C. Burleson. Source: TSHA.
Source: City + ISD records
Population
53,283
Type
city
School District
burleson-isd
County
Johnson (mostly Tarrant)
School ISDs in Tarrant County
Tarrant County ISDs by enrollment + TEA 2024-25 accountability rating.
| ISD | Enrollment | Rating | Mascot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Worth ISD | 70,184 | C | Panthers |
| Arlington ISD | 56,000 | C | Various |
| Lewisville ISD | 50,000 | B | Various |
| Mansfield ISD | 35,000 | B | Tigers |
| Keller ISD | 34,078 | B | Indians |
| Northwest ISD | 32,000 | B | Texans |
| Birdville ISD | 22,637 | C | Hawks |
| Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD | 22,000 | B | Eagles |
| Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD (HEB) | 22,000 | B | Trojans |
| Crowley ISD | 16,000 | C | Eagles |
| Grapevine-Colleyville ISD | 12,520 | B | Mustangs |
| Burleson ISD | 12,000 | B | Elks |
| Carroll ISD | 8,300 | A | Dragons |
| White Settlement ISD | 6,700 | C | Brewers |
| Azle ISD | 6,600 | C | Hornets |
| Everman ISD | 5,500 | C | Bulldogs |
| Castleberry ISD | 4,000 | B | Lions |
| Kennedale ISD | 3,400 | C | Wildcats |
| Lake Worth ISD | 2,700 | D | Bullfrogs |
Updated 2026-05-27
Population by city
Tarrant County city populations (Census 2020 + 2024 estimates).
| City | Population | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Worth | 935,508 | County seat, 4th-largest in TX (after Houston, San Antonio, Dallas) |
| Arlington | 392,304 | Cowboys + Rangers home |
| Grand Prairie | ~200,000 | Cross-county with Dallas |
| Mansfield | 79,708 | |
| Flower Mound | 78,854 | Cross-county with Denton |
| North Richland Hills | 71,564 | |
| Euless | 61,554 | |
| Burleson | 53,283 | Cross-county with Johnson |
| Grapevine | 50,898 | |
| Bedford | 49,337 | |
| Hurst | 39,337 | |
| Haltom City | 46,500 | |
| Keller | 46,044 | |
| Southlake | 32,376 |
Updated 2026-05-27
Ask the Desk
Questions about Burleson
What are Tarrant County's 2025 property tax rates?
Tarrant County (general portion): ~$0.19 per $100. City of Fort Worth: $1.0624. City of Arlington: $1.0929 (down ~1¢ from 2024). Combined rates from Fort Worth ISD + City of Fort Worth + Tarrant County College bring the total for most Fort …
Who is Tarrant County's County Judge?
Tim O'Hare. He is the 33rd County Judge of Tarrant County since the county's founding in 1849, took office January 1, 2023, and his current term runs through January 1, 2027. He is running for re-election November 3, 2026, and has said the …
Who is Tarrant County's Sheriff?
Bill E. Waybourn. Source: Tarrant County elected officials (tarrantcountytx.gov).
Who is the State Senator for Tarrant County's District 9?
Taylor Rehmet (Democrat), who won the November 4, 2025 special election to replace Republican Kelly Hancock — Hancock left to become acting state comptroller. Rehmet won by roughly 14,000 votes (~15% margin) and is completing the remainder …
Which ISD serves Burleson?
Burleson ISD primarily serves the city, with a TEA B rating for 2024-25 and approximately 12,000 students. The mascot is the Elks. Because Burleson straddles Tarrant and Johnson counties, some northern Burleson neighborhoods are zoned into …
All Burleson Q&As → Community Voice
History
Founded 1881
Railroad stop named for a Baylor president
Burleson was platted in 1881 along the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway as that line pushed south from Fort Worth into Johnson County. The town was named in honor of Rufus Columbus Burleson, the longtime president of Baylor University, and developed as a cotton-shipping and agricultural-trade center for the surrounding Cross Timbers farmland. Burleson incorporated in 1912 and remained a small rural community of fewer than 1,000 residents through World War II. The city's modern era began with Interstate 35W's completion in the 1960s, opening Burleson to commuter growth from Fort Worth; population climbed from roughly 2,300 in 1960 past 10,000 by 1980 and past 36,000 by 2010. Burleson High School graduate Kelly Clarkson's 2002 American Idol victory and Old Town Burleson's revitalization through the 2000s and 2010s gave the city a national-visibility identity beyond its commuter-suburb roots. Sources: TSHA; City of Burleson; Wikipedia.
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