Market Overview for Briggs
There are 16 active listings in Briggs with a median list price of $725K and a median sold price of $690K.
Homes average 27 days on market.
Over the past 30 days, 3 homes have sold, with 8 sales in the past 12 months.
The average price per square foot is $389.
About Briggs
Briggs is an unincorporated community of 101 residents (2020 census — its first appearance as a Census Designated Place) in northeastern Burnet County, at the intersection of U.S. Highway 183 and Farm Road 2657, approximately 50 miles north of Austin. The community sits at an elevation of 1,102 feet along the headwaters of Berry Creek.
The first settler, W. T. Gann, a Missourian, arrived in 1855 on land in the Aaron F. Boyce survey, patented September 30, 1850. Stephen Taylor, a Tennessean, purchased land from Gann around 1880, built a cotton gin in 1882, and established a general store. The settlement was called "Taylor's Gin" or "Gum Springs" (originally just "Springs," for the permanent springs on the Berry Creek headwaters). A post office was established on March 27, 1888 as "Taylors Gin" and renamed Briggs on June 21, 1898 by physician William Hazelwood, who chose the name to honor his mother-in-law, Mrs. Henry D. Briggs. The population peaked at 520 in 1936 before fires in 1928 and the Great Depression caused business closures and decline. A tornado demolished the school on April 12, 1906.
Modern Briggs is notable as the home of Firefly Aerospace's Texas Rocket Ranch — a 200-acre launch vehicle manufacturing and testing facility at 281 County Road 210. Firefly has been in Burnet County since 2014 and employs approximately 300 of its total 700-person workforce at the Briggs facility. The campus expanded from 92,000 to 207,000 square feet of manufacturing space and includes six rocket test stands. In 2024, Firefly received an $8.2 million Texas Space Commission grant. The company holds a $112 million NASA contract for the Blue Ghost lunar lander.
Living in Briggs
Briggs is a rural unincorporated community without municipal services. Burnet County provides governance. Groceries, retail, and most services are in Burnet, approximately 15 miles southwest on U.S. 183, or in Lampasas, approximately 20 miles north.
Students attend Burnet Consolidated ISD, which serves approximately 3,235 students across six campuses including Burnet High School, Burnet Middle School, and several elementary campuses. The Briggs school operated independently until 1969, when it consolidated with the Burnet district.
The drive to Austin is approximately 50 miles south on U.S. 183, typically 50 to 65 minutes. The Highland Lakes recreational corridor of Burnet County is within 20 to 25 miles to the west, providing access to Inks Lake State Park, Longhorn Cavern State Park, Lake Buchanan, and the Canyon of the Eagles nature park.
Things to Do in Briggs
- Visit Inks Lake State Park: About 20 miles west of Briggs, Inks Lake State Park offers swimming at Devil's Waterhole, camping with 200 campsites and 22 cabins, hiking, and kayaking on the constant-level Inks Lake.
- Tour Longhorn Cavern State Park: About 20 miles west, Longhorn Cavern offers a 1.25-mile guided underground cavern tour through a river-carved limestone formation. The park was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps between 1934 and 1942.
- Explore Lake Buchanan and Canyon of the Eagles: Lake Buchanan, the largest of the Highland Lakes, is about 25 miles west. The 940-acre Canyon of the Eagles nature park on the lake's southeast shore offers 16 miles of trails, a lakefront resort, and an observatory. Wintering bald eagles can be viewed on Vanishing Texas River Cruises.
- Visit Burnet's town square and wineries: Burnet, approximately 15 miles southwest, offers a historic town square with shops, restaurants, Wedding Oak Winery, and Torr Na Lochs Vineyard. The city hosts the annual Bluebonnet Festival each spring.
- Learn about Firefly Aerospace: Firefly Aerospace operates its Texas Rocket Ranch in Briggs, manufacturing and testing launch vehicles on a 200-acre facility. While the facility is not open to public tours, the company's presence has brought national attention to the community as a center of commercial space industry in rural Texas.
Major Employers in Briggs
- Firefly Aerospace (Aerospace manufacturing): Firefly Aerospace operates its Texas Rocket Ranch on a 200-acre facility at 281 CR 210 in Briggs. The campus has 207,000 square feet of manufacturing space, six rocket test stands, and employs approximately 300 workers. Firefly holds a $112 million NASA contract for the Blue Ghost lunar lander and received an $8.2 million Texas Space Commission grant in 2024.
- Burnet CISD (Education): Burnet Consolidated ISD serves Briggs-area students with approximately 3,235 students across six campuses in Burnet.
- Agriculture and ranching (Agriculture): Cattle ranching and agricultural operations continue on the surrounding Burnet County land. The area's original economy was built on cotton farming, with two gins operating by 1900.
Briggs Schools
Briggs is served by Burnet CISD. The local Briggs school operated independently until consolidating with the Burnet district in 1969. Burnet CISD enrolls approximately 3,235 students across six campuses.
School District: Burnet CISD
Public Schools
Burnet Consolidated Independent School District
- Bertram Elementary
- Shady Grove Elementary
- R.J. Richey Elementary
- Burnet Middle
- Burnet High School
Lampasas Independent School District
- Kline Whitis Elementary
- Hanna Springs Elementary
- Lampasas Middle
- Lampasas High School
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Firefly Aerospace in Briggs?
Firefly Aerospace operates its Texas Rocket Ranch on a 200-acre launch vehicle manufacturing and testing facility in Briggs. The company has been in Burnet County since 2014 and employs approximately 300 workers at the site. Firefly holds a $112 million NASA contract for the Blue Ghost lunar lander and received an $8.2 million Texas Space Commission grant in 2024.
What is the population of Briggs?
Briggs had 101 residents at the 2020 census, its first year as a Census Designated Place. The population peaked at 520 in 1936 and declined through the mid-20th century. The first settler, W. T. Gann, arrived in 1855.
What school district serves Briggs?
Briggs is served by Burnet Consolidated ISD, which enrolls approximately 3,235 students across six campuses. The Briggs school operated independently until it consolidated with the Burnet district in 1969.
How far is Briggs from Austin?
Briggs is approximately 50 miles north of Austin on U.S. Highway 183, typically a 50 to 65-minute drive. Burnet, the county seat, is about 15 miles southwest, and Lampasas is about 20 miles north.
How did Briggs get its name?
The settlement was originally called Taylor's Gin and Gum Springs. In 1898, local physician William Hazelwood renamed it Briggs in honor of his mother-in-law, Mrs. Henry D. Briggs. A post office had been established in 1888 as Taylors Gin.
