About Beaumont, Texas

We invite you to join us as we enter a new Golden Era of the Golden Triangle.

Beaumont, incorporated in 1838, is a coastal city in Southeast Texas 90 miles east of Houston and 30 miles west of the Louisiana border. The city is home to more than 115,000 residents and is the seat of Jefferson County, Texas. Thanks to the discovery of oil over a century ago, it’s where the Texas economy was changed forever.

The energy gateway for the State of Texas and the United States, the Golden Triangle is home to the largest petrochemical, refining, and manufacturing complex in the nation and one of the largest ports in the country, responsible for $21 billion in annual gross product and $942 million in annual taxes for the State of Texas, a major contributor to Texas’s prosperity.

Highways, airport, rail, port and pipeline connectivity make Beaumont an attractive place to do business. A low cost of living and a year-round outdoor climate makes Beaumont the ideal place to live. Come explore the bayous, birding, and unique culinary landscape and see where the world was changed forever in one of America's original Boomtowns. 

Did You Know?

  • Beaumont is home to The Historic Oaks District, the largest preservation overlay district in Texas.
  • Money Magazine named us the town with the most potential for future growth all of America (May 1978).
  • The National Football League once called Beaumont the “Pro Football Capital of the World.” 
map of Beaumont Texas

Accolades

  • Most Affordable Places to Live in the US (#6) - U.S. News and World Report
  • Best Places to Live in Texas (#6) - U.S. News and World Report
  • The 10 best US cities to move to if you want to retire early, where living costs are low and salaries are high - Insider 
  • 20 Great Cities with Shockingly Cheap Real Estate – GoBanking Rates
  • 5 Most Charming River Towns in Texas – World Atlas
  • Seek out history, food, and art in one of America's original boomtowns, Beaumont - CultureMap
  • Why Beaumont is Texas’ capital of Cajun cuisine and culture –Lonely Planet
  • Beaumont Is the Cajun Capital of Texas You Need to Know About – Southern Living

History of Beaumontan aerial view of downtown beaumont looking east with the Neches river in the background

Beaumont, situated on the Texas coast, is a city known for its strategic location as the seat of Jefferson County. It is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan statistical area in Southeast Texas, approximately 85 miles (137 km) east of downtown Houston. With a population of 115,282 as of the 2020 census, Beaumont is the largest incorporated municipality near the Louisiana border and ranked as the 10th largest metropolitan area in Texas and 132nd in the United States in 2019.

The city was founded in 1838 and initially relied on lumber, farming, and port industries for its economic growth. A significant turning point occurred in 1892 when Joseph Eloi Broussard opened the first commercially successful rice mill in Texas. This milestone spurred the development of rice farming in the area, and Broussard also established an irrigation company, which eventually became the Lower Neches Valley Authority in 1933. Rice cultivation became a crucial agricultural activity in Texas, spanning across 23 counties.

Beaumont experienced a transformative moment in 1901 with the discovery of the Spindletop oil gusher. This significant event unveiled a vast oil field beneath and near the city. As a result, numerous energy companies emerged in Beaumont, and many of them still operate today. The region rapidly grew into a major petrochemical refining hub, alongside the neighboring cities of Port Arthur and Orange. Together, Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange form the Golden Triangle, a prominent industrial area on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Lamar University, a nationally recognized Carnegie doctoral research university, is located in Beaumont. With an enrollment of over 14,000 students, the university offers a diverse range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Throughout its history, Beaumont has been the headquarters for several notable corporations, including Gulf States Utilities, which maintained its base in the city until it was acquired by Entergy Corporation in 1994. The Edison Plaza, the former GSU headquarters, remains the tallest building in Beaumont, symbolizing the city's corporate presence.

Beaumont, Texas, has a fascinating and rich history that is visible in its architecture, landmarks, and cultural heritage. Learn about us through the various sections below.

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education in beaumont texas
healthcare in beaumont texas
industry in beaumont texas
sports in beaumont texas
community in Beaumont