Austin, TX
11 Best Suburbs In Austin Texas
Embark on your journey to find the ideal home sweet home in the dynamic city of Austin, TX, one of America’s fastest-growing cities. This blog post is your key to discovering the best suburbs around the Austin metro area, catering to diverse preferences. Whether you’re drawn to lakeside living, golf course homes, the charm of Texas hill country, or the vibrant city life in East Austin, we’ve got you covered. Explore Leander, Bastrop, and more, each offering unique features. With top-rated schools, hiking trails, and the Colorado River nearby, let a skilled realtor guide you through your dream home search.
SEE ALSO: 18 Best Neighborhoods to Live in Austin in 2022
If the suburb lifestyle is calling your name and you want to entertain Austin’s dynamic options for your new home, one of these ten suburbs of Austin could be where you land!
Round Rock
Located just 15 miles North of Austin, Round Rock has an array of amenities and home styles to offer all. This suburb of Austin gets its name from a literal round rock that protrudes from flowing water of the popular Brushy Creek.
Visitors and residents alike have plenty of entertainment to enjoy – from catching a Round Rock Express baseball game at the Dell Diamond or playing 18-holes at Teravista Golf Club or Forest Creek Golf Club, to year-round swimming at America’s Largest Indoor Waterpark at Kalahari Resort and Convention Center. These popular attractions make Round Rock, Texas an exciting place to live and play. While enjoying many options of restaurants and shopping (include the Round Rock Premium Outlet Mall), don’t forget to grab a signature Round Rock Donut!
When it comes to schools in the area, Round Rock ISD is a highly rated, public school that is recognized throughout the state and nation for excellence. Being nationally recognized as “one of the country’s most livable towns” makes this a popular option for homebuyers. Popular neighborhoods in the areas include Brushy Creek, Teravista and Avery Ranch.
Cedar Park
Sixteen miles northwest of Downtown Austin is the flourishing suburb of Cedar Park which appropriately got it’s name from the abundance of Cedar trees and the local park near the railroad that had a “welcome station” for visitors in the 1800s. The area lives up to its name and maintains an abundance of parks to this day. Brushy Creek Lake Park is popular for outdoor activities.
Residents can enjoy a refreshingly cool venue by visiting the HEB Center for a Texas Stars hockey game or one of the many concerts hosted year-round. On a typical day, you can grocery shop at HEB or Whole Foods, have your pick from many restaurants, or get out of the house to work on some health and wellness.
Homebuyers have their pick of low-maintenace garden homes, luxury homes with first-class views of the Hill Country and everything in between. Popular neighborhoods in the area include master planned communities like Cedar Park Town Center, Twin Creeks, and Whitestone Oaks. Cedar Park gets an A+ for access to everyday necessities combined with good schools and many housing options.
Pflugerville
Just North of the Q2 Stadium (where Austin’s MLS Soccer Team plays) is Pflugerville, Texas – where affordability meets accessibility. Residents have easy access to many different parts of Austin because of its proximity to Toll Roads and major highways.
If you’re looking to have some fun in the sun, visit Typhoon Texas or Lake Pflugerville. Local golf enthusiasts have options right out their doorstep when visiting courses like Blackhawk Golf Club. If you can’t get enough golf, head to the Golf Club at Star Ranch just down the road in Hutto! Residents and visitors can prepare their own farm-to-table experience outside of the city by checking out the Pflugerville Pfarmers Market at Heritage Park on Tuesdays.
Pflugerville is home to an expansive spectrum of master-planned community options, many with outdoor and kid-friendly amentities like ponds, playscapes, pools and hiking and biking trails. Falcon Pointe, Villages of Hideen Lake and Highland Park are just a few of the popular neighborhoods in Pflugerville, each with different character and floor plan options to fit your household’s needs. When it comes to affordable accessibility to Downtown Austin and great neighborhood features, Pflugerville is a great option.
Lake Travis
Take a scenic drive 20 minutes West of Downtown Austin and you will find yourself in a community devoted to outdoor activity (and Texas football, of course!). From watersports to tennis courts, golf courses to school sports, the Lake Travis area attracts those looking to maintain an active lifestyle.
Outside of the many options available at the Hill Country Galleria, you can find many more restaurants and entertainment options, like High 5 Bowling and Family Entertainment which is a popular local attraction for all ages.
While esteemed public schools and competitive sports within Lake Travis ISD draw many people to the area, the housing options the community offers are attractive as well. If you’re looking for something special, this may be the spot for you as you can find homes on the private University of Texas Golf Course, lakeside… or even on a private airport runway. When considering Lake Travis as your next landing spot, you will not be disappointed with your options in Rough Hollow, Steiner Ranch, Lake Pointe, and The Hills of Lakeway and many more neighborhoods.
SEE ALSO: 9 Reasons Why Austin Texas Is The Best Place To Live
Liberty Hill
Traveling past Cedar Park, you will stumble upon a hidden gem of an area called Liberty Hill. Due to the proximity to the city, the area may be best suited for those suited for telecommuters or those locally-employed. With distance, comes slower living that appeals to many – and also outdoor fun.
Residents and visitors can spend the day swimming, boating or fishing in the waters of Tejas Park if they aren’t hiking the 26-mile San Gabriel Trail or enjoying a year-round calendar of events for holidays, the local rodeo and hot air balloon festival.
One of the most popular communities with newer single-family homes is Santa Rita Ranch. This community has won “Master Plan Community of the Year” several times because of the amenities offered: two resort-style pools and splash pad, fishing lake, Wellness Center and full calendar of events for the residents. While most residents travel to neighboring areas for larger amenities or more mainstream events, the quiet and calm that Liberty Hill provides is rural living at its finest.
South Austin
If you are looking to stay within the Austin area, South Austin is an established yet thriving community to consider.
SEE ALSO: Ultimate Neighborhood Guide To South Congress, Austin
There is truly something for everyone here and fun can be had enjoying live music at a local venue, hiking and biking the Velloway or other greenbelt trails, and tons more! Hiking or camping at nearby McKinney Falls State Park is also a quintessential Austin experience.
Since South Austin is already an established area, the local Austin ISD schools have plenty to offer as far as credibility. These homes within the city limits come in all shapes and sizes. You can have your pick of what fits your needs – whether condos in Gabardine, single-family homes in Shady Hollow or golf course homes in Circle C suit you best. Then you can jet right up MoPac into Downtown Austin.
SEE ALSO: 36 Best Restaurants In South Austin
Georgetown
Head Northbound 35 to where small town meets big city and home to the “Most Beautiful Town Square in Texas”. Georgetown’s quaint yet hospitable vibe attracts those looking for a suburb with character and charm.
The outdoor activity options in Georgetown are attractions that attract visitors from all over the city and state. Visit Inner Space Caverns to walk through and learn about the vast underground caves that spread through the region. Lake Georgetown is a popular year-round activity for all things outdoors – boating and fishing, picnicking and swimming, and even camping! You can spend a whole day just in the town square eating, shopping for antiques, clothing and toys, learning the rich history in The Williamson Museum and ending the day at one of the several wineries or breweries.
With more than 100 historic homesites, Georgetown also offers the chance to build a new home with modern floor plans in .Venture into a few of the top neighborhoods like Wolf Ranch where you can pick your favorite builder and build your own home, or head to Berry Creek to see what golf course living could be like. Because larger neighborhoods are located on city boundaries, parts of Teravista and Santa Rita Ranch, (neighborhoods previously mentioned) are located within Georgetown and feed different schools and city services.
Just West of Austin, sits a beautiful suburb where more and more people are planting their roots. Known as the “Gateway to the Hill Country”, Dripping Springs sits right between the City of Austin and rural Hill Country cities like Johnson City and Fredericksburg and gets the best of both worlds.
You can’t find more beautiful nature while still being as close to the city as Dripping Spings.The area is gifted with natural swimming holes like Hamilton Pool and prides itself on stargazing abilities, due to the lack of light pollution from the the city – the area hosts the “Dark Sky Festival” in March. Don’t forget to visit Dreamland for all-ages entertainment! Residents here feel a large sense of community and often mingle at the farmers market (ranked the “best in all of Texas”!) or at school events.
Homes within the area feed the exemplary school district of Dripping Springs ISD. The great schools, great homes (some with amazing hill country views) and great neighbors make this suburb of Austin one of the most popular when buying a home for all ages.
SEE ALSO: Ultimate Guide To Things To Do in Fredericksburg
Buda
Located “Just South of Weird”, Buda maintains the small town vibe within the ample space for parks and many master-planned communities. While it’s named the “Outdoor Capital of Texas”, Buda is famously known (at least locally) for it’s yearly Wiener Dog Races at the local city park and Main Street.
Grab your computer and some joe (or a cocktail) at Nate’s Coffee and Cocktails or bring the family to eat and play yard games at Willies Joint. With Circuit of the Americas just minutes away via Toll Road, you have easy access to experience big city events.
When homebuyers look for a mix of affordability and accessibility to the South of Austin, Buda is typically high on their list to check out. Popular neighborhoods in the area where you can find resale homes include Whispering Hollow and Garlic Creek. The largest of the master-planned communities in the areas is Sunfield, which boasts numerous amenities like dog parks, community pools, and a lazy river!
Kyle
You can find Kyle, Texas about 20 miles South of Austin. For a suburb outside of the Austin city limits, this suburb serves residents with plenty of entertainment options and has easy access for day trips to nearby Hill Country cities.
What’s more charming that a town known for its pie? The Texas Pie Company is not to be missed when checking out the area – a local favorite as well as a feature in several national media outlets. Other notable places to visit within Kyle are the Plum Creek Golf Course, Lake Kyle, and EVO Entertainment for comfortable movie watching, bowling and more. Kyle is also attractive to those who commute to work or school in other cities nearby like San Marcos, New Braunfels or San Antonio.
If the area seems to fit your needs, you can find many options of single-family homes within popular neighborhoods like Crosswinds, Four Seasons Farm, Stagecoach Crossing, and more.
West Lake Hills
Surrounded by greenbelts, parks and lakes, West Lake Hills is a large affluent community that spans from the Rollingwood boundary with Downtown Austin to the East, almost all the way West to Lake Travis.
With both Downtown and Lake Austin attractions and views at its core, the area encompasses some of the most beautiful homes in the city, and one of the best school districts for children. For these reasons, West Lake Hills is known as one of the top suburbs in the city – and the home prices certainly fit the demand. Homebuyers looking to call West Lake Hills home, can find many options ranging from low-maintenance townhomes to gated estates sprawling across the side of rolling hills or Lake Austin waterfront.
For quick access to home prices and even more information about each of these suburbs of Austin, request a FREE relocation guide from The Ramirez Team.
Resources on school ratings and crime rate, we recommend visiting the following:
https://www.greatschools.org/
https://www.safewise.com/blog/category/safety-news/
https://spotcrime.com/ – Of the website of the local sheriff’s office
David and Alyssa Ramirez are Native Austinites who have seen the city grow in all ways. With their Austin roots and family backgrounds in real estate, they were destined to find passion in the industry, which has flourished into profound knowledge of the Austin Real Estate market. Being a lifetime resource for all things real estate and Austin is their #1 goal. TheIR team is consistently recognized as a top producing team with awards from the Austin Business Journal (#15 in Austin), Platinum Top 50 (since 2017), and the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (#44, 48 and 98 in the country, since 2020).
AUSTIN, Texas – This week’s rainfall across Central Texas could help to bring a much-needed boost to the region’s aquifers, which have been operating at dangerously low levels.
The backstory:
On Tuesday, the Austin area saw over an inch of rain while Georgetown received close to six inches, as the San Gabriel River rose over six feet throughout the day.
But the heavy downpour was a welcome sight for Shay Hlavaty, the communications and outreach manager at the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District.
Created by the state of Texas in 1987, the District oversees segments of the Edwards and Trinity Aquifers, stretching from South Austin to southern San Marcos.
In total, the portions of the aquifers they oversee provide water to around 100,000 people.
“Groundwater is a significant water source, you know. It’s kind of the unsung hero of Texas,” says Hlavaty.
But over the last few years, the region’s groundwater levels have been in decline.
“Since January 2022, we are missing over a year’s worth of rainfall. So, in the Austin area, we get about 32 to 34 inches a year. And so over that time, we have, you know, a 30-plus inch deficit,” says Hlavaty.
Since October, the District has been under a stage three exceptional drought. Those conditions are determined by two indicators: spring flow at Barton Springs and groundwater levels at the Lovelady Monitor Well.
If either of these locations drops below a drought threshold, the District could declare a more intense drought stage.
By the numbers:
Some of the latest data shows that Barton Springs isn’t performing as it needs to support the ongoing growth of the region.
“To put it into reference, the average since about 1978 at Barton springs is 60 CFS. That’s cubic feet per second. And one cubic foot is about the size of a beach ball, an average beach ball. So, 60 beach balls of water coming out every second from Barton Springs. Before this rainfall, we were closer to 12 CFS, so only 12 beach balls coming out every second, so that’s less than a quarter of average,” says Hlavaty.
That same data also shows that the Lovelady Well is 453.8 feet above mean sea level. That’s only 5 inches above the Stage 4 Emergency Response Threshold.
“This isn’t something that’s going to go away. Even if we busted this drought and get out of it, the next drought is going to be around the corner,” says Hlavaty.
Dig deeper:
But this week’s rain did provide a small boost, helping to prevent the district from potentially falling into a deeper stage of drought.
“So, we’re still in that stage three exceptional level, and this rainfall will help us stay out of that stage four emergency,” Hlavaty told FOX 7. “It’ll help stabilize, if not increase groundwater levels and spring flow.”
The total rainfall for the Austin area in April so far is 4.14 inches, well above the typical total average for the month, which is 2.42 inches. But that sort of above precipitation must continue if there is to be any chance of drought levels decreasing.
“We really need to have above average rainfall for months, if not years, to bust this drought,” says Hlavaty.
What you can do:
As May approaches, which typically brings the most rainfall throughout the year, Hlavaty urges people to cut back on water use when they can, especially watering their lawns, which can consume large amounts of drinking water.
And as Central Texas continues to see a boom in population, combined with hotter than average temperatures for February and March, conservation is as important as ever.
“It’s important to remember that a little bit of rain here, a little bit of rain there, isn’t going to best the drought. So, we all have to do our role to help conserve resources in the meantime,” says Hlavaty.
The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin’s Marco Bitonel
Austin, TX
Appeals court rules Texas can require public schools to display Ten Commandments in class
DALLAS (AP) — Texas can require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms, a U.S. appeals court ruled Tuesday in a victory for conservatives who have long sought to incorporate more religion into schools.
WATCH: Texas school board approves new course material that includes Bible passages
It sets up a potential clash at the U.S. Supreme Court over the issue in the future.
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals said in the decision that the law did not violate the First Amendment, which protects religious freedom and prevents the government from establishing a religion.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, called the ruling “a major victory for Texas and our moral values.”
“The Ten Commandments have had a profound impact on our nation, and it’s important that students learn from them every single day,” Paxton said.
Organizations representing the families who challenged the law, including the American Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement that they were “extremely disappointed” by the decision.
“The court’s ruling goes against fundamental First Amendment principles and binding U.S. Supreme Court authority. The First Amendment safeguards the separation of church and state, and the freedom of families to choose how, when and if to provide their children with religious instruction. This decision tramples those rights,” the statement said.
The law is among the pushes by Republicans, including President Donald Trump, to incorporate religion into public schools. Critics say it violates the separation of church and state while backers argue that the Ten Commandments are historical and part of the foundation of U.S. law.
The ruling, which reverses a district court’s judgment, comes after the full court heard arguments in January in the Texas case and a similar case in Louisiana. The appeals court in February cleared the way for Louisiana’s law, requiring displays of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals voted 12-6 to lift a block that a lower court first placed on the law in 2024.
Texas law took effect on Sept. 1, marking the largest attempt in the nation to hang the Ten Commandments in public schools. About two dozen school districts had been barred from posting them after federal judges issued injunctions in two cases against the law but went up in many classrooms across the state as districts paid to have the posters printed themselves or accepted donations.
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