Austin, TX
Texas’ Fastest-Growing City Is An Austin Suburb With Shops, Classic Barbecue, And Ample Outdoor Adventure – Islands
If it seems to Austinites like their city keeps growing year by year, they’re not wrong. Barring a minor dip from 2019 to 2020, the Texas capital not only continues to keep it weird, but also attracts more people day by day — especially from California. New residents join the nearly 2.5 million Texans within the Austin metro area (as of 2023) in enjoying Austin staple Torchy’s Tacos, pronouncing the neighborhood of Manchaca as MAN-shack, and taking a dip in Barton Springs in Zilker Park. And while the Austin metro area now spans past Round Rock in the north and the food-and-booze-infused San Marcos to the south, another Austin suburb is growing even faster than its parent city: Leander, along Route 183 about half an hour from downtown Austin.
A mere 7,600 people called little Leander home in 2000. In 2025, that number has exploded to nearly 93,000. Much of this completely bananas population growth can be attributed to the obvious, namely, Leander’s proximity to Austin. Owning a home in Austin is more expensive, making Leander an attractive alternative.
But Leander’s got a lot going for it, aside from cheaper prices. Though definitely a spread-out, decentralized suburb, Leander still has some of the same top-notch Texas barbecue places that folks can expect from Austin or anywhere else in the Lone Star State, some of which live along the gloriously-named Hero Way. Leander’s also got its fair share of independent boutiques that have absorbed some of Austin’s nearby quirk, like Wildfire Artisans, which operates out of an old train car. Then there’s Leander’s natural spaces, which are possibly its standout attraction. From the sprawling Garey Park to the picnic-perfect Devine Lake Park, Leander’s got no shortage of outdoor activities at the ready.
Dig into Leander’s extensive barbecue and shopping options
Any Texan or would-be Texan worth their salt — or sauce — will die on the hill of Texas barbecue being the greatest of barbecues. Super slow-cooked and juicy brisket stands at the forefront of Texas barbecue offerings, and a Leander barbecue joint like Stubblefield’s is no exception. Located right off Route 183, which runs all the way down the length of Leander, Stubblefield’s has a near-5.0 rating on Google. In a place like Texas, this is quite the high bar. And because we’re living near food truck heaven in Austin — a city with over 2,000 food trucks (although Hawaii takes the food truck crown) — Stubblefield’s is, naturally, a truck.
Stubblefield is also just five minutes away from two more barbecue places, Smoky Mo’s BBQ and Blue Corn Harvest Bar and Grill, on the aforementioned Hero Way. This is all on the north side of Leander, by the way. The south side has a similar barbecue strip along Whitestone Boulevard with four more barbecue places right in a row. One of them is even another Smoky Mo’s.
After swelling up with so much meat, why not poke around some of Leander’s quirky, cool, rustic, and sometimes twee shops? Leander Marketplace sits at the top of the list, an antiques-meets-oddball-goods flea market only open on the first Saturday of the month. It makes a perfect pair with the Hill Country Community Ministries Thrift Store, a short six-minute drive away. The women-focused boutique Turquoise Peacock Boutique, meanwhile, offers some beautiful, curated goods for customers, while The Hobby Shop is basically a brain-melting dream for any fan of high-quality model cars.
Explore Leander’s copious natural spaces
Leander is so festooned with natural spaces of all sizes and types that it’s almost more accurate to think of the city as Texan countryside with human habitation sprinkling within it. This is where we see the additional benefit of choosing to live in Leander rather than Austin, one enjoyed by its massive influx of residents. For potential residents who don’t mind the daily trade-off of city culture for nature (but keeping the barbecue and some of the shops, mind you), Leander is for you. And for travelers wanting a break from cities, but wanting to stay close enough to the city not to get lost in the wilderness, Leander is also for you.
Balcones Canyonland National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most prominent outdoor offerings around Leander, about 30 minutes west of the city. Around 1,000 acres of the 27,000-acre preserve are open to the public, acres that illustrate that Texas’ natural environment is way more complex than mere sand in the desert. Hiking and wildlife watching are the most obvious draws for visitors, as the park is home to 245 bird species (and brought the black-capped vireo back from being endangered). Ranger-led activities are also an option, as is limited hunting with a permit and via lottery.
Folks sticking directly within and around Leander will have no problem finding natural spaces, either. A small spot like Quest Village Park is basically a neighborhood park with a playground suitable for family ventures, dog walking, and so forth. Brushy Creek Lake Park, on the other hand, is a 90-acre, trail-focused, waterside park with a boat launch, exercise area, pavilions with grills, and more. Such options make it clear why Leander continues to grow so rapidly.
Austin, TX
UT Austin College of Pharmacy Leads Texas in New U.S. News Rankings
U.S. News & World Report released its 2026 rankings for colleges, universities and higher education programs across the United States. The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy ranked No. 8 in the nation and remains the top pharmacy school in Texas.
UT Austin earned a 4.2 on a 1-5 scale. Respondents represented schools and programs offering Doctor of Pharmacy degrees accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).
“As the link between patients and medicine,” says U.S. News & World Report, “pharmacists must be experts on prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications, understanding use, side effects and interactions.” Texas Pharmacy continues to rank among the nation’s best, remaining rigorously competitive among peer institutions.
“Our students, alumni, faculty and staff are proud to be among the leading colleges of pharmacy in the country,” says Samuel M. Poloyac, Pharm.D., Ph.D., dean of The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy and James T. Doluisio Regents Chair. “We strive for excellence and impact as we shape the future of our profession through innovative care for our communities and groundbreaking health discoveries.”
View the Best Pharmacy Schools rankings to see how UT Austin stacks up against its peer institutions.
Austin, TX
Aaliyah Crump plans to transfer from Texas: report
AUSTIN (KXAN) — According to a report by On3Sports, Texas freshman guard Aaliyah Crump will enter the transfer portal.
On3’s Talia Goodman reported Monday that Crump is headed out of Austin, leaving head coach Vic Schaefer without one of the most coveted recruits of the 2025 class.
Crump averaged 17.4 minutes per game over 24 games played this season, missing almost the entire nonconference schedule with a foot injury. She scored 7.9 points per game, with a high of 18 against Texas Southern on Nov. 16, and about one steal per game.
She was one of Texas’ top perimeter shooting threats, making 23 of 73 3-point attempts for 32%.
Crump, a 6-foot-1 guard from Minnetonka, Minnesota, will have three seasons of eligibility left. She was ranked as the No. 5 recruit in her class by ESPN, and she was on the Team USA U16 squad that won gold at the FIBA Americas Championships in 2023.
Aaliyah Moore, who missed the entire season after having surgery on both knees, also intends to transfer from the Longhorns.
Austin, TX
Austin City Council members ask to begin process of renaming Cesar Chavez Street
AUSTIN, Texas — Some members of the Austin City Council are calling on the city manager to develop a plan for renaming Cesar Chavez Street after allegations of sexual abuse came out against the late labor leader earlier this year.
According to a memo on Friday to City Manager T.C. Broadnax, José Velásquez, Vanessa Fuentes, José “Chito” Vela and Zohaib “Zo” Qadri requested Broadnax develop a community outreach plan to gather input and assess the cost to the city, residents and businesses on renaming the street.
“The City of Austin is committed to upholding the dignity and safety of all people and affirms its unwavering support to survivors of sexual violence,” the memo said.
The council members outlined how the outreach plan should be developed and what should be included.
For the development of the plan, council members asked Broadnax to do the following steps:
- Work with the Equity Office, Transportation and Public Works Department, and other appropriate departments as needed.
- Engage Latino Community Leaders, labor unions, City Commissions and residents, businesses, neighborhood associations located on East and West Cesar Chavez Street.
- Assess estimated renaming costs to the city.
- Assess estimated renaming costs to residents and businesses on East and West Cesar Chavez Street.
- Follow additional guidelines provided by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO).
And the council members said the outreach plan should include:
- A series of hybrid listening sessions with at least two in-person sessions and one virtual session.
- An online survey for the public.
- A stakeholder survey for residents and businesses on East and West Cesar Chavez Street to understand the impacts of renaming the street.
The council members requested that Broadnax come up with a report by May 26 that included a plan, cost estimates and a proposed timeline for the renaming, according to the memo.
César Chávez was known for his work with the farmworker movement and co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers of America, with Dolores Huerta. Huerta said she was one of the young women and girls who were groomed and sexually abused by Chávez, which resulted in two pregnancies. She gave birth to the two children and sent them to live with other families.
In her statement, Huerta said she did not know about the other women and girls and that she stayed silent for 60 years because she worried that her coming forward would hurt the farmworker movement.
Other Texas cities have already distanced themselves from Chávez. In Fort Worth, the city removed the street toppers that honored Chávez.
The Cesar E. Chavez Legacy & Educational Foundation — the foundation that hosted the nation’s largest César Chávez march in San Antonio for 29 years — announced it will soon dissolve. The City of San Antonio moved the Cesar Chavez city holiday to Good Friday, and it is requesting the public’s feedback on renaming César E. Chávez Boulevard.
Also, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has directed all public schools to suspend any instruction or activities related to Chávez.
Chávez died on April 23, 1993, at the age of 66.
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