Fast-growing college town with "the most beautiful town square in Texas"
Among the grackle squawks, echoes of construction ring through Georgetown seemingly all day. The city and its self-proclaimed "most beautiful town square in Texas" consistently rank as one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, increasing from 79,000 residents in 2019 to over 100,000 in 2024. As the seat of Williamson County continues to grow, residents eagerly await developments already underway, including pedestrian improvements and plans for new mixed-use commercial areas. Downtown is full of local businesses and a central courthouse, while nearby Southwestern University — the Lone Star State's oldest public university — and an expansive 55-plus community sit a bit further from downtown. Meanwhile, the vibrant outskirts are alive with cave systems and swimming holes. Back in town, Georgetown buzzes with homey appeal, especially around the holiday season, when the town square is draped in lights. "It's very charming. There's lots of historic buildings and almost all of them have been lovingly restored," says Rachel Pattillo, marketing coordinator for the Georgetown Public Library. "Sometimes I joke, 'When is somebody going to tell the Hallmark Channel that this is what we look like?'"
Southwestern University is a private liberal arts college in Georgetown, Texas.
Downtown Georgetown, a 10-minute drive, offers a variety of shops near Sun City.
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Local shopping on the Square and major chains at Wolf Ranch Town Center
At any time of day, the Square is buzzing. After remote tech workers finish morning meetings at a local cafe, antiquers come around midday, followed by happy hour crowds later in the evening, cruising the square with a drink in hand. "There's no open container laws, so you can have a glass of wine and walk around the Square, which is really nice," says Realtor Kat Dominguez of the Zell Team for Compass RE Texas. Many businesses double as community spaces, like music shops and hiking outfitters that also house full-service bars and coffee stations. Georgetown prides itself on its strong local business community, partly achieved by the Business Retention and Expansion Program, assisting business owners with things like navigating permits and organizing events. The only chain surrounding the Williamson County Courthouse is a Kilwin's Ice Cream shop. Everything else is local, including diners, taverns, gift shops and art galleries. "The square is just darling," says Realtor Tara Knight of Keller Williams Realty. "Georgetown, I think, has the best downtown. Round Rock's is cute, but theirs is mostly bars. Georgetown has the big courthouse right there, and then all the way around, it's a lot of good restaurants right off the square." Aside from the square, downtown is mostly residential, although University Drive has convenience stores and barbershops. For errands, most residents head to the other side of Interstate 35. Big-box stores and chain supermarkets bespeckle the west of Georgetown, such as those in the Wolf Ranch Town Center.
Cimarron Hills residents can reach Wolf Ranch Town Center in about 10 minutes.
Shop the Georgetown Square and support the local shops.
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Historic downtown cottages and 55-plus communities
Surrounding the Square are several blocks of picturesque, well-aged homes, many built between 1900 and 1960. Cozy bungalows, intricately detailed Craftsman cottages and sleek midcentury ranchers are the most prevalent styles around the city core. Some new builds also include farmhouse aesthetics, like bright red facades and pristine white trim. Further out from downtown, the city gradates into suburban subdivisions wherein new traditional single-family homes and condos are in demand. The most developed areas are typically west of I-35, such as suburban communities that surround Lake Georgetown. Eastern Georgetown is less developed, but growing steadily with new developments, including a proposed 403-acre site 6 miles east of downtown, which has preliminary plans for a mixed-use area featuring single and multi-family housing, retail space, offices, recreational amenities and entertainment spaces. West of I-35, the 55-plus community of Sun City is a major component of Georgetown, mostly featuring new traditional single-family and a handful of multifamily options from the early 2000s. Its location near Georgetown keeps the square active with retirees during off-peak hours. "A lot of those people are retired, and Georgetown just has such great things to do all the time," Knight says. Currently, Georgetown is a buyer's market. Homes spend an average of 82 days on the market, compared to the national average of 44, and many listings in Georgetown drop by around 5% from their original price. The median price for a single-family home in Georgetown is around $490,000, while townhouses sell around a median price of $289,000, both of which are considerably lower than the medians for Austin.
Downtown Georgetown is filled with many historical homes.
Beautifully landscaped, Sun City is surrounded by well-kept nature and scenic beauty in TX.
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The Red Poppy Festival and many more downtown events
Georgetown has a busy events calendar. From Hannukah to Halloween, holiday events and decorations return to the Square every year, with the town Christmas Tree Lighting and the Trick or Treat Trail being some popular examples. The city's big-ticket event is the Red Poppy Festival in April. Celebrating both Georgetown's native flower and World War 1 veterans, the festival quite literally paints the town red with three days of music performances, a vendor village, food trucks and family programming. A more recent tradition is the Two Step Inn Festival, attracting country music fans from across the region, eager to show off their moves. The Georgetown Public Library has many free events, including some aimed at children, like family movie nights, and others designed for older crowds, like adult board game groups. "We've had some cool jazz players come by, also a really nice singer-songwriter with a Carol King kind of vibe. We've had beer tastings and petting zoos for adults. We get really excited about doing the really fun stuff like that," Pattillo says.
Georgetown is the red poppy capital of Texas.
Try different foods, hot sauces and desserts at Wolf Ranch Farmers Market.
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Healthcare and tech growth is reducing commute times
Healthcare is Georgetown's largest employment sector. Driven mainly by Sun City, Georgetown has an active assisted living and home health industry. St. David's Hospital is also a major employer and is among the largest hospitals in Williamson County. For a long time, Southwestern University was Georgetown's primary employer, and most others commuted to Austin. While that is still the case for some, a recent influx of smaller tech solutions companies stationed in Georgetown, like Chatsworth Products and ZT Systems, has widened employment opportunities beyond the tech behemoths nearby, like Dell Technologies in Round Rock. The Georgetown Executive Airport is an important reason, as recent expansions have helped attract new businesses to Georgetown. However, Georgetown is a car-dependent city with no public transit system, aside from Limited Paratransit Service for trips within city limits, and Southwestern students, who are afforded a bikeshare program. Interstate 35 is the main connector between Georgetown and Austin – a drive of nearly 30 miles that is highly prone to traffic. State Route 130 offers an alternative route south and is slightly less traffic-prone because of its tolls. I-35 also splits Georgetown in half, with more walkable areas in the eastern half and less walkable suburban areas to the west. Numerous improvements are ongoing to make traveling downtown a bit comfier for everyone. The main corridor of Austin Avenue is receiving new roundabouts, plus a new car bridge over the San Gabriel River in addition to a planned pedestrian bridge next door. Williams Drive is receiving raised medians and additional streetlamps to increase pedestrian visibility.
Cimarron Hills sits on Highway 29, with quick access to I-35 and Highway 183.
For nearly two centuries, Southwestern University has been a destination for academic excellence.
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Lagoons, caves and lakefront parks keep residents cool
Situated between the Texas Hill Country and the Blackland Prairie, Georgetown is rife with outdoor adventures. Of the city's 46 parks, San Gabriel Park is the largest and most attended, offering amenities like a dog park, disc golf course and playgrounds. More than 12 miles of paved and rugged trails spread out from the numerous parks along the San Gabriel River, with many converging within walking distance of the Square at the Blue Hole, a scenic lagoon favored for swimming. Public parks along the shores of Lake Georgetown are also popular swimming spots, although accessing these requires a day pass. Perhaps Georgetown's most famous natural feature is the Inner Space Cavern, a limestone cave system estimated to be around 25 million years old. While tours are popular, the cave's year-round cool temperatures inspire some to visit to escape the summer heat.
Inner Space Cavern is a karst cave located in Georgetown, Texas.
A gorgeous sunny day on Lake Georgetown in Fountainwood.
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Career and technical education centers in Georgetown ISD
Roughly 13,000 students are served by Georgetown Independent School District, which has an overall B-plus Niche rating. The district's main distinctions are its diversity and college prep, both of which are A-rated by Niche. All kindergarteners through fifth graders can enroll in dual language programs, while high schoolers can get an early start on college through a dual credit program. Recent developments include the Future Ready Complex at Richarte High School, which opened for the 2024 fall semester, now offering advanced career and technical education programs to all high schoolers in the district. Georgetown is also home to Southwestern University, a private liberal arts college that earns distinction for being Texas's oldest college or university. As of the fall 2023 semester, roughly 1,400 students are enrolled at Southwestern, a major employer for Georgetown.
Richarte High School is the academic, alternative school of choice for Georgetown.
Southwestern University is the oldest chartered university in the state and is in Georgetown.
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A tricky environment with low crime rates
According to FBI data, violent and nonviolent crime rates in Georgetown are well below the rates in Austin, in Texas and for the entire U.S. "In Austin, if you have a wreck, [police] don't come usually, unless someone's hurt. We don't have that kind of problem around here," Knight says. The most prevalent natural hazard is flooding, as the San Gabriel River and its many tributaries are all designated flood zones. When it rains heavily, those waterways can rush with water, which poses an additional risk of erosion for the homes that overlook the river from limestone bluffs. Wildfires can also be a concern, as Georgetown is in an ember zone, including downtown. Sun City remains the most wildfire-prone region of Georgetown, with high-vulnerability areas immediately to the west of the 55-plus community.
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
