Hillsboro boomed between 1890 and 1910 thanks to its newly built railroad, and traces of this period can still be seen around town. Investors renovate century-old Queen Anne homes, and the Hillsboro Historic Preservation Commission maintains 19th-century-era businesses in the downtown district. Just over 8,200 people live in Hillsboro, and the population has remained steady for decades thanks to education, construction and manufacturing jobs. A cultural district filled with museums and restaurants and waterfront recreation on Lake Whitney adds to daily life in Hill County’s largest city. “We’re a city with low crime, job opportunities, good quality of life and limited traffic, and we’re excited when people are looking to get involved in the community,” says Jamie Siddons, a Realtor with Julie Siddons Realtors who has lived in Hillsboro for 39 years. “There’s a lot that makes people look at Hillsboro because it’s just a nice, easy life with no big-city stress.”
Hillsboro boomed between 1890 and 1910 largely due in part to the newly built railroad.
The Hillsboro Historic Preservation Commission maintains the 19th-century era businesses in downtown.
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Historic renovations and new subdivisions outside Hillsboro
New construction and plots of land are frequently on the Hillsboro market, and some of the city’s historic homes are sold as fixer-uppers and investment properties. “We have beautiful historic homes that have been remodeled, and we have a couple of new subdivisions outside the city,” Siddons says. “People like to live on more than just a lot in town; they want to live outside city limits on an acre or more.” The median home price is $260,000, less than the median prices in Waco, Fort Worth and Dallas.
You can find many restored historic homes while driving around Hillsboro.
Many families of Hillsboro opt for new subdivisions just outside of the city.
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Restaurants and museums in the Hillsboro Historic District
R&K Café II, Overflow Coffee and Hillsboro Antique Mall are just a few modern businesses neighboring pre-1900 banks, saloons and railroad stations in the downtown Hillsboro Residential Historic District. The century-old Grime’s Garage building now hosts Texas Through Time, a science museum dedicated to fossils discovered throughout the state. A few blocks away, The Roadside America Museum focuses on a different kind of history. All things nostalgic and kitschy fill the museum, from vintage cars and jukeboxes to neon signs and 50-year-old soda bottles.
Texas Through Time is a popular fossil museum many Hillsboro families enjoy.
R&K Cafe is a popular restaurant during all hours in downtown Hillsboro.
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From Fire and Ice to the Cider Crawl
The Historic District hosts celebrations nearly every month. The Fire and Ice dinner and whiskey tasting draws in crowds every February, while spring and summer bring monthly art walks and concerts. The year ends with an autumnal “Cider Crawl” and a holiday tree lighting in front of the courthouse.
Fishing and scuba diving at Lake Whitney
Of Hillsboro’s four public parks, Hillsboro City Park is the largest. It has tennis courts and a children’s musical installation with a xylophone and drums. The park is next to the Hillsboro Country Club, which has a private golf course, pool and clubhouse. Hillsboro is 14 miles from where the Brazos River meets Lake Whitney. Lake Whitney State Park has some of the best catfish and bass fishing in the region, and visitors can also scuba dive in the lake.
Hillsboro locals enjoy going fishing at Lake Whitney.
Hillsboro Country Club is close to many residents homes.
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Hillsboro ISD and Hill College
The Hillsboro Independent School District has over 2,000 students across four schools and earns a B on Niche. Hillsboro is also home to Hill College, which has operated since 1923. The college owns the Texas Heritage Museum, which has one of the country's largest collections of books on the Civil War and an artifact gallery dedicated to Texas’ military history.
Hillsboro Intermediate School continues to empower tomorrow's leaders.
Niche gives Hillsboro High School a 13:1 student-to-teacher ratio.
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Halfway between Austin, Fort Worth and Dallas
Interstate 35 cuts through the east side of Hillsboro and is a direct route to Austin and the Dallas-Fort Worth metro. Texas Routes 22 and 171 also go through the city. While the city has no permanent bus or train routes, Hillsboro receives on-demand transportation services from the Hill Country Transit District and the Heart of Texas Rural Transportation District. Hillsboro is 36 miles from the Waco Regional Airport and within 80 miles of both the Fort Worth Meacham and Dallas Fort Worth international airports.
Hot, dry Texas summers
The region has very hot summers and generally mild winters, with occasional wintertime cold fronts and sudden freezes. Spring and fall tend to be rainy, while summer and winter are dry.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Hillsboro's crime rate increased by 30% between 2022 and 2023. In 2023, Hillsboro accounted for 40% of all crimes reported in Hill County.
Written By
Delaney Murray
Photography Contributed By
Debbie Giesbrecht
Video By
Chris Norton
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Cody Roberts,
an experienced agent in this area.
GreatSchools:
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On average, homes in Hillsboro, TX sell after 64 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Hillsboro, TX over the last 12 months is $264,900, up 5% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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