Located along the Guadalupe River, Victoria is often called the Crossroads of Texas because it's two hours from Austin, Houston, Corpus Christi and San Antonio. "It's a very historic town in South Texas, serving a lot of the ranch and farming community," says local Realtor Trey Poteet of PRG Realtors. Over 65,000 people live here. Beyond farming, many work in local manufacturing and industries just outside the city. "The population rate of growth fluctuates depending on oil and gas and manufacturing in the area," Poteet says, adding that remote workers have also been drawn here for the simpler life outside bigger cities like Houston. Named after the first president of the Republic of Mexico, Guadalupe Victoria, the city celebrates its 200th year through citywide projects – including adding a new event pavilion. Victoria also has a mall, abundant parks, museums and a namesake zoo.
The beautiful Victoria County Courthouse, a historic landmark seen from downtown.
Downtown Victoria offers charming shops and ambient restaurants.
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Country homes, suburbs and historic districts in Victoria
Victoria's residential options feature everything from small bungalows to grand Victorians to country homes on 40 acres. Its oldest homes, about 80, settle within five historic districts that radiate from its downtown and include many on the National Register of Historic Places. Poteet says a lot of Victoria's suburbs are off Zac Road Parkway, where homes date from the 1980s and 1990s. He adds that new construction is picking up just beyond city limits. "There's been a big push recently to these acreage home sites. They are between 1 and 5 acres, and there's a lot of communities out there — Sendera Estates is one of them." The median home price in Victoria is around $265,000, around 21% less than the state median.
A row of historic two-story homes found in the Historic Heritage District of Victoria.
A newly developed traditional home found in the suburbs of Victoria.
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Lions and more at the Texas Zoo
Around 34% of Victoria’s residents can walk to a park in 10 minutes. Riverside Park is the largest, covering 600 acres along the Guadalupe River. “It has big pecan and oak trees, a large duck pond for the kids and a golf course. The rodeo arena is more a practice arena now, but when we were younger, they had big rodeos there,” Manning says. The park is also home to the Texas Zoo and a restaurant built in an old pumphouse listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Locals fish and kayak along the river, too. The duck pond at Riverside Park re-opened in 2023 after the city revitalized it following erosion caused by Hurricane Harvey in 2018. Riverside Park and homes near the river often flood during significant rainfall.
The Texas Zoo hosts many native and exotic animals perfect for a family outing.
A stunning jaguar seen at the Texas Zoo in Victoria.
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Home to Victoria College and the Museum of the Coastal Bend
The Victoria Independent School District earns a B-minus on Niche. Victoria College and a satellite branch of the University of Houston are in the city. Victoria College houses the Museum of the Coastal Bend, which showcases over 13,000 years of regional history.
Students walking the campus of Victoria College.
The Museum of the Coastal Bend is open to locals and students at Victoria College.
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Tejas Fest is a brand-new event
In 2024, Victoria celebrated 200 years with a string of year-long events, including a lighted Christmas parade downtown. The city debuted its De Leon Plaza Expansion Project at one of these celebrations, bringing a permanent performance pavilion to the heart of downtown and life to Victoria's festival scene by attracting new events. One recent addition is Tejas Fest, a free Fall festival featuring live Tejano music, a mix of vendors, a petting zoo and a car show. The city's other notable but smaller events range from craft clubs at the Victoria Public Library Victoria to performances at Victoria ISD Fine Arts Center by the Victoria Symphony Orchestra.
Locals can enjoy local art at the Nave Museum in Victoria.
Historic Downtown Victoria celebrating over 200 years of memory.
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Getting to and from Victoria
U.S. Highways 59, 77, and 87 intersect in Victoria. "Traffic is not too bad. It's nothing like Austin. Maybe at 5 o'clock, you have a 10-minute rush hour, and that's about it," Manning says, adding that there is one mode of public transit. "There are city buses [through Victoria Transit] that take people around. They are transit van buses, but it gives a lot of good access to people who don't have a vehicle." Victoria Transit offers ADA-accessible buses with fixed routes, paratransit services and rural transportation. Victoria Regional Airport provides connecting flights to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston through United Express, operated by Southwest Airlines. The city has several medical corridors offering trauma centers, and emergency, generalized and specialty care.
Fossati's Deli has been around since 1882
Victoria's dining scene offers international variety, and the city has over 35 Mexican restaurants alone. Some of its quintessential spots are downtown. "There's little ice cream parlors, sandwich shops, [local] restaurants – all kinds of things," says longtime resident Mark Manning, broker and owner of Manning Real Estate Group. A local treasure is Fossati's Deli, which opened in 1882, making it the oldest establishment of its kind in Texas. Poteet says North Navarro Street has popular shopping strips and is also home to the Victoria Mall. Across the city, dozens of cantinas and bars offer a lively atmosphere in the evenings.
Fossati's Delicatessen has been serving up the town's favorite sandwiches since the early 1900's.
Many restaurants can be enjoyed in and around Historic Downtown Victoria.
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Victoria is prone to drought
Victoria is prone to droughts, which can lead to water restrictions, as it did in October 2024 when the city entered Stage II restrictions for a few months. The Guadalupe River is the city's primary water source. Victoria launched an expanded alert system in 2024 that notifies residents about issues that affect their street or neighborhood. This feature is in addition to the regular emergency alert services used for citywide updates. Crime in the area is slightly higher than national and state averages. Theft tops the list, with most occurring around the city center.
During heavy rainfall, the Guadalupe River floods, leaving homes surrounding it vulnerable.
Victoria is also prone to droughts in the summer.
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Written By
Kathryn Ashworth
Photography Contributed By
Austin Rowdy Winters
Video By
Kyle Keyes
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Victoria Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Victoria, TX sell after 78 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Victoria, TX over the last 12 months is $252,250, up 3% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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.
