Relocation guide · Austin to the north suburbs
Tax units, tolls, transit and home types for Leander, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Hutto and Georgetown.
Short answer
Moving from Austin proper to Leander, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Hutto or Georgetown usually changes four things: which county and appraisal district value your home, the local units on your tax bill, your route and whether it is tolled, and your transit options. Each follows the parcel, so compare addresses, not town names.
Sources: area guides; Texas Comptroller. As of October 14, 2026.
Key facts
Texas has no state property tax; each local unit sets its own rate every year.
Source: Texas Comptroller, retrieved October 14, 2026.
SH 45 North and SH 130 are tolled electronically, with no cash booths. I-35 and US 79 are not tolled.
Source: TxDOT, retrieved October 14, 2026.
CapMetro's Red Line runs 10 stations from Downtown to Leander.
Source: CapMetro, retrieved October 14, 2026.
On a homestead, appraised value can rise no more than 10 percent a year after the first qualifying year.
Source: Texas Comptroller, retrieved October 14, 2026.
Tax bill
In Austin, a bill depends on the parcel and can include the City of Austin, Travis County, a school district and other districts; Williamson County parcels use WCAD instead of TCAD. When you move north, the city, the county, the school district and the special districts on the bill all change. The list below is what each town's bill can include, from the area guides. Rates change every year, so get the current rates for the exact parcel; this year's adopted rates by town are on the suburb tax rate table.
Town | Units that can appear on the bill | Appraisal district |
|---|---|---|
City of Leander, Williamson County (or Travis County), Leander ISD, an emergency services district, Austin Community College, any MUD or PID | ||
City of Cedar Park, Williamson County (or Travis County), Leander ISD or Round Rock ISD, Austin Community College, Upper Brushy Creek WCID, any MUD or PID | ||
City of Round Rock, Williamson County (or Travis County), the school district for the address, Austin Community College, any MUD or emergency services district | ||
City of Pflugerville, Travis County (or Williamson County), the school district for the address, Austin Community College, Travis County Healthcare District, any special district | ||
City of Hutto, Williamson County, Hutto ISD and other districts such as an emergency services district, by parcel | ||
City of Georgetown, Georgetown ISD and Williamson County, per the city |
From the area guides, checked October 13, 2026. A MUD or PID applies only to some parcels; see MUD and PID explained.
Tolls
The main routes out of each town, marked toll or free. Toll rates change; check the operator's current rate card before you count on a number. Mobility Authority (183A) and TxDOT (SH 45 North, SH 130).
Transit
The Red Line is the only rail line north. It runs 10 stations from Downtown to Leander (CapMetro). Leander Station is at 800 N US Highway 183; Cedar Park's closest stop is Lakeline Station, at the Lakeline Park and Ride in Austin. Schedule, fares and parking: Red Line commute guide.
East of I-35, service is by bus and on demand: CapMetro Routes 50, 152 and 980 and Round Rock Rides in Round Rock, Pfetch a Ride in Pflugerville, rideGTX in Georgetown, and CARTS in rural Williamson County, including Hutto. Each city page is linked from its area guide.
Home types
Each town has houses; the mix around them differs. These are the home types each area guide lists.
LeanderHouses, townhomes, condos; larger lots toward the edges.
Cedar ParkHouses, townhomes, condos; golf-course and greenbelt lots.
Round RockHouses, townhomes, condos, new builds; older homes near downtown.
PflugervilleHouses, townhomes, new builds; older homes near Old Town.
HuttoHouses, townhomes, new builds; acreage on the edges.
GeorgetownHouses, townhomes, acreage; historic homes near downtown.Drive times by town. Weekday drive times from all six towns to downtown, the Domain, Apple, Dell, Samsung, Tesla and the airport, with the method and date, are on the north Austin commute table. Property tax rates by town are on the suburb tax rate table.
Timing
If you own in Austin, you can sell first and rent or stay in a leaseback, buy first and carry both homes for a while, or make the purchase contingent on your sale. Your lender decides what is possible on the buy-first side, so start there.
Ken can run both sides: pricing and marketing your Austin home (sellers guide, home valuation) and the purchase north. After you close, file the homestead exemption on the new home with its county's appraisal district.
FAQ
No. Leander is its own city, mostly in Williamson County with part in Travis County, about 22 miles from the Texas Capitol in a straight line. See the Leander guide.
Leander and Cedar Park have Toll 183A alongside US 183. Round Rock, Pflugerville, Hutto and Georgetown have SH 45 North or SH 130, which are tolled electronically. I-35 and US 79 are not tolled. Sources: TxDOT, Mobility Authority.
Yes, from the Leander and Lakeline stations on CapMetro's Red Line, which runs 10 stations from Downtown to Leander. Check current times at capmetro.org/rail.
Not necessarily. The units on the bill change, and so do their rates. Some newer areas add a MUD or PID. Get the exact parcel's taxing units and current rates before you offer.
The exemption is tied to the home you live in. After you buy the new home, file for it with that county's appraisal district (WCAD or TCAD).
It depends on your equity and your lender. Selling first gives certainty on cash; buying first avoids a second move. Ken can model both and handle both sides.
Sources
Town facts come from Ken's area guides, checked October 13, 2026. Nothing on this page is tax or legal advice.
Keep reading
Talk to Ken
Ken can run both sides. Call (737) 307-4848 or send a message.
Ken Jackson, REALTOR, Spyglass Realty. General information, not legal, tax or lending advice.
SPYGLASS REALTY 8501 N MOPAC EXPY STE 110 AUSTIN TX 78759
SPYGLASS REALTY 8501 N MOPAC EXPY STE 110 AUSTIN TX 78759