Georgetown

Living in Georgetown, Texas

Georgetown is the Williamson County seat and the northern anchor of the metro, about 30 miles up I-35 from downtown Austin. It has something none of the other north suburbs do: a genuine historic downtown built around one of the best-preserved courthouse squares in Texas. That square is not a marketing line. It is a working center of the city with restaurants, shops and events, and it is a large part of why people choose Georgetown over closer options.

Two very different markets in one city

Georgetown is really two housing markets. There is Sun City Texas, one of the largest active-adult communities in the country, which operates on its own rules, its own amenity structure and its own buyer pool. And there is the rest of Georgetown, which is a conventional family suburb with everything from historic homes near the square to new construction on the edges. Buyers who do not understand the split get confused by the comparable sales, because a Sun City home and a family home three miles away are not competing for the same buyer.

Getting around

I-35 runs through the middle and SH 130 provides an eastern bypass. Georgetown is far enough north that a daily downtown Austin commute is a real commitment. Many residents work locally, in Round Rock, or remotely. If you need to be in central Austin every day, be honest with yourself about that drive before you fall in love with the square.

Schools

Georgetown ISD serves most of the city, with portions in neighboring districts at the edges. Southwestern University, the oldest university in Texas, is also here, which gives Georgetown a small college-town character on top of everything else.

Outdoors

Lake Georgetown, the San Gabriel River and Blue Hole Park are all part of daily life here in a way that is unusual for a suburb. The trail system along the river is well used. For buyers who want water and greenspace without leaving the metro, Georgetown competes with anywhere on this side of Austin.

Who Georgetown suits

Retirees and near-retirees looking at Sun City. Families who want a real downtown and are willing to trade commute for it. Remote workers, for whom the distance costs almost nothing and the quality of place is a straight gain. It is a harder fit for anyone tied to a daily central Austin office.

Get a straight read

Ken Jackson is a REALTOR® with Spyglass Realty working the north corridor from Georgetown down through Leander and Cedar Park. Call (737) 307-4848 or send a note.