Austin is the capital and fourth largest city in the state of Texas, with a population of nearly 2.3 million people in the entire ATX area. Austin is most known for its vibrant and culturally diverse atmosphere full of artists, musicians, and writers. If you’re looking to buy a piece of Austin real estate, here are some of the 5 best suburbs of Austin.
Cedar Park
Best Suburb of Austin For: Families + Business Professionals
Located directly north of Austin, Cedar Park has a population of over 77,000 people. Cedar Park is still much like the city of Austin with hip and unique restaurants, but with a little more wiggle room for growing families. Cedar Park is also known for its schools as the residents here have high regard for education, with more people holding college degrees here than the national average.
Cedar Park has several things to do with families like parks with splash pads, playgrounds, and even a skate park. Particularly Brushy Creek Park has a lot to offer, including opportunities for kayaking, fishing, etc. Splash Shack is another neat place for families. It’s a micro-indoor waterpark that’s open year-round. Many people also commute from Cedar Park to downtown Austin. They either drive, which is about 25 minutes, or use the rail line with minimal commute times.
Over 77% of the homes for sale in Cedar Park are single-family homes with three to four bedrooms, though you’ll find luxury condos with attached garages too. Most of Cedar Park was developed in the early 2000s, but several homes were built from the ‘70s to ‘90s too. Over 70% of residents own their homes with the median home price being around $600K. Condos for sale in Cedar Park can range from $380K to $625K. A couple of the most popular neighborhoods in Cedar Park real estate are:
- The Ranch at Brushy Creek – A master-planned community right next to Brushy Creek Park, which also has its own park and pool.
- Twin Creeks – A country club community with a golf course, restaurant, pools, tennis courts, and more.
Lakeway
Best Suburb of Austin For: Families + Professionals + Retirees + Outdoor Activities
Located 23 miles west of Austin on the banks of Lake Travis, is the city of Lakeway with a population of over 19,000 people. Lakeway is the place for people who want a peaceful and quiet atmosphere, as this city exudes small-town vibes. Here you’ll find a mixture of families, professionals, and retirees as Lakeway has something for everyone.
Lake Travis is a reservoir on the Colorado River, which is a popular spot for locals of the Austin area to hang out and cool off in the summertime. Here you’ll find all kinds of water activities like boating and fishing, as well as swimming and enjoying the views along the bank. Lakeway also has great parks with one of the more popular ones being Lakeway City Park, which includes a dog park, a baseball field, sand volleyball courts, and a playground. Schools in Lakeway are in the Lake Travis Independent School District, one of the top districts in the ATX area.
The vast majority of Lakeway real estate was developed from the ‘70s till now. Over 80% of the homes for sale in Lakeway are single-family detached homes with three or more bedrooms. Nearly 85% of residents own their homes and the median home price is around $980K. Condos for sale in Lakeway start around $300K, but can easily top out over $1M.
You can find new construction homes in Lakeway in the Sweetwater and Rough Hollow neighborhoods. They’re both very comparable but have different sceneries. Sweetwater is very hilly, while Rough Hollow is on the waterfront. There are a few different home styles in Lakeway. One of them showcases what locals call “Big Tex”, which is a style mixed with stucco, brick, and stone. Others are more Mediterranean or modern.
Leander
Best Suburb of Austin For: Families + Professionals
Situated 28 miles north of downtown Austin, Leander is a booming city with over 60,000 people. Leander is one of the best suburbs in the nation, the best place to raise a family in Texas, a top city for job growth, and one of the fastest growing cities in the state! A couple of up-and-coming areas of Leander are Northline, a vibrant downtown district, and Crystal Lagoon, a man-made beach.
Leander has several parks available to its residents. Southwest Regional Park is a local favorite that offers a baseball diamond, a soccer field, tennis courts, a playground, and even a mini train ride for kids! Another area favorite is Lakewood Community Park which has a skate park, a playground, and trails, and is right on the lake where people can rent kayaks.
Single-family detached homes dominate Leander real estate, though you will see a few townhomes too. The median price of homes for sale in Leander is about $550K. Most townhomes for sale in Leander come with an attached garage and range from $350K to $525K. There are a couple of neighborhoods worth mentioning that also have new construction homes in Leander. One is Crystal Falls, a community with Texas Hill Country views, with acre lots, cottages, a golf course, and 3 pools. The other neighborhood is Travisso, which offers an amenity center, resort style pool, gym, and a nice playscape for kids.
Pflugerville
Best Suburb of Austin For: Families + Business Opportunities
Located 18 miles northeast of Austin, Pflugerville is a city with over 63,000 people. Its claim to fame was being a backdrop for the TV series, Friday Night Lights, but it’s so much more! This tight-knit community values families, togetherness, and supporting local businesses.
The downtown area showcases family owned shops, boutiques, and restaurants the locals love, but that’s not all Pflugerville offers! Northeast Metropolitan Park is a popular place to get outdoors as there is a BMX track, a place to play cricket, volleyball, baseball, soccer, and it also has a splash pad. Typhoon Texas water park and Lake Pflugerville are common places to hang out, especially in the summer as they both offer so much to do in the water.
Nearly 78% of Pflugerville real estate are single-family homes with three to four bedrooms, though there are a few condos too. The median price of homes for sale in Pflugerville is around $500K. Condos for sale in Pflugerville range from $340K to $570K. Pflugerville has been a steadily growing city since the 1970s and continues to build new construction homes today. Some neighborhoods to spotlight are:
- Fairways of Blackhawk – A master-planned community with a golf course, several parks, volleyball courts, 3 pools, and a resort-style clubhouse.
- Falcon Pointe – A master-planned community with outdoor amenities like a disc golf course, ziplining, a dog park, pools, areas to play basketball, volleyball, tennis courts, trails to walk or bike, and a clubhouse.
- Sorento – Located across the street from Lake Pflugerville, this newer community offers lots of trails, a pool, and a clubhouse.
Round Rock
Best Suburb of Austin For: Families + Entertainment
About 23 miles north of Austin is the large city of Round Rock, with about 130K people. Round Rock is most known for its Kalahari Resort (the nation’s largest indoor waterpark) and the Dell Diamond Center (Minor league baseball center + events hosting). Round Rock also has several major box stores at the Round Rock Outlets and also has an Ikea. A couple of the city’s favorite parks include:
- Old Settlers Park – as the gem of the city, Old Settlers Park boasts amenities for all kinds of activities like baseball, soccer, sand volleyball, catch-and-release fishing, a playground, pools, a splash park, and trails.
- All-Abilities Park – An imaginative playground set up like a mini city for kids. This includes things like a grocery store, a restaurant, a fire station, and more!
Round Rock real estate has primarily been in development since the 1970s and is mostly made up of single-family homes, though there are condos and townhomes too. The median price of homes for sale in Round Rock is around $525K. Townhomes and Condos for sale in Round Rock range from $260K to about $565K. Some of the best neighborhoods in Round Rock are:
- Forest Creek – A master-planned community with a public golf course, a pool, a splash pad, a playground, parks, and trails.
- Terra Vista – A huge master-planned neighborhood with fish ponds, pools, playgrounds, parks, trails, a fitness center, tennis and basketball courts, a dog-washing station, and so much more!
- The Depot – An up-and-coming urban neighborhood located in the downtown area that’s full of new construction townhomes where residents can live, work, and play.
Best Suburbs Around Austin
We hope you found this information insightful when learning about the 5 best suburbs of Austin. If you’re still unsure about the Austin area, you may want to check out the best suburbs of San Antonio as it’s another major city with its own metro area, but not too far from Austin. Whenever you’re ready, be sure to contact a local real estate agent to help you get started in the home search process.
