Living in Georgetown, Texas: A Guide to the Neighborhoods

At a glance

Location

Williamson County seat, on I-35 about 30 miles north of Austin

Main roads

I-35, SH-29 (University Ave), Ronald Reagan Blvd, Williams Dr, SH-130, 183A

School districts

Mostly Georgetown ISD; parts of Santa Rita Ranch are Liberty Hill ISD and parts of Parkside on the River are Leander ISD

Price range

Low $200Ks (Sun City, Dec 2024) to over $1M

Tax rate

About 1.78% to 2.6% depending on the neighborhood (tours from 2024 to 2026)

HOA

Varies by neighborhood; e.g. $95/month base in Santa Rita Ranch, $110/month in Bluff Haven Manor (as of 2026)

What it's like to live in Georgetown

Georgetown was its own town long before Austin grew up to it, and it still lives that way. The center is the historic square around the granite Williamson County courthouse, with restaurants, coffee shops, galleries and live music on Friday and Saturday nights. Southwestern University, the oldest university in Texas, is right by downtown. There's a hike-and-bike trail from Lake Georgetown into the square, and the San Gabriel River trail now connects Wolf Ranch to downtown.

Daily errands have gotten a lot easier. The new HEB at Wolf Ranch Shopping Center opened in 2023, next to Target, Chick-fil-A and Starbucks. Costco has opened on the north edge, and as of June 2026 the world's largest Target is opening across from it.

How Georgetown is laid out

• West side, along SH-29 (University Ave): Wolf Ranch, Bluff Haven Manor, Riverstone, Lively Ranch, Riverview and the Retreat at San Gabriel, near the San Gabriel River and Wolf Ranch Shopping Center. SH-29 continues toward Liberty Hill.
• Northwest, off Ronald Reagan Blvd and Williams Drive: Parmer Ranch, Nolina, Highland Village, Broken Oak, Rancho Sienna and Santa Rita Ranch. Ronald Reagan is the extension of Parmer Lane and runs toward the Domain and Apple.
• Off 2243, between Ronald Reagan and I-35: Parkside on the River, where a future bridge will connect to SH-29 toward Wolf Ranch.
• East side, the old side: Saddle Creek and Highcrest Meadow, about 5 minutes from the square, with SH-130 toward Tesla and the airport.

School districts. Most of Georgetown is Georgetown ISD, but not all of it. Parkside on the River is split between Georgetown ISD and Leander ISD. Santa Rita Ranch is split between Georgetown ISD and Liberty Hill ISD. Rancho Sienna was zoned to Santa Rita Middle and Liberty Hill High for 2026-27, and online data conflicts. Georgetown ISD is growing fast and zoning changes, so I check every address.

Commutes. From near the square, downtown Austin was about 40 minutes without traffic and an hour or more at rush hour (as of April 2024). The top local gripe is University Avenue at rush hour.

Costs and taxes

Property tax rates vary a lot across Georgetown, mainly because of MUDs, PIDs and school districts. Here's what I've quoted on tours:

• About 1.78% to 1.8%: Highcrest Meadow (April 2024), the Retreat at San Gabriel (February 2024), Riverstone and Broken Oak (June 2025)
• About 2.09% to 2.1%: Highland Village (July 2025) and the Georgetown ISD side of Santa Rita Ranch (February 2026)
• About 2.37% to 2.6%: Santa Rita Ranch's Liberty Hill ISD side, 2.37 (February 2026); Rancho Sienna, 2.42 (June 2026); Wolf Ranch and Bluff Haven Manor, 2.45 (June 2026); Parmer Ranch, 2.45 (March 2025); Parkside on the River, 2.47 on the Georgetown ISD side and 2.6 on the Leander ISD side (September 2025); Nolina, 2.55 (March 2025)

On a $600,000 to $700,000 home, half a percent is about $3,000 a year, so it's worth comparing. HOA dues vary by neighborhood. For example, Santa Rita Ranch's base HOA is $95 a month (September 2026) and Bluff Haven Manor was $110 a month (June 2026). Prices run from the low $200,000s in Sun City (December 2024) to over $1 million in Wolf Ranch, Santa Rita Ranch and Sun City.

Neighborhoods I've toured

• Wolf Ranch is Hillwood's master-planned community at SH-29 and I-35, with HEB and Target inside it and a river trail to the square.
• Bluff Haven Manor is a new Risewell Homes community by Wolf Ranch Shopping Center, priced from the $600s to $800s with no pool (as of June 2026).
• Parkside on the River is a hilly, oak-covered community split between Georgetown ISD and Leander ISD, with six builders (as of September 2025).
• Santa Rita Ranch is the amenity-driven community in the Liberty Hill / Georgetown area, split between Georgetown ISD and Liberty Hill ISD. It's where I've sold more homes than anywhere else.
• Santa Rita Regency is the Toll Brothers-built 55+ section of Santa Rita Ranch.
• Rancho Sienna has been around since 2012, with mature trees and Bar W Marketplace at its entrance.
• Cimarron Hills is a golf community built around a Jack Nicklaus-designed 18-hole course, about 10 minutes from the square.
• Sun City Texas is the large 55+ community with four 18-hole golf courses, clubs and on-site services.
• Parmer Ranch is a fast-growing community on the northwest edge with gated Sitterle garden homes.
• Nolina is a value alternative to Santa Rita Ranch off Ronald Reagan, from the mid-$300s (as of March 2025).
• Highland Village is a small, rural-feeling neighborhood on the north edge with a 2.09% tax rate (as of July 2025).
• Broken Oak has quarter-acre lots by Chesmar and Highland Homes, with about a 1.8% tax rate (as of June 2025).
• Riverstone is a quiet pocket off SH-29 next to Wolf Ranch where Scott Felder and Giddens build larger homes.
• Lively Ranch is a Lennar-only community with a rural Hill Country feel and a $37/month HOA (as of February 2024).
• Riverview is a Gehan Homes and DR Horton community off SH-29 with river-backing lots on the San Gabriel.
• Retreat at San Gabriel offers river access and a 1.8% tax rate just west of Georgetown (as of February 2024).
• Highcrest Meadow is a small Chesmar and Tri Pointe community about 5 minutes from the square, with a 1.78% tax rate (as of April 2024).
• Saddle Creek is on the east side, with twin homes and single-family homes from the high $200s to the low-mid $400s (as of April 2024).

Who Georgetown fits

Georgetown fits people who want a real town, not just a suburb: a square to walk on a Friday night, trails, and more of the shopping you need close to home. It works well for families looking at Georgetown ISD neighborhoods, 55+ buyers looking at Sun City or Santa Rita Regency, and buyers who want more lot, more trees or a lower tax rate than they'd find closer in. It's a harder fit if you'll drive to downtown Austin every day at rush hour.

When I work for you, you get me. I show the homes, I negotiate and I'm the one who answers your call. You're never handed off to a teammate you didn't choose. Call or text me at (512) 983-7331 or email mason@masonsellsaustin.com.

Georgetown questions I get asked