Living in Round Rock, Texas: What I Tell Buyers Who Want Big-City Reach Without Austin Prices
Round Rock is the largest city on this side of the map, and it is the one buyers assume must cost more than it does. I'm Felix, a Texas Realtor, and I live in Cedar Park, so I drive through Round Rock more than you would think. Before the bottom of this page, I'll show you three things.
First, how big Round Rock is next to its neighbors and how fast it is still adding people. Second, the commute, in minutes, and where it sits against every other city in my list. Third, the hidden reason two Round Rock homes with the same price can cost different amounts every month. Keep reading, because that last one is easy to miss.
Where Round Rock sits
The Census Bureau counted 119,468 people in Round Rock in April 2020 and estimates 141,282 in July 2025, a gain of about 18 percent. That makes it the largest city in my list by a wide margin: Georgetown is estimated at 106,907, Cedar Park at 79,032 and Leander at 91,132. Round Rock calls itself the Sports Capital of Texas, and I will show you why that matters in daily life.
This page is the lifestyle guide. For homes for sale right now, use my Round Rock homes page. If you are comparing, look at Cedar Park, Pflugerville and Georgetown.
Parks and the sports side
The City of Round Rock says it has 37 developed parks spanning more than 2,305 acres, including trail corridors, and over 20 miles of built hike-and-bike trails. Old Settlers Park is the anchor: 670 acres with a 20-field baseball complex, a 5-field softball complex, seven soccer fields, an 18-hole disc golf course and about 3.3 miles of paved trail. The Brushy Creek Regional Trail, about 7.75 mostly concrete miles, runs from Twin Lakes Park in Cedar Park to Round Rock.
If sports or open space matter to you, those numbers are a real reason to put Round Rock on your list. If they don't, the numbers still tell you the city has plenty of room to get outside.
Downtown
Prete Main Street Plaza is a 14,000-square-foot downtown plaza at 221 E. Main St., across from City Hall, with a 610-square-foot stage and an interactive water feature. A plaza like that is how a city gives its downtown a place to gather. I would rather you walk it once than take my word for what it feels like.
The numbers, side by side
Here is the first thing I promised. This is a national home value index that tracks the typical middle-tier home, single-family and condo, smoothed to take out month-to-month noise. These are the figures as of Sep 30, 2026. The table adds the change from a year earlier and the Census Bureau's average commute for workers who live in each city.
| City | Typical home value, Sep 30, 2026 | Change from Sep 30, 2025 | Average commute, minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round Rock | $395,851 | down 5.1% | 24.9 |
| Cedar Park | $456,996 | down 3.1% | 25.5 |
| Pflugerville | $363,170 | down 4.8% | 27.4 |
| Georgetown | $419,666 | down 3.9% | 28.2 |
| Leander | $420,175 | down 5.6% | 29.2 |
| Hutto | $328,297 | down 6.7% | 29.3 |
| Austin | $491,960 | down 3.2% | 23.7 |
Home values come from a national home value index for middle-tier single-family homes and condos, smoothed to take out month-to-month noise. Commute is the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 average for workers who commute. Some city rows may include areas outside the city limits.
Read it slowly. Round Rock's typical value is $395,851, which is $61,000 below Cedar Park's $456,996 and $33,000 above Pflugerville's $363,170. Over the year it fell 5.1 percent, versus the Austin metro's 4.3 percent. From its June 2022 high of $536,166, the index is down 26.2 percent.
An index is a map, not a price tag, and I can't tell you where it goes next. For the sold market, Unlock MLS, the Central Texas MLS, reported a median sold price of $421,000 for the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos area in September 2026, with 5.4 months of inventory and homes closing at an average of 92.7 percent of their original list price. That is a different measure than the index, so don't line the two up as if they were the same thing.
The drive
Here is the second thing. The Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 survey puts the average one-way trip to work for people who live in Round Rock at 24.9 minutes, the shortest of the Williamson County cities in my list. Cedar Park is 25.5, Georgetown 28.2 and Leander 29.2. An average hides your worst morning, so I ask where you work before I recommend a street.
Round Rock sits on I-35, and TxDOT's I-35 Georgetown to Round Rock project covers 13 miles from SH 29 to SH 45 North. TxDOT's proposal includes managed lanes and ramp and bridge changes. Whether any of that helps your drive depends on your route, and a proposal is not a finished road.
The straight talk
- It is the biggest and the most established of the north-side cities, with the shortest average commute in the Williamson County group.
- It costs less than Cedar Park on the index and more than Pflugerville.
- It is still growing, up about 18 percent from the 2020 count to the 2025 estimate, so ask me what is finished and what is under construction near any home.
- Prices fell like everywhere else. The index is down 26.2 percent from its June 2022 high. I will not predict the next move.
What changes the bill at an address
Texas has no state property tax. Local taxing units set the rates, so two Round Rock homes can carry different bills. Williamson County publishes tax rate worksheets for Round Rock MUD 1 and Round Rock MUD 2 and for a Brushy Creek MUD, among many other districts. Some Round Rock addresses are inside a special district and some are not, so I look up each one and put the full yearly cost next to the price. Your own tax professional should confirm your bill.
Who Round Rock fits
It fits you if you want the shortest average commute of the north-side cities, plenty of park and trail space, and a lower price than Cedar Park. It fits less well if you want a smaller-town scale. Both answers are fine. Choose with the numbers in front of you.
Moving from out of state? I wrote a guide for each starting point: Moving From Dallas to Austin, Moving From California to Austin, Moving From Chicago to Austin and Moving From New York to Austin.
I can't see where rates or prices go next, and neither can anyone else who is being honest. Unlock MLS reported that rising mortgage rates slowed September sales in the Austin area: closed sales were down 14.8 percent from a year earlier, with 13,465 active listings. Markets shift month to month. Your readiness is the part you control, so when you start a file I am already working from your list.
How it works with me
- You start your file. Tell me about your timeline and where you are in the process. I text you and send my agreement the same day.
- We talk it through. Your must-haves, your commute, what you want around you and what you want in your budget.
- I send you homes that fit that list, with what is around each one, so you are not scrolling through noise.
- We tour together. I walk each home with you and tell you what I notice. I have experience in building homes, and a licensed inspector is always your call.
- You choose. Every lender, insurer and warranty company is your decision.
- Closing. I attend every closing, and I am there at the table with you.
My services are fiduciary in nature, so I can only work for clients. When you start a file, I am on your side of the table.
Is Round Rock a good place to live?
I don't rank cities, but here is what the sources show. The average commute is 24.9 minutes, the city reports 37 developed parks on more than 2,305 acres, and the typical home value on the index is $395,851. Whether that fits depends on your commute, budget and what you want around you.
How much does a home in Round Rock cost?
On the home value index, the typical middle-tier home in Round Rock was $395,851 on Sep 30, 2026, down 5.1% from a year earlier. That is an index, not a price for any home.
What is the commute from Round Rock like?
The Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 average one-way travel time to work for people who live in Round Rock is 24.9 minutes, compared with 25.5 in Cedar Park and 28.2 in Georgetown. Averages hide rush hour, so I match homes to where you actually need to be.
How big is Round Rock?
The Census Bureau counted 119,468 people in April 2020 and estimates 141,282 in July 2025.
What parks and trails are in Round Rock?
The city says it has 37 developed parks on more than 2,305 acres and over 20 miles of hike-and-bike trails. Old Settlers Park is 670 acres, and the Brushy Creek Regional Trail runs from Twin Lakes Park in Cedar Park to Round Rock.
Why does the tax bill change by address in Round Rock?
Texas has no state property tax and local units set rates. A Round Rock address can be taxed by the city, the county, a school district and any special district that covers it. I check which apply and put them next to the price.
Do you rank schools or neighborhoods?
No. I don't rank schools or neighborhoods, and I don't make claims about who lives where. Each school district publishes its own information and boundaries, and I will point you to the official source for any address you are considering. What I can do is match homes to your commute and to what is around them, like trails, lakes, parks and shopping.
Do I need to be in Austin to get started?
No. Start your file, tell me where you are in your plan, and I will tell you what is best done in person. Then we plan your visit around a short list of homes that fit.
Who do you work for, and will you be at my closing?
My services are fiduciary in nature, so I can only work for clients. When you start a file, I am on your side of the table. Yes, I attend every closing, and I am there at the table with you.
Ready? Open your file and I will text you today. No pressure, just a clear list built around your life.
Important: I'm a Texas Realtor, not an attorney, tax advisor, lender, appraiser or inspector. The figures on this page come from the U.S. Census Bureau, the City of Round Rock, Williamson County, TxDOT, the Texas Comptroller, Unlock MLS and a national home value index, were pulled on Nov 2, 2026, and can be revised or change. Nothing here is tax, legal, lending or appraisal advice, a price opinion for any home, or a recommendation of any company. Property tax and income tax outcomes depend on your situation and the address, so check with your own tax professional. I list places by what is there and by commute, and I do not rank or describe neighborhoods by who lives in them.
Related: Moving From California to Austin · Moving From Chicago to Austin · Moving From New York to Austin · Moving From Dallas to Austin · Round Rock homes · Cedar Park · Pflugerville · Georgetown
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