Market Overview for Burnet County
There are 599 active listings in Burnet County with a median list price of $385K and a median sold price of $459K.
Homes average 103 days on market.
Over the past 30 days, 87 homes have sold, with 741 sales in the past 12 months.
The average price per square foot is $301.
About Burnet County
Burnet County covers 1,021 square miles in the Texas Hill Country northwest of Austin, with a 2020 census population of 49,130. The county seat is the city of Burnet (2020 population 6,436), and the largest community is Marble Falls on Lake LBJ, which had a 2020 population of 7,037 and an estimated 2024 population of around 9,400. Other incorporated communities include Bertram, Cottonwood Shores, Granite Shoals, Meadowlakes, and Highland Haven. Horseshoe Bay straddles the Burnet/Llano county line on Lake LBJ.
The county sits at the center of the Highland Lakes — a chain of six reservoirs built along the Colorado River by the Lower Colorado River Authority. Lake Buchanan, the largest of the Highland Lakes at 22,452 acres with more than 120 miles of shoreline, anchors the county's northern end, followed downstream by Inks Lake, Lake LBJ (6,432 acres), and the upper reaches of Lake Marble Falls. The landscape is Central Texas Hill Country: rolling limestone hills covered in live oak and juniper, the Colorado River and its tributaries, and the pink granite outcrops that give Marble Falls its character.
Burnet County shares the "Bluebonnet Co-Capital of Texas" designation with neighboring Llano County, memorialized by the Texas Legislature in 1981. Each spring State Highway 281 and the back roads around Burnet, Marble Falls, and Bertram fill with wildflowers, and the Burnet Bluebonnet Festival draws visitors to the downtown square every April. Granite Mountain in Marble Falls — an 866-foot dome of solid pink granite covering 180 acres — supplied the Sunset Red granite for the Texas State Capitol after its owners donated the stone in 1882. A dedicated railroad spur was built from Burnet to the mountain in 1885 to haul the blocks east to Austin.
The county's modern economy blends tourism, healthcare, education, ranching, and granite quarrying. Housing runs from lakefront homes on Buchanan, Inks, and LBJ to Hill Country ranches on acreage, resort-community homes at Horseshoe Bay, and more moderately priced small-town neighborhoods in Burnet, Bertram, and Marble Falls. Property taxes are lower than in Travis County, and many newer residents cite the Hill Country setting, lake access, and cost of land among their reasons for moving from the Austin metro, accepting a 50 to 90-minute drive to downtown Austin if they still travel to the city for work.
Living in Burnet County
Daily life in Burnet County centers on the Highland Lakes and the Hill Country outdoors. Weekends fill up with boating on Lake LBJ, fishing on Lake Buchanan, swimming and camping at Inks Lake State Park, and exploring the trails and cavern at Longhorn Cavern State Park. Downtown Marble Falls and the Burnet town square anchor weekend farmers markets, concerts, and seasonal festivals including the Burnet Bluebonnet Festival each April and the Bertram Oatmeal Festival in late September.
Practical trade-offs are straightforward: land is less expensive and lots are larger than in Travis or Williamson County, but services are more spread out. Marble Falls and Burnet offer full-service grocery, medical, and retail — Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Marble Falls serves as the main hospital for the Hill Country region, backed by an adjacent specialty clinic. Outside those two hubs, residents drive 20 to 40 minutes for most errands. High-speed internet has expanded along the 281 and 71 corridors, though some rural areas still depend on fixed wireless or satellite service.
Commuting: Marble Falls to downtown Austin is about 50 miles via Highway 71, typically 70 to 90 minutes at rush hour. Burnet to Austin via 183A and Highway 281 is roughly 55 miles and takes a comparable amount of time. Many residents who work in Austin do so on a remote or hybrid schedule rather than driving in daily. Students on the Lake LBJ side attend Marble Falls ISD, and those on the county-seat side attend Burnet Consolidated ISD; both districts maintain small-town district atmospheres with active athletics and fine arts programs.
Things to Do in Burnet County
- Boat, fish, and swim the Highland Lakes: Lake Buchanan, Inks Lake, and Lake LBJ anchor daily recreation in Burnet County. Lake Buchanan, the largest of the Highland Lakes at 22,452 acres with more than 120 miles of shoreline, is managed by the LCRA and known for striped bass and catfish. Lake LBJ (6,432 acres) is known for stable year-round water levels that make it popular for boating and waterskiing.
- Explore Inks Lake State Park: Inks Lake State Park covers 1,201 acres along Inks Lake on the Colorado River in Burnet County. The park has been open since 1950 under the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and offers swimming at Devil's Waterhole, camping, fishing, paddling, and miles of hiking over pink granite outcrops.
- Tour Longhorn Cavern State Park: Longhorn Cavern State Park is a 645-acre state park near Burnet featuring a 1.1-mile guided walking tour of an underground river-carved cavern, lasting about 90 minutes. The park was developed between 1934 and 1942 by Company 854 of the Civilian Conservation Corps, and the stone entry building and observation tower remain part of its National Park Service Rustic architecture.
- Ride the Hill Country Flyer vintage train: The Austin Steam Train Association has run the Hill Country Flyer excursion train since 1992. The train departs the Cedar Park Depot for a 66-mile round trip that includes a two-hour layover at the historic Burnet depot — enough time to explore the downtown square and have lunch before the return trip. Passenger cars date from the late 1930s through the 1950s.
- Chase bluebonnets and visit the Burnet Bluebonnet Festival: Burnet County shares the "Bluebonnet Co-Capital of Texas" designation with Llano County, established by the 67th Texas Legislature in 1981. Each April the Burnet Bluebonnet Festival fills the downtown square with parades, live music, arts and crafts, and scenic drives along Highway 281 and Park Road 4 during the peak of bluebonnet season.
- Play the Robert Trent Jones Sr. courses at Horseshoe Bay Resort: Horseshoe Bay Resort sits on Lake LBJ on the Burnet/Llano county line and features three championship golf courses — Slick Rock, Apple Rock, and Ram Rock — all designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr.
Major Employers in Burnet County
- Marble Falls ISD (Education): Marble Falls Independent School District serves 4,066 students (2025-26) across Marble Falls, Horseshoe Bay, Cottonwood Shores, Meadowlakes, and Granite Shoals. The 4A district employs teachers, administrators, and support staff across its elementary, middle, and high school campuses.
- Burnet Consolidated ISD (Education): Burnet CISD covers Burnet, Bertram, and the rural portion of the county — more than 700 square miles — serving roughly 3,300 students across six campuses, including Burnet High School, Burnet Middle School, and multiple elementary schools.
- Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Marble Falls (Healthcare): A 46-bed hospital that opened in August 2015 as the main hospital for the Baylor Scott & White Hill Country region, with an adjacent 66,000-square-foot specialty clinic housing multiple specialties. The medical center serves patients across Burnet, Llano, Blanco, and surrounding counties.
- Horseshoe Bay Resort (Hospitality & Tourism): A Hill Country resort on Lake LBJ featuring three Robert Trent Jones Sr. golf courses, a marina, a spa, and hotel operations. It employs hospitality, grounds, and food service staff across its Lake LBJ campus.
- Burnet County government (Public administration): County offices, law enforcement, courts, and public works positions based primarily at the Burnet County courthouse complex in the city of Burnet, with additional facilities across the county.
- Granite quarrying industry (Mining & materials): Granite quarrying has been a signature Burnet County industry since the 19th century. Granite Mountain in Marble Falls — an 866-foot dome of pink granite covering 180 acres — supplied the Sunset Red granite for the Texas State Capitol after its owners donated the stone in 1882, and area quarries continue to anchor the county's stone industry.
Burnet County Schools
Burnet County is served by two public school districts — Marble Falls ISD on the Lake LBJ side of the county (4,066 students in 2025-26) and Burnet Consolidated ISD in the county seat and rural areas (approximately 3,300 students) — which together cover the entire county. Higher-education access in Burnet County runs through a shared Central Texas College and Texas Tech University at Highland Lakes campus in Marble Falls.
School District: Marble Falls ISD & Burnet CISD
Public Schools
Burnet Consolidated Independent School District
- Bertram Elementary
- R.J. Richey Elementary
- Shady Grove Elementary
- Burnet Middle
- Burnet High School
Marble Falls Independent School District
- Marble Falls Elementary
- Highland Lakes Elementary
- Spicewood Elementary
- Colt Elementary
- Marble Falls Middle
- Marble Falls High School
Lampasas Independent School District
- Kline Whitis Elementary
- Hanna Springs Elementary
- Lampasas Middle
- Lampasas High School
Higher Education
- Central Texas College – Hill Country (Marble Falls) - Central Texas College operates its Hill Country office in Marble Falls at 806 Steve Hawkins Parkway, offering coursework in business, criminal justice, education, and nursing program prerequisites. The office provides student support across Burnet, Gillespie, Llano, Mason, McCulloch, and San Saba counties.
- Texas Tech University at Highland Lakes - A collaborative Texas Tech program hosted at the Marble Falls / Burnet campus offering bachelor's and master's degrees in selected fields, operated in partnership with Central Texas College.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Burnet County, Texas?
Burnet County is in the Texas Hill Country approximately 45 to 60 miles northwest of Austin. The county seat is the city of Burnet, and the largest community is Marble Falls on Lake LBJ. Highway 281 runs north-south through the county, and Highway 71 crosses the southern portion through Marble Falls.
What cities and towns are in Burnet County?
Burnet County includes the cities of Burnet (county seat), Marble Falls, Bertram, Cottonwood Shores, Granite Shoals, Meadowlakes, and Highland Haven. Horseshoe Bay straddles the Burnet/Llano county line on Lake LBJ. The county also contains numerous unincorporated communities and lakeshore developments.
Which Highland Lakes are in Burnet County?
Lake Buchanan, Inks Lake, and Lake LBJ are entirely or primarily within Burnet County, and the upper reaches of Lake Marble Falls extend into the county. The Highland Lakes are a chain of six reservoirs on the Colorado River built and managed by the Lower Colorado River Authority.
Which school districts serve Burnet County?
Burnet County has two public school districts. Marble Falls ISD serves the Marble Falls, Horseshoe Bay, Cottonwood Shores, Meadowlakes, and Granite Shoals area with 4,066 students (2025-26). Burnet Consolidated ISD covers the county seat, Bertram, and the rural portion of the county with approximately 3,300 students across six campuses.
How long is the commute from Burnet County to Austin?
Marble Falls to downtown Austin is about 50 miles via Highway 71 and typically takes 70 to 90 minutes at rush hour. Burnet to Austin via 183A and Highway 281 is roughly 55 miles and takes a comparable amount of time. Many residents who work in Austin do so on a remote or hybrid schedule rather than commuting daily.
Why is Burnet called the Bluebonnet Capital?
Burnet County and neighboring Llano County share the "Bluebonnet Co-Capital of Texas" designation, established by the 67th Texas Legislature in 1981 — the first time any place in Texas was designated a "capital" of anything other than the state capital itself. Each April the Burnet Bluebonnet Festival draws visitors to the downtown square.
