Market Overview for Hays County
There are 1,659 active listings in Hays County with a median list price of $376K and a median sold price of $402K.
Homes average 62 days on market.
Over the past 30 days, 366 homes have sold, with 4280 sales in the past 12 months.
The average price per square foot is $241.
About Hays County
Hays County covers 680 square miles in central Texas between Austin and San Antonio along the Interstate 35 corridor. The county seat is San Marcos, and the population reached 241,067 in the 2020 census, with growth exceeding 16% from 2020 to 2023, placing it among the fastest-growing large counties in the United States. Major cities include San Marcos, Kyle, Buda, Wimberley, and Dripping Springs. The county's terrain ranges from the flat I-35 corridor on the east to the limestone hills and spring-fed creeks of the Edwards Plateau in the west. The Blanco River, San Marcos River, and numerous creeks including Cypress Creek and Onion Creek flow through the county.
Real estate in Hays County spans a wide price range reflecting its geographic diversity. Kyle and Buda along the I-35 corridor offer new-construction homes starting in the low $300,000s in master-planned communities like Plum Creek, Sunfield, and Waterleaf, attracting first-time buyers and families priced out of Austin. Dripping Springs on the western side features Hill Country properties on larger lots, with prices typically ranging from $500,000 to over $1 million in communities like Caliterra and Headwaters. San Marcos provides a mix of affordable housing near Texas State University and newer developments south of the river. Wimberley offers rural acreage and custom homes on wooded lots in the $400,000 to $800,000 range, with some properties exceeding $1 million along Cypress Creek. The county's housing mix includes newer single-family suburban homes, established ranch-style properties, and Hill Country custom builds on acreage.
Hays CISD is the largest school district in the county, serving approximately 24,000 students across campuses including Jack C. Hays High School in Kyle, Lehman High School in Kyle, and Johnson High School in Buda. Elementary campuses include Hemphill, Ralph Pfluger, and Uhland. Dripping Springs ISD serves approximately 7,500 students and has earned consistent TEA A-ratings, drawing families specifically for its academic programs. San Marcos CISD covers the San Marcos area with about 8,000 students, and Wimberley ISD operates a close-knit campus system for approximately 2,800 students. Austin Community College operates a Hays Campus in Kyle providing associate degrees and workforce training.
San Marcos sits at the intersection of I-35 and State Highway 123, approximately 30 miles south of downtown Austin and 50 miles north of downtown San Antonio. Texas State University, one of the largest universities in Texas with enrollment that reached a record 40,678 in fall 2024 on a 517-acre main campus, is the dominant economic presence in San Marcos. The San Marcos Premium Outlets and adjacent Tanger Outlets together contain over 200 stores and attract approximately 14 million visitors annually, making them one of the largest outlet destinations in the United States. Kyle and Buda are connected to Austin by I-35 and the commuter corridor, with downtown Austin approximately 20-25 minutes north of Buda during off-peak hours. Dripping Springs, in the western Hill Country portion of the county, is accessible via US Highway 290 and Ranch Road 12, approximately 25 miles west of Austin. Wimberley is reached via Ranch Road 12 south of Dripping Springs, about 40 miles southwest of downtown Austin.
