●Hays County Homes for Sale

Market Overview for Hays County

There are 1,908 active listings in Hays County with a median list price of $400K and a median sold price of $378K.

Homes average 73 days on market.

Over the past 30 days, 295 homes have sold, with 4312 sales in the past 12 months.

The average price per square foot is $268.

About Hays County

Hays County covers approximately 677 square miles in central Texas between Austin and San Antonio along the Interstate 35 corridor. The county seat is San Marcos. The population reached 241,067 in the 2020 census and was estimated at 292,029 in the Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey one-year estimates. 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.

Housing in Hays County reflects its geographic diversity. Kyle and Buda along the I-35 corridor are dominated by new-construction master-planned communities including Plum Creek, Sunfield, and Waterleaf, which draw much of the county's first-time-buyer demand. Dripping Springs on the western side features Hill Country properties on larger lots 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, with larger properties 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 25,049 students (2025-26) 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. Hays CISD holds a TEA accountability rating of B for 2024-25. Dripping Springs ISD serves 8,808 students (2025-26) and also holds a TEA rating of B for 2024-25, its third consecutive B following an A in 2021-22. San Marcos CISD covers the San Marcos area with 8,144 students (2025-26), and Wimberley ISD serves 2,638 students (2025-26). 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 public universities in Texas with a record fall 2025 enrollment of 44,596 on a 693-acre main campus, is the dominant economic presence in San Marcos. The San Marcos Premium Outlets and adjacent Tanger San Marcos together contain more than 200 stores across roughly 1.2 million square feet. 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.

Living in Hays County

Hays County's rapid growth is driven by its position between Austin and San Antonio. The median household income across the county is $89,097 per the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 five-year American Community Survey, though this varies significantly by city. Dripping Springs and western Wimberley tend higher, while Kyle and San Marcos trend closer to the county average. Dining options range from the barbecue and Tex-Mex restaurants along the I-35 corridor to farm-to-table establishments in Dripping Springs and Wimberley's locally owned restaurants along the town square.

The western portion of the county features Hill Country topography with oak and juniper woodlands, seasonal creeks, and views along the Balcones Escarpment. Kyle and Buda to the east offer newer suburban developments with community amenities including pools, trails, and parks. San Marcos blends a university-town atmosphere with a growing residential base south of campus. Wimberley maintains a small-town, arts-oriented identity centered around its market days, galleries, and natural swimming areas. The City of San Marcos operates Five Mile Dam Park, purchased from the county in 2024, along with the Purgatory Creek Natural Area, which offers more than 12 miles of multi-use trails in San Marcos.

Things to Do in Hays County

• San Marcos River: A spring-fed river flowing through downtown San Marcos that maintains a consistent 72°F temperature year-round. The river supports tubing, kayaking, snorkeling, and swimming, with Rio Vista Falls providing a Class II rapids section created from a redesigned low-water dam.
• Jacob's Well Natural Area: An artesian spring in Wimberley that flows from the Trinity Aquifer and forms the headwaters of Cypress Creek. The spring shaft drops about 30 feet before opening into a multi-chamber cave system that reaches roughly 137 feet at its deepest. The 81-acre natural area includes approximately 3 miles of hiking trails open year-round; swimming at the well has been suspended since 2022.
• Wimberley Blue Hole: A spring-fed swimming area on Cypress Creek in Wimberley surrounded by old-growth cypress trees. The regional park offers swimming by reservation daily from May 1 through Labor Day and on weekends in September, along with picnic areas and nature trails on the 126-acre property.
• Devil's Backbone Scenic Drive: A 23-mile stretch of Ranch to Market Road 32 between Wimberley and Blanco that follows a narrow limestone ridge with views of the Hays County Hill Country on both sides. The ridge reaches an elevation of 1,274 feet.
• San Marcos Premium Outlets: An outlet shopping center off I-35 in San Marcos. The adjacent San Marcos Premium Outlets and Tanger San Marcos together offer more than 200 stores across roughly 1.2 million square feet.

Major Employers in Hays County

• Texas State University (Education): The largest employer in San Marcos with 44,596 students as of fall 2025 and thousands of faculty and staff across its 693-acre main campus.
• San Marcos Premium Outlets / Tanger Outlets (Retail): More than 200 outlet stores across roughly 1.2 million square feet along I-35 in San Marcos, supporting thousands of retail jobs.
• Hays CISD (Education): The county's largest school district employs 3,298 full-time-equivalent staff, including about 1,570 teachers, across its campuses in Kyle and Buda.
• Amazon (Logistics): Operates a fulfillment center in San Marcos that employs over 1,000 workers processing and shipping orders for the Central Texas region.
• Thermon Group (Manufacturing): Thermon operates its largest global manufacturing plant in San Marcos, producing industrial heating solutions and employing several hundred workers; the company's headquarters moved to Austin in 2018.

Hays County Schools

Hays County's four largest school districts are Hays CISD, Dripping Springs ISD, San Marcos CISD, and Wimberley ISD. Hays CISD is the largest, covering Kyle, Buda, and surrounding areas. Dripping Springs ISD, San Marcos CISD, and Wimberley ISD serve their respective communities.

School District: Multiple Districts

Public Schools

Pre-Schools

• Dripping Springs Montessori School - Montessori-based early childhood program in Dripping Springs serving toddlers through kindergarten-age children.
• Kids R Kids Kyle - Early learning center in Kyle offering infant through pre-kindergarten programs with a structured curriculum.
• Primrose School of Buda - Accredited early education and child care center in Buda serving infants through pre-kindergarten.

Private Schools

• Hill Country Christian School - Private Christian school in San Marcos offering kindergarten through 12th grade education with a college preparatory curriculum.
• Wimberley Montessori - Montessori program in Wimberley serving children from toddler through elementary ages.

Higher Education

• Texas State University - One of the largest public universities in Texas with a record 44,596 students enrolled in fall 2025, located on a 693-acre main campus in San Marcos along the San Marcos River.
• Austin Community College - Hays Campus - ACC campus in Kyle offering associate degrees, workforce training, and university transfer programs to Hays County residents.

Frequently Asked Questions