Investment in Williamson County, Texas.
30.65° N · 97.60° W · pop. 609,017 · seat: Georgetown
Verdict
Strong fit
for investment use
The honest take
Williamson County is among the strongest investment counties in the United States and has been for two decades. The thesis is straightforward: it's the northern half of one of the fastest-growing major metros in the country (Austin), it has the demographic + economic + infrastructure tailwinds that drive sustained appreciation, and it has done what every land investor wants — land bought 10+ years ago is worth multiples now. Population grew +44% from 2010 to 2020. Median home prices have appreciated 9-12% annually over a decade. Major employers (Apple, Tesla, Samsung, Dell, Oracle, Apple semiconductor manufacturing campus) anchor a diversified tech-manufacturing economy. The risks are real but well-understood: traffic + sprawl + water + Texas property tax, and a market that may have already priced in years of growth.
Why
- Population growth +44% per decade — among fastest in the US for any major-metro county.
- Anchor employers: Apple, Tesla, Samsung, Dell, Oracle. Diversified tech-manufacturing economy.
- Sustained median home appreciation 9-12%/yr over a decade.
- Texas no-state-income-tax + business-friendly framework attracts continuous in-migration.
- Risks: TX property tax (high), water (long-term), sprawl + traffic, prices already priced for growth.
The numbers
- Population trend
- +44% per decade (2010-2020)
- Median household income
- ~$95,000 (2020) — well above TX median
- Largest employers
- Apple, Tesla, Samsung, Dell, Oracle, healthcare, education
- Median home appreciation (10yr)
- +105% (2014-2024)
- Liquidity
- Strong — typical SFR sale 30-60 days
What you'll spend
Entry (suburban SFR)
$420,000–$750,000
Entry (raw acreage on fringe)
$30,000–$80,000 / acre
Annual property tax
$8,000–$18,000
· TX property tax is HIGH — model carefully
Sale time horizon
30-90 days
Things to verify on a parcel
- TX property tax is high (~2-2.5% of assessed); annual carrying cost is meaningful.
- Prices already reflect growth; future appreciation depends on continued in-migration.
- Water + drought risk is increasing in Central Texas; long-term concern for both households + farms.
- STR regulation varies by city; verify allowable use cases.
Run it on a real parcel
County averages don't buy land. Specific addresses do.
Two parcels five miles apart in Williamson County can score 50 points apart. Run a free AcreLens report on a specific address — no signup required for the first one — and see real investment scores backed by NREL, USGS, FEMA, and county records.
Williamson County under other lenses