Updated August 31, 2026
The Hill Country boomtown where the mail says one thing and the school district says another
Liberty Hill is a city of approximately 13,317 in Williamson County, on the US-183 / SH-29 corridor about 29 miles northwest of Austin at the edge of the Hill Country. Incorporated in 1999, it has grown from 967 residents in 2010 to roughly 13,317 in 2025 through both rapid homebuilding and municipal annexation. It is served primarily by Liberty Hill ISD, with a Georgetown ISD edge on the east side of Santa Rita Ranch — and it is known for its 1976 International Sculpture Park, one of only a handful of its kind in the country.
The town's historic core dates to 1853 along the San Gabriel River, and the small-town Main Street identity — the Liberty Hill Fair & Rodeo, Friday-night Panther football — has held even as master-planned growth reshaped everything around it. The 1976 Liberty Hill International Sculpture Symposium brought 26 sculptors from six countries to carve giant limestone works; the year after, Liberty Hill won Texas's first Arts Award for a city under 100,000.
What defines the modern market is master-planned scale: Santa Rita Ranch, a multiple-time national "Best Community" award winner, plus Morningstar, Stonewall Ranch, Butler Farms and the Ancient Oaks acreage tier. Most of these carry MUD tax districts, and several sit on the seam between two school districts and three different water providers.
Population ran from 967 at the 2010 Census to 3,646 in 2020 to roughly 13,317 by 2025 — one of the faster runs of any small Central Texas city, driven partly by the city annexing surrounding subdivisions as it grew from 2.24 to 4.63 square miles.
Three buyer profiles dominate: relocation buyers from out of state researching the North-Austin corridor; Austin and Cedar Park buyers priced out and moving northwest up 183A; and local move-up buyers trading older in-town homes for new master-planned construction.
1 · School district. Santa Rita Ranch straddles Liberty Hill ISD and Georgetown ISD; a Georgetown or Andice mailing address can still be Liberty Hill ISD. Verify at the exact address.
2 · MUD tax. Most master-planned homes carry a Municipal Utility District levy (roughly 0.54–0.83 per $100) on top of the base rate. It varies by section, even within one neighborhood.
3 · Water provider. Depending on the subdivision, water comes from Liberty Hill, Georgetown, or Leander — while wastewater is almost always the City of Liberty Hill.
Combined property-tax rates run roughly 2.1–2.6% depending on community, because Liberty Hill homes add either a City of Liberty Hill rate (in-town, ~0.47) or a MUD levy (master-planned, ~0.54–0.83) on top of the ~1.73 base. On a home near the $492,629 median, that's roughly $10,000–$12,500 a year — a real ownership cost worth running before you compare to rent.
The bigger risk here isn't timing a cooling market — it's buying in the wrong section of the wrong district. School assignment, MUD rate, and even your water utility can flip from one part of a master-planned community to the next, so the specific address matters far more than the ZIP. Run the rent-versus-own math against your actual district, MUD, and payment first.
Where to Live
Santa Rita Ranch
National "Best Community" award winner and the flagship of Liberty Hill new construction. Straddles two districts: southern sections zone to Liberty Hill ISD (Tierra Rosa Elem → Santa Rita MS → Legacy Ranch HS); northern sections near the river zone to Georgetown ISD (San Gabriel Elem → Benold MS → East View HS). Carries multiple MUD districts. Verify the specific address.
Morningstar
Popular newer community on the Ronald Reagan / SH-29 corridor. Despite Georgetown and Andice mailing addresses, it zones cleanly to Liberty Hill ISD — Tierra Rosa Elem → Santa Rita MS → Legacy Ranch HS. Resort pool, dog park, fishing pond and trails; multiple builders across price tiers.
Stonewall Ranch
An established, more attainable master-planned option near Stonewall Parkway. Zones to the in-town Liberty Hill feeder — Bill Burden Elem → Liberty Hill MS → Liberty Hill HS. Pool, pavilion, playground and San Gabriel River trail access; carries a MUD levy (~0.72).
Butler Farms
Newer construction minutes from Main Street, built by Meritage and others. Zones to Liberty Hill ISD — Liberty Hill Elem (the C-rated in-town campus) → Liberty Hill MS → Liberty Hill HS. Note: some builder marketing lists Bill Burden Elem; the district boundary tool assigns Liberty Hill Elem, so verify at the address.
Ancient Oaks & Acreage Estates
One-acre-plus homesites and custom builds northwest of town, for buyers who want land and privacy with the Liberty Hill ISD advantage. Currently zones to Louine Noble Elem, with a new elementary (Saddleback) scheduled to open for 2027-28, then Legacy Ranch feeder schools. Verify current assignment at the address.
Historic Downtown Liberty Hill
The 1853 town core along Main Street — a genuine small-town experience the city has worked to preserve. Zones to the in-town Liberty Hill feeder: Liberty Hill Elem (C) → Liberty Hill MS → Liberty Hill HS. Original limestone commercial buildings, local restaurants, and the Sculpture Park anchor the district.
The Reference Desk
1 · A cooling market. Prices are down 4.7% year over year, days on market are up about a week to 106, and sales volume is up roughly 27% — more homes clearing, more slowly, at lower prices. That's inventory catching up to demand: a buyer's-market-forming picture rather than the frenzy of 2021–2022. Demand is intact; the leverage has shifted.
Source. Redfin put the ZIP 78642 single-family median sale price at $492,629 for June 2026, down 4.7% year over year, at roughly $195 per square foot. (The tighter city-limits polygon reads closer to $343,000, because it excludes the master-planned inventory buyers actually shop.) Monthly figures move and sections vary, so verify at the address.
2 · The MUD math. Combined tax rates run about 2.1–2.6 per $100. In-town homes add a City of Liberty Hill rate (~0.47) but no MUD; master-planned communities instead carry a MUD levy that varies by section — Santa Rita Ranch alone spans three different MUDs, from roughly 0.54 to 0.83. On a ~$490K home that's about $10,000–$12,500 a year. MUD rates step down over time as district debt is retired; verify the specific parcel.
3 · The two-feeder, two-district nuance. Liberty Hill ISD (rated B) is the primary district, but Santa Rita Ranch's northern edge is Georgetown ISD (also B, and improving). Within LHISD, eastern growth feeds Legacy Ranch HS (rated A) while the in-town core feeds Liberty Hill HS (B). A Georgetown or Andice mailing address does not tell you the district — the boundary tool does.
Typical housing stock. Master-planned new construction dominates (Santa Rita Ranch, Morningstar, Stonewall Ranch, Butler Farms), with an acreage tier northwest of town and a small historic in-town core along Main Street.
Which county is Liberty Hill in? See our Central Texas towns by county, ZIP code and population guide.
The spine is US-183 / SH-29 into the 183A toll road, which carries most of the fast commute times — the toll-free alternates run 8–15 minutes longer. There's no rail in Liberty Hill, but the Leander CapMetro Red Line station (a large park-and-ride at the end of the line) is about 15 minutes away, giving commuters a car-to-train option into downtown Austin. Census mean travel time to work is 34.1 minutes.
Liberty Hill trades distance for a manageable North-Austin-corridor commute: the tech and employment center at the Domain and Cedar Park is the near end, downtown the far end. Median household income runs about $115,000 — an affluent, heavily owner-occupied, young-family market (32.6% of residents are under 18).
The nearest full hospital systems sit in Georgetown, Cedar Park and North Austin, all within a 20–30 minute drive. Everyday retail and grocery anchor around H-E-B and the SH-29 corridor, with the full big-box stack a short drive south in Leander and Cedar Park.
Electric: Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC) — a member-owned co-op, not the deregulated "choose your provider" retail market found in Austin, Dallas or Houston. New residents set up service directly through PEC. Gas: Atmos Energy. Water: varies by subdivision — City of Liberty Hill in-town, City of Georgetown for most master-planned communities (Santa Rita, Morningstar, Stonewall), City of Leander for Rancho Sienna. Wastewater: almost universally the City of Liberty Hill.
Everyday grocery and retail center on H-E-B and the growing SH-29 corridor through town. For the full big-box and dining stack, Leander and Cedar Park are a short drive south down 183A, and Georgetown's square and outlets sit about 28 minutes east. Downtown Liberty Hill along Main Street carries local restaurants, boutique shops and civic institutions. For a closer look at Leander, see 5 Things Most People Don't Realize About Leander.
Liberty Hill ISD (B, 10,446 students, 13 campuses) is the primary district, with Georgetown ISD (B) on the eastern edge of Santa Rita Ranch. Two LHISD high school feeders: Legacy Ranch HS (A, currently serving grades 9–11 as it phases in) serves eastern growth; Liberty Hill HS (B) serves the in-town core.
Base rate (ISD + county + FM/RD + emergency services) runs about 1.73 per $100. In-town homes add a City of Liberty Hill rate (~0.47) for a total near 2.2; master-planned communities instead carry a MUD levy (~0.54–0.83) for totals of roughly 2.4–2.6. On a ~$490K home the combined bill runs about $10,000–$12,500 a year depending on community and exemptions. Rates are 2025 adopted; MUD rates vary by section and step down as debt is retired — verify the specific parcel.
New Texas residents transfer registration and license within 90 days. Williamson County handles vehicle registration and property records through the county tax office and Williamson Central Appraisal District; the City of Liberty Hill handles utility accounts and permits from City Hall on Loop 332.
Liberty Hill has managed something most fast-growing exurbs never do: a real cultural identity that predates the master-planned boom. The credit goes to an internationally recognized sculpture park, an active rodeo tradition, the San Gabriel River, and a downtown that dates to 1853.
International Sculpture Park
From the 1976 Liberty Hill International Sculpture Symposium — 26 sculptors from six countries carved giant limestone works over two months, and Liberty Hill won Texas's first Arts Award for a city under 100,000. The collection is displayed at Louine Noble Elementary and accessible through Lions Foundation Park on Main Street. Free.
Liberty Hill Pro Rodeo
An annual PRCA rodeo held each May at Harvest Ranch Arena on Ranch Road 1869 — gates, mutton bustin', vendors and concessions. Part of the town's working Hill Country identity, alongside the Liberty Hill Fair & Rodeo tradition and Friday-night Panther football.
City Park & Swim Center
Four soccer fields, a football stadium, two basketball courts, a pavilion, playscape and a 0.8-mile lighted walking trail — plus the Liberty Hill Swim Center with a splash zone and swim lanes. On CR 200; admission to the park is free.
Wetzel Park splash pad
A free splash pad on Main Street, open May through September, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Named in 2018 for Nathan Wetzel, the town's first mayor. A summer staple for the young-family demographic that dominates Liberty Hill.
Downtown Shared-Use Path
A 10-foot path for cyclists and pedestrians running from the downtown Water Tower parking lot down Loop 332 past Foundation Park to Hwy 29 — part of a walkable downtown the city has invested in preserving. On the trails, know what you might meet: Central Texas Snakes: Venomous & Harmless Species Guide.
Historic Main Street & the San Gabriel
The 1853 town core along Main Street, anchored by original limestone commercial buildings and Central Park, a downtown pocket park. The North Fork of the San Gabriel River corridor runs along the community's northern and eastern edges.
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Moving to Liberty Hill, Texas: The Short Version
Moving to Liberty Hill means weighing Liberty Hill schools, the Liberty Hill housing market, and the master-planned neighborhoods that fit your budget, commute, and tax tolerance. This guide covers Liberty Hill neighborhoods like Santa Rita Ranch, Morningstar, Stonewall Ranch, Butler Farms, and the Ancient Oaks acreage tier; the Liberty Hill schools picture across Liberty Hill ISD and Georgetown ISD; and the current Liberty Hill housing market for buyers and renters.
The Liberty Hill schools story is more complicated than the mail suggests. Liberty Hill ISD is the primary district, rated B by the TEA, but the eastern edge of Santa Rita Ranch zones to Georgetown ISD, and a Georgetown or Andice mailing address can still be Liberty Hill ISD. Two high school feeders matter: eastern master-planned growth ends at Legacy Ranch High (rated A), while the in-town core ends at Liberty Hill High (rated B). Verify at the specific address before you offer.
The Liberty Hill housing market has cooled: the ZIP 78642 single-family median sat around $492,629 in mid-2026, down about 4.7% year over year, with days on market up to roughly 106. Most master-planned homes carry a MUD tax district, so the combined rate runs about 2.1–2.6% depending on section — a real ownership cost worth checking parcel by parcel. Among Liberty Hill neighborhoods, in-town areas add a city rate instead of a MUD, and water service can come from Liberty Hill, Georgetown, or Leander depending on the subdivision.
Living in Liberty Hill TX puts you in Williamson County along the US-183 / SH-29 corridor at the Hill Country edge, about 29 miles northwest of Austin, with electricity from the Pedernales Electric Cooperative rather than a deregulated retail market. Living in Liberty Hill TX also means a genuine small-town identity — the 1976 International Sculpture Park, an annual PRCA rodeo, and a downtown dating to 1853 — alongside some of the fastest master-planned growth in Central Texas.
Compare nearby Central Texas communities and dig deeper with these guides: Georgetown relocation guide, living in Leander, TX, and the Cedar Park community guide.
For current data, see the Redfin Liberty Hill (78642) market report and the U.S. Census QuickFacts for Liberty Hill.