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Neighborhood Guide/ South Suburbs/ San Marcos
South Suburbs

San MarcosSan Marcos

Between Austin and San Antonio along I-35. A river city with the clear San Marcos River and Texas State University.

#San Marcos River#Texas State#South I-35
BudaKyleSan MarcosCity limits: U.S. Census TIGER · Roads & lakes: Natural Earth
School districtSan Marcos CISDFind your zoned school ↗
High schoolsSan Marcos
PopulationAbout 68,0002020 Census: 67,553
Median sale price$314KJan–Sep 2026 median · Down 9.5% vs 2025 · Unlock MLS
Price per sq ft · pace$187 /sqftMedian 72 days to sellSep 2026 · Unlock MLS
School ratingsACD27% rated ATEA 2026 · 11To downtown40–55 minNew-home communities7Development projects0
Compare with other areas →

Not sure San Marcos is the one? Take the 1-minute neighborhood match →

01 — AT A GLANCE

A river, a university,and room to grow.

WhereLocationAbout 30 miles south of downtown Austin along I-35, just south of Kyle, between Austin and San Antonio.
FeelVibeThe spring-fed San Marcos River and the Texas State campus anchor the city. Established neighborhoods around the historic downtown sit alongside master-planned communities in the western hills.
ForBest forBuyers commuting to South Austin or toward San Antonio who want a river and a college-town lifestyle close by.
02 — HOME PRICES

What homes sell forin San Marcos right now.

The Jan–Sep 2026 median compared with last year. Single-month numbers swing with the number of sales.

Median sale · Jan–Sep 2026$314KDown 9.5% vs 2025
Homes sold · Sep 202653
Price per sq ft · Sep 2026$187
Median days on market · Sep 202672 days
Median sale price by year
2021$299K
2022$360K
2023$348K
2024$340K
2025$347K
2026*$314K
* 2026 is January–September
Median by bedrooms · 2026
2 bed$394K
3 bed$310K
4 bed$290K
Price range — what sold in September 2026 (53 sales)
Under $200K 4%$200–299K 36%$300–399K 19%$400–499K 23%$500–599K 6%$600–699K 6%$700–799K 2%$800–999K 2%$1.2–1.39M 2%$1.4M+ 2%

Source: Unlock MLS Residential Market Snapshot (San Marcos, residential), retrieved Oct 14, 2026. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

03 — SCHOOLS

San Marcos CISD.Check any address in seconds.

Elementary
BowieD
CrockettA
DeZavalaD
HernandezA
MendezD
RodriguezC
TravisD
Bonham Pre-KA
Middle
GoodnightD
MillerB
High
San MarcosC

These are San Marcos CISD campuses (Bonham serves Pre-K only). City limits and district lines don't match: some communities on the north and west side, including Blanco Vista, are zoned to Hays CISD. Zoning can even split within a community — always verify by address. Ratings: Texas Education Agency 2026 A–F accountability ratings (released Aug 2026). “New” marks campuses that opened after the ratings year.

Check zoned schools ↗
04 — COMMUTE

Downtown in about 40 minutes.Tesla in about 40, too.

Typical drive times from central San Marcos. Allow more at rush hour.

TeslaGiga Texas · Southeast35–45 min
DowntownDowntown Austin40–55 min
SpaceXBastrop plant40–55 min
DellHQ · Round Rock50–65 min
AppleNorth Austin campus55–70 min
SamsungTaylor fab65–80 min
05 — EVERYDAY LIFE

Easy weekdays.Weekends on the river.

Getting around
  • I-35north-south to Austin & San Antonio
  • SH 80 & SH 21east toward SH 130 & Lockhart
  • RR 12toward Wimberley & the Hill Country
Weekends
  • San Marcos Rivertubing and kayaking in clear water
  • Spring Lake & The Meadows Centerwhere the river begins
  • Purgatory Creek Natural Areatrails in the western hills
Shopping
  • H-E-Bthird store opened Oct. 2026 (McCarty Lane)
  • San Marcos Premium Outlets & Tanger Outlets
  • Historic downtown square
06 — WHAT’S COMING

New shopping,opening east of I-35.

Big-box stores are filling in around McCarty Lane, and the Texas State campus is growing at the same time.

H-E-B MCCARTYOpened Oct. 2026A 114,000-sq-ft third storeOn McCarty Lane east of I-35, with True Texas BBQ, a drive-thru pharmacy and a fuel station.
HOME DEPOTAug. 2027 (planned)The city’s first Home DepotNortheast of I-35 and McCarty Road. About 136,000 sq ft including the garden center, an estimated $13M.
TEXAS STATE HILLTOP2027 (planned)Two new dorms and a dining hallAbout $228M, part of Texas State’s 2025–2035 campus master plan.

Timelines are as announced and may change.

All Austin-area development news →
07 — COMMUNITIES

Same city.Very different neighborhoods.

Subdivision boundaries, price ranges and recent sales are coming next.

Kissing Tree55+ active-adult communityCommunity guide coming soon
La CimaMaster-planned, in the western hillsCommunity guide coming soon
TraceNew-build master-planned communityCommunity guide coming soon
Blanco VistaMaster-planned along the Blanco River (Hays CISD)Community guide coming soon
08 — NEW HOMES

New-home communitiesin San Marcos.

7 communities where builders are selling new homes now. Builders and phases change often — confirm before you visit.

La CimaSan Marcos · Single-family

2,400-acre Hill Country MPC; 800 acres open space, 10+ mi trails, 45-acre Central Park, 3 pools

Builders
Ashton Woods, David Weekley Homes, Hakes Brothers, Highland Homes, Newmark Homes, Perry Homes, Pulte Homes
School district
San Marcos CISD
Tax district
PID
Community site ↗
TraceSan Marcos · Single-family

420-acre MPC at Posey Rd & I-35; on-site elementary, Presidio pool, parks, trails

Builders
D.R. Horton, Pacesetter Homes, Empire Homes, Terrata Homes (LGI)
School district
San Marcos CISD
Tax district
PID
Community site ↗
Whisper SouthSan Marcos · Single-family

D.R. Horton Tradition Series, 1- and 2-story plans; neighborhood playground

Builders
D.R. Horton
School district
Check by address
Tax district
PID
Community site ↗
River Bridge RanchSan Marcos · Single-family

Pool, dog park and playground; about 4 miles from downtown San Marcos

Builders
Lennar
School district
Check by address
Tax district
PID
Community site ↗
Blanco VistaSan Marcos · Single-family

On the Blanco River; pool, splash pad, fishing pond, trails, next to Five Mile Dam Park

Builders
Pacesetter Homes
School district
Hays CISD
Tax district
Check by address
Community site ↗
Cottonwood CreekSan Marcos · Single-family

Neighborhood near San Marcos High School; 1- and 2-story plans

Builders
Starlight Homes, Century Communities
School district
San Marcos CISD
Tax district
Check by address
Community site ↗
Kissing TreeSan Marcos · 55+ Single-family

55+ community with golf course, fitness center, pools, pickleball, trails, on-site restaurant

Builders
Brookfield Residential, David Weekley Homes
School district
Check by address
Tax district
Check by address
Community site ↗
See them on the map · all new-home communities →
09 — MELISSA’S PRO TIPS

Buying in San Marcos?Check these first.

School district lines, water and flooding are the key things to check in San Marcos. Five things to confirm before you sign.

Melissa Jung, REALTOR®

PRO TIP
Two school districts. Some San Marcos communities are zoned to Hays CISD. SMCISD earned a C (76) in the 2026 TEA ratings, with wide campus differences (four A’s, five D’s).
PRO TIP
Check the drought stage. Watering rules follow Edwards Aquifer levels. In spring 2026 the city was in Stage 3, with sprinklers allowed once every other week.
PRO TIP
Check flood maps near the rivers. Areas along the Blanco and San Marcos rivers flooded badly in 2015. FEMA released new preliminary flood maps in March 2025 — check by address.
PRO TIP
Look at the full tax picture. The city rate is $0.6515 (2026–27, unchanged) with a $15,000 city homestead exemption. Add school district and county rates and compare total rates.
PRO TIP
Check for PID assessments. Some master-planned communities, including La Cima and Trace, carry PID assessments on top of property taxes. Ask for the PID notice before you sign.

Tour San Marcosthis week.

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