Central Texas city is the fastest-growing city in America. And it isn't Austin.

Lori Hawkins, Austin American-Statesman
·3 min read
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For the second year in a row, Georgetown is the fastest-growing city in the U.S. for cities with a population above 50,000, according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
For the second year in a row, Georgetown is the fastest-growing city in the U.S. for cities with a population above 50,000, according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

For the second year in a row, Georgetown ― 30 miles north of Austin ― is the fastest-growing city in the U.S.

It set that growth record among all cities with a population of 50,000 or more, according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Williamson County city's growth rate was 14.4% from July 1, 2021, through July 1, 2022, resulting in a population estimate of 86,507. Georgetown added 10,887 more residents than it had in the census estimate from a year ago.

“Job growth in Georgetown and across the Austin metro continues to bring new residents to our city,” Mayor Josh Schroeder said. “People are moving here for the same reasons that brought many of us to Georgetown — wonderful and safe neighborhoods, fantastic parks and events, and welcoming people. We continue to adjust our plans and build new infrastructure to maintain the great quality of life for all of us who are proud to call Georgetown our home.”

More: What to know about Williamson County's building, park projects in 2023

Several Texas cities topped the census growth list, with Kyle coming in third, Leander fourth, Little Elm fifth, Conroe 11th and New Braunfels 13th.

Meanwhile, Texas also has five of the top 15 most populous cities in the U.S., surpassing California's three. Houston remains the fourth-largest city in the country, with 2.3 million residents. San Antonio is the seventh-largest city, Dallas is ninth, and Austin ranks 10th.

Local officials say Georgetown's draw includes good health care services, an extensive park system with hike-and-bike trails, new retail and an historic downtown that gives it a strong small-town identity.

Its housing is also more affordable than Austin. In Georgetown, the median home price was $408,100 through April 2023. The median price in Austin was $535,000 during the same time.

More: H-E-B starts work on new store in Georgetown as Austin-area expansion revs up

Some other things to know about Georgetown include:

  • Since 2015, Georgetown has been on the list of the top 10 fastest-growing cities. It topped the list in 2016 and 2022.

  • Georgetown’s population was 67,176 in the 2020 census. According to today’s estimate, Georgetown has added 19,331 residents since 2020.

  • According to the Texas State Historical Association, Georgetown was founded in 1848 and named for George Washington Glasscock, who, along with his business partner, Thomas Huling, donated land for the site.

  • "Pioneers were attracted by the abundance of timber and good, clear water, as were the Tonkawa Indians, who had a village there," the historical association's website says. "In addition, the land was inexpensive and extremely fertile. The first wave of settlers was from Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, Arkansas, Illinois, and other states. Swedish settlers came by the 1850s; after 1870 German, Austrian, and Swiss settlers began arriving and after 1880 Moravian and Czech."

  • The founding of Southwestern University in 1873 and construction of a railroad in 1878 contributed to Georgetown's growth. Its stable and healthy economy was based largely on agriculture and a major tributary cattle trail that led through the heart of the town to the Western, Chisholm, Dodge City and Shawnee Trails.

Statesman reporter Shonda Novak contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Georgetown, located 30 miles north of Austin, is fastest-growing city