life after 65

Report examines the 7 best Texas Hill Country towns for retirees

New Braunfels is the No. 7 best city to retire in.

Many people dream of retiring to the Texas countryside and getting away from the big city hustle and bustle, and there are two places in particular that should be on the radar for any retiring Houstonians: Georgetown and Burnet.

The Hill Country destinations, plus five others slightly farther afield, were given the spotlight in a March report that ranked "7 Beautiful Places To Retire In Texas Hill Country" by global travel website TheTravel. The report focused on small cities or towns with a lower cost of living, lower crime rates, and a variety of attractions.

Although everything in the Hill Country is necessarily close to Austin (never more than a few hours away), two of these seven cities were close neighbors. Another two were especially close to San Antonio, making these four great choices for retired folks who want to remain an hour or so from a major city, getting the best of both worlds.

Near Austin

Georgetown, sixth of the list, is laid-back, yet not quite sleepy daily thrum that's perfect for escaping a big city's high prices and faster pace without sacrificing culture. In 2022, this active small town was named one of the best for starting a business.

In April, Georgetown holds two of its signature events. Two Step Inn, an eclectic country music festival that showcased artists this year as different as Cody Johnson and Ludacris, was held April 20-21. This was its second year after an extremely successful debut. The more established Red Poppy Festival, which brings together food vendors, musicians, a parade, a car show, and more in celebration of the area's beautiful blooms, took place the following weekend.

"Georgetown is one of the many beautiful cities to retire in Texas Hill Country with its natural beauty, historic allure, and recreational opportunities," says the report. "This stunning city also boasts one of the state's most beautiful downtowns with historical buildings such as the rumored-to-be-haunted Old Williamson County Jail and the neoclassical Williamson Courthouse."

Georgetown, Texas Georgetown's beautiful buildings have a lot of old fashioned character. wikimedia.org

Less referenced by locals, but still relatively close by is Burnet, a small city north of Marble Falls. About an hour and a half from most of Austin, this would be a better option for retirees who want to be thoroughly removed from the urban sprawl. Despite — or perhaps thanks to — its ability to fly under the radar of Austin locals, this town beat Georgetown and made No. 3 on the list. Both only had slightly lower costs of living than the national average: 4.6 percent lower for Burnet, and 3 percent for Georgetown.

Burnet also has its own floral festival: the Bluebonnet Festival, which was held April 12-14. This outdoorsy festival also hosted many visitors for the eclipse and emphasizes its superlative access to nature. Boating, fishing, camping, and biking are common activities, and the many historical buildings offer some interesting tour routes.

"Burnet sits at the edge of Texas Hill Country and dates back to the 19th century when it was first established as a fort," says the report. "Despite its modernity, Burnet retains its unique identity and rural charm, drawing retirees seeking a close-knit community and activities to keep their social lives active."

Near San Antonio

New Braunfels, which was already one of the hottest moving destinations for Texans of all ages, ranked as the seventh best Hill Country place to retire. The city's cost of living is 15 percent lower than the national average, the study found, with average rent prices at $1,468 per month. TheTravel says the city's crime rate is 16.8, which is far below the national average of 22.7.

Statistics aside, New Braunfels is an enticing place for the retirement crowd, thanks to its abundance of natural beauty and family-friendly attractions. Highlighted places to visit include Schlitterbahn Waterpark, McKenna Children's Museum, New Braunfels Historic Railroad and Modelers Society, the Gruene Historic District, and many more.

"One of the parks that the Guadalupe River passes by is Nichol's Landing, a primitive park known for excellent paddling opportunities," the report's author wrote. "Although there's limited parking, the park welcomes walk-in visitors and is ideal for a relaxing day along the clear-flowing river waters, especially on a hot summer day. However, seniors who want to stretch their legs along an easy trail as they explore the local flora and fauna can visit the lush 51-acre Landa Park."

Two spots ahead of New Braunfels is the small town of Boerne, earning No. 5. Boerne's population of just over 23,300 is vastly smaller than New Braunfels' population of more than 116,000, making it a much more quaint place for retirement-age individuals looking for a quieter lifestyle.

Even with the smaller overall population, the town's crime rate is similar to New Braunfels – at 16.2 – but still lower than the national average. Average rent prices are also lower, at $1,315 per month.

TheTravel says must-see places to visit in Boerne include the Farmer's Market at the Cibolo, Tusculum Brewing Company, Gina Marie's Art Studio, Cascade Caverns, and more.

Athletic retired folks will love exploring the caverns in Boerne.thetravel.com

"Named in honor of Karl Ludwig Börne, a German author, Boerne has a rich heritage best explored during a walking tour of the historic district," the report said. "Moreover, Boerne boasts beautiful places to explore, such as the famed Cave Without A Name, an otherworldly cavern with fascinating geological formations."

The No. 1 best place to retire in the Hill Country is the small town of Comfort, which is less than 50 miles outside San Antonio. It has the smallest population out of all seven destinations on the list, at 1,955 people. The average cost of living in Comfort is 17 percent lower than the national average, but the average rent is higher than New Braunfels' and Boerne's at $1,480 per month. However, much like Boerne, Comfort is full of German history.

"Comfort also has one of Texas’ best preserved historic districts, with over 100 buildings constructed between the 1850s and 1950s, some designed by renowned architect Alfred Giles, such as Hotel Giles," the report said. "The historic district boasts restaurants and charming shops catering to antique collectors and shoppers."

Other notable places to visit in Comfort include the James Kiehl Natural Area, Singing Water Vineyards, Bending Branch Winery, and the Treue Der Union Monument.

The best places to retire in the Hill Country are:

No. 1 – Comfort
No. 2 – Wimberley
No. 3 – Burnet
No. 4 – Fredericksburg
No. 5 – Boerne
No. 6 – Georgetown
No. 7 – New Braunfels

The full report can be found on thetravel.com.

retirement san antonio boerne new braunfels fredericksburg rankings

Growth report

Houston leads America in population growth for 2025, Census states

Houston skyline

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Imagine that the Houston metro area swallowed a city the size of Pearland in just one year. That’s essentially what happened from 2024 to 2025, with the Houston metro ranking first in the U.S. for population growth based on the number of people.

New estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show the 10-county Houston metro added 126,720 residents from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2025. That’s just shy of Pearland’s roughly 133,000-resident tally.

To calculate population, the Census Bureau counts births, deaths, new residents, and moved-away residents.

Region’s population approaches eight million

On July 1, 2025, the Houston metro’s population hovered slightly above 7.9 million, up 1.6 percent from the same time in 2024. In the very near future, the region’s population should break the eight million mark.

This follows massive growth in the past 20 years. From 2005 to 2025, the region’s population soared by 39 percent. By comparison, the growth rate from 2021 to 2025 sat at nine percent.

A forecast from the Texas Demographics Center indicates that under a middle-of-the-road scenario, the Houston metro’s population will reach nearly 8.5 million in mid-2030 and more than 9.5 million in mid-2040.

Dan Potter, director of Rice University’s Houston Population Research Center, attributes much of the region’s population surge to people moving to the area from outside the U.S. In Harris County, this means a combination of military personnel returning home, people living or working overseas coming back to the U.S., and immigrants relocating to the U.S., he tells CultureMap.

But Harris County fell short from 2024 to 2025 when it comes to people moving here from elsewhere in the U.S., according to Potter. Counties surrounding Harris County benefited from that trend, drawing new residents who preferred to settle in the suburbs.

“The incredible pull and attraction of the Houston area is its economy, its people, and its affordability, and the significant growth that was observed in 2024 and again in 2025 speaks to the magnetism of the region,” Potter says. “That pull to Houston is too strong to be turned off overnight.”

Cooling economy and immigration shifts slow down growth

Whether looking at urban or suburban places, population growth in the Houston area slowed in 2025 and appears to be slowing even more this year, Potter says.

“A cooling economy and changes to immigration policy are a one-two combination that could knock out the region’s population growth,” says Potter, citing the region’s addition of a less-than-expected 14,800 jobs in 2025 as an example.

Weaker population growth may not be felt evenly across the metro area, according to Potter.

A continuing influx of people from Houston to outlying counties such as Brazoria, Fort Bend, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller could curb growth in Harris County, Potter said. Why? If the number of people arriving from other other countries flattens or even drops, then there could be “doughnut-style population growth for the next few years, where Harris County and Houston see declines while the suburban counties see an increase.”

Harris County represents 40 percent of region’s population lift

Houston-anchored Harris County accounted for almost 40 percent of the region’s population spike from 2024 to 2025. In one year, Harris County grew by 48,695 residents, or 1 percent, pushing its population past five million. That increase put Harris County in first place for numeric growth (rather than percentage growth) among all U.S. counties.

From 2020 to 2025, Harris County’s growth rate was 6.6 percent. It remains the country’s third largest county based on population, behind Southern California’s Los Angeles County and Illinois’ Chicago-anchored Cook County.

Harris County is on track to surpass Cook County in size in the near future. As of July 1, 2025, a nearly 150,000-resident gap separated population-losing Cook County and fast-growing Harris County.

The Texas Demographics Center predicts Harris County’s population will be 5.37 million in mid-2030 and just short of six million in mid-2040.

Suburban counties see significant population gains

Harris County isn’t the only county in the area that experienced a growth spurt from 2024 to 2025:

Waller County’s population climbed 5.69 percent, winding up at 69,858. Its growth rate ranked second among U.S. counties.
Liberty County’s population rose 4.4 percent to 121,364, putting its growth rate in eighth place among U.S. counties.
Montgomery County gained 30,011 residents, with its population landing at 781,194. That placed it at No. 4 among U.S. counties for numeric growth.
Fort Bend County picked up 24,163 residents, arriving at a total of 975,191 and positioning it at No. 8 among U.S. counties for numeric growth. Fort Bend County, the region’s second largest county based on population, is projected to break the one million-resident mark by July 2030, according to the Texas Demographics Center.

“Lower mortgage rates from 2009 to 2022 and the rise of remote work have made suburban housing more attractive, especially for families seeking affordability,” Pramod Sambidi, the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s assistant director of data analytics and research, said last year. “Additionally, suburban areas are seeing more multifamily developments than before the pandemic.”

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