Best In Texas Real Estate™: San Marcos-New Braunfels

Hays County ranks #3 of 5 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metro counties and #7 of 123 Texas counties on median monthly owner cost, according to ALEX Intelligence’s October 21, 2026 data release. This is not a sign of unaffordability—it’s a sign of strategic growth. The county remains the most accessible of the five core metro counties, even as costs climb. What does this mean for long-term residents and investors? The data shows that affordability isn’t declining—it’s evolving. This is not a market being outpaced by demand; it’s one managing growth with discipline. For context: https://alex-companies.com/data/2026-10-21-san-marcos-nb-standing-owner-cost-county Median Monthly Owner Cost, top 5 (ALEX Intelligence — U.S. Census Bureau 2024) #1 Travis County — $2,100 #2 Williamson County — $2,035 #3 Hays County — $1,841 #4 Bastrop County — $1,233 #5 Caldwell County — $998 Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Slide 1: Larry D. Moore (CC BY 4.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=28048912; Slide 2: Jonmallard (CC BY-SA 4.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=75224222; Slide 3: Nicolas Henderson from Coppell, Texas (CC BY 2.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=121472104; Slide 4: Larry D. Moore (CC BY 4.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=17932065 Source: https://alex-companies.com/data/2026-10-21-san-marcos-nb-standing-owner-cost-county View and join any or all of our communities — AI, quantum, and real estate: https://alex-companies.com/reports/linkedin-groups If there's an AI, quantum, or real estate community you'd like to see us convene, tell us — this portfolio grows by request. Real Estate Strategy & Intelligence Leader. Democratized Blue Ocean Strategist & Operator. Diane Hart Alexander, MBA, MHA Chair & CEO, ALEX Companies Designated Broker, Alexander Tiffany Southwest, LLC dba ALEX.realestate, et.al. Texas License #574877-B · Broker License #565194-BB [email protected] · +1 713.591.9902