The population in Bastrop County was 106,000 as of 2022, a 20% increase from 2019, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. In the same timeframe, the number of housing units in the county increased by over 27% from 31,085 to 39,539.
“I think we can attribute this [population growth] to several factors—the rise in remote work options, competitive home prices compared to our nearby markets, and the ease of commuting from most of the Bastrop-Cedar Creek area into Austin or other areas,” said James Beck, Bastrop County Board of Realtors president and owner of Centum Oak Realty.
Two-minute impact
From 2019 to 2024, median home prices increased by 50.02% in Bastrop and 64.95% in Cedar Creek, according to data from the Austin Board of Realtors.
Beck said earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic, Bastrop experienced a significant influx of buyers, which led to an increase in home prices.
“[Since then] we’ve observed properties remaining on the market for a little bit longer,” he said. “They’re selling for a little bit less than they initially were listed for. [This] trend reflects the shift towards a more balanced market as the initial surge in demand stabilizes.”
In Bastrop and Cedar Creek, the number of active listings increased from 2019-2023 by 151.75% and 74.06%, respectively, according to ABoR data.
Becki Womble, president and CEO of the Bastrop Chamber of Commerce, said that 10 years ago, housing was hard to come by in the Bastrop area—a shortage made more prevalent by the nearly 1,700 structures lost in the Bastrop fires of 2011. But in recent years, more housing options have appeared on the market.
Jamie Ehresman, co-owner of the Bastrop-based J&S Real Estate Team, said it is currently a buyer’s market because housing inventory is at the highest it has ever been in Bastrop.
“There’s enough selection out there right now that buyers have the ability to actually negotiate, and they haven’t before,” Ehresman said.
In 2021, a home stayed on the market for an average of 32 days in Bastrop and 29 in Cedar Creek. So far in 2024, homes are on the market for over three times longer in Bastrop and five times longer in Cedar Creek, according to data from ABoR.
Put in perspective
Beck said local homebuyers have been more cautious and selective when buying homes due to the high interest rates, but he anticipates the market will stabilize further when rates decrease.
“The elevated rates have increased the borrowing cost, making it that much more challenging for many homebuyers, just for what they need or want in a home. So consequently, there’s a noticeable slowdown in the pace of home sales because of the burden of that much more of a mortgage,” Beck said.
Jim Barringer, business development director for the Independence Title Bastrop office, said first-time home buyers have been impacted the most by recent real estate trends.
“A lot of the houses that were affordable for first-time homebuyers—that are existing homes—aren’t affordable anymore,” Barringer said.
Also of note
Bastrop ISD has grown in recent years due to new communities being built in the area, Barringer said.
Property values in BISD have increased 99.88% from 2020 to 2024, according to district officials.
The district has also been named one of the fastest growing in Central Texas, with around 28% growth over the past 10 years, district officials said in a bond presentation.
“According to the last report that I received from the district, ... many of the schools—not just elementary—are currently at capacity,” Beck said.
In 2023, voters passed a $321.5 million bond, which allocated $273 million toward new schools and classroom expansions. The ninth and 10th elementary schools in the district were funded through the bond, and additions will be made to intermediate school conversions for grades six to eight, among other expansions throughout BISD campuses, district officials said.
“They’ve gone from not building schools for years to schools are starting to go up left and right. Now they’re planning for them to go up really quickly,” Barringer said.
Looking ahead
Beck said, based on broader economic trends, he expects to see continued demand for homes in the area.
“What we can confidently say [is] the fundamental need for housing will persist,” Beck said. Beck said he is interested to see how the skyline of Cedar Creek and Bastrop will change over the next five years.
“Being a resident of Bastrop Since 2011 and seeing the growth from then until now and the projects that are under construction and projects that are talked about, it makes for Bastrop and for the greater Bastrop area being a prime area for a lot of people, families, companies and businesses,” Beck said.
