Bastrop Weighs New Rules to Fill Downtown Storefronts
Bastrop is considering requiring 60% of downtown ground-floor storefronts to be customer-facing businesses. City Council could take it up Nov. 3 and Nov. 17.
Welcome to Bastrop
Pine forests, a river town Main Street and real Texas small-town life, about 30 miles from downtown Austin.
A place you'll be glad you moved to
Hi, we're Matt and Liana Walker. We live in Bastrop, we raise our family here, and helping people find their place in this town is our favorite part of the job.
Bastrop sits on the Colorado River in the middle of the Lost Pines, a pocket of loblolly pine forest you would not expect to find in Central Texas. The historic downtown has been around since the 1830s. New neighborhoods, new schools and new employers have arrived in the last few years, and the town is changing fast.
This site is the guide we wish everyone had before they moved. It covers the neighborhoods, the schools, the commute, what things cost and where the locals eat. The blog keeps up with what is happening right now.
Matt & Liana
Bastrop at a glance
- Distance to downtown Austin
- About 30 miles, 35 to 50 minutes depending on traffic
- Distance to Austin airport
- About 20 miles, usually 25 to 30 minutes
- County seat of
- Bastrop County, one of the fastest-growing counties in Texas
- Main public school district
- Bastrop ISD, plus Smithville, Elgin and McDade ISDs nearby
- State parks within 20 minutes
- Bastrop State Park and Buescher State Park
- Founded
- Incorporated in 1837, one of the oldest towns in Texas
Thinking about moving here?
Start with the questions everyone asks us first.
- Moving to BastropCost of living, property taxes, utilities, the commute to Austin, weather and the step-by-step of making the move.
- NeighborhoodsSeventeen Bastrop-area neighborhoods compared, from historic downtown to acreage communities and brand-new master plans.
- SchoolsBastrop ISD campuses, charter and private options, homeschool groups and how to find your zoned school.
- Jobs in BastropWho is hiring locally, including Starlink and The Boring Company, plus what the drive to Austin really looks like.
- Renting firstApartments, rental homes and why renting for a year can be a smart way to learn the area.
- Selling a Bastrop homeWhat your home is worth in today's market and how we market it.
Helping newcomers feel at home
We lead the Wisdom House Realty Group with Epique Realty, a Bastrop team of Realtors who help people buy, sell and rent across Bastrop County and Central Texas. We also host The Bastrop Podcast and run the Moving to Bastrop Facebook group, so we hear what newcomers want to know every day.
Matt Walker
Broker Associate | Team Leader
Matt handles the research and the negotiating. If you want to know how a builder incentive really compares to a resale price, or what a flood map means for a specific lot, ask Matt.
Liana Walker
REALTOR® | Co-Team Leader
Liana came to real estate from a career as a magazine art director. She knows which neighborhoods fit which lifestyles, and she makes the whole move feel a lot less overwhelming.
What's around you
Schools and learning
- Bastrop ISD, with campuses in Bastrop, Cedar Creek and Red Rock, including Adelton Elementary, which opened in 2025
- Tuition-free charter options including Compass Rose Harvest and Founders Classical Academy Bastrop
- Private, Montessori and homeschool co-op options
- Austin Community College's Elgin campus nearby
Healthcare
- Ascension Seton Bastrop, a 16-bed hospital on Highway 71
- Two 24/7 emergency rooms: St. David's Emergency Center and Ally Medical
- Primary care, urgent care, dental and pediatric clinics along Highway 71
- Major Austin hospitals about 35 to 45 minutes away
Outdoors
- Bastrop State Park and the Lost Pines, with trails and a historic CCC lodge
- The Colorado River, Fisherman's Park and the El Camino Real Paddling Trail
- Lake Bastrop for fishing, paddling and camping
- McKinney Roughs Nature Park and Buescher State Park nearby
This week in Bastrop
Local news, events and market updates from the blog.
November 2026 in Bastrop: Car Show, Art Fest and River of Lights
Your November 2026 Bastrop calendar: Farm Street Opry, Bastrop Art Fest, the Heroes and Hot Rods car show, Baron's Birthday Bash, the tree lighting and Wassail Fest.
Bastrop Backs a Path to a Regional Hospital and Convention Hotel
Bastrop City Council supports legislation tied to Bastrop West, a proposed regional hospital plus a 300-room hotel and 40,000-square-foot convention center.
Let's talk about your move
Questions about Bastrop? Wondering what your budget buys here, or whether to rent first? We would love to hear from you.