Round Rock, Texas · Thence House Group
Round Rock, Texas
Round Rock takes its name from a rock in Brushy Creek where cattle drives once crossed. Today it pairs a historic downtown with major employers, big league sports, parks and trails, and neighborhoods in almost every style and price range.
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How Round Rock got its name
The rock in Brushy Creek
In 1851 a small settlement formed on the banks of Brushy Creek, beside a large, round, anvil shaped rock in the middle of the stream. The rock marked a low water crossing for wagons, horses and cattle, and in 1854 the town was renamed Round Rock in its honor.
After the Civil War, the Chisholm Trail crossed Brushy Creek right at the rock, sending cattle drives north through town. Today you can see the rock from Chisholm Trail Crossing Park, where bronze longhorns and pioneer figures by Texas artist Jim Thomas recall those drives.
A few blocks away, downtown’s historic buildings hold another story: in 1878 the outlaw Sam Bass was cornered by Texas Rangers in Round Rock, a chapter the town still marks today.
Pictured above: the round rock in Brushy Creek. Photo by Darrylpearson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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Round Rock at a glance
A city with its own center of gravity
Round Rock is not simply a suburb of Austin. It has its own employers, sports venues, hospitals and college campuses, which means many residents live, work and play without heading south on I-35.
Things to do
Why people love living here
Historic downtown
Main Street’s restored storefronts hold restaurants, shops and live music, with Round Rock Donuts’ famous glazed donuts a short walk away.
Parks and trails
Old Settlers Park is the city’s largest park, with sports fields and a lake. The Brushy Creek Regional Trail follows the creek west toward Cedar Park.
The Sports Capital of Texas
Round Rock hosts major youth tournaments at the Multipurpose Complex, the indoor Round Rock Sports Center and Old Settlers Park, plus Round Rock Express games at Dell Diamond.
Kalahari Resort
One of the country’s largest indoor water parks, with an indoor adventure park and restaurants, open year round.
Shopping
Round Rock Premium Outlets brings together more than 125 brand name stores, with everyday shopping spread along I-35 and University Boulevard.
Chisholm Trail Crossing Park
A quiet creekside park at the town’s namesake rock, with bronze sculptures that tell the cattle drive story.
Around the calendar
Round Rock traditions
The City of Round Rock hosts community events all year. A few favorites:
- July 4th Parade and Frontier Days, the city’s signature Independence Day celebration.
- Juneteenth Festival, celebrating history, music and community each June.
- Light Up the Lake, a holiday lights tradition.
- Moonlight Movie Nights and the Fall Fun Festival for relaxed evenings outdoors.
- Donut Dash 5K, a race with a very Round Rock reward.
Dates change each year, so check the City of Round Rock events calendar before you go.
Where to live
Round Rock neighborhoods we love
Old Town and downtown
Round Rock’s historic core: the original Old Town settlement along Chisholm Trail Road and the railroad era downtown around Main Street, whose Commercial Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Homes range from historic houses to newer infill, for buyers who want character and a walkable center.
Round Rock West
Off McNeil Road in south Round Rock, an established neighborhood of mostly late 1970s and early 1980s homes on larger lots under mature trees, with Round Rock West Park and its duck pond in the middle and, as reported, no mandatory HOA. It is in Round Rock ISD.
Cat Hollow
Off RM 620 in southwest Round Rock, an established neighborhood with mature trees, Cat Hollow Park and Pool, an 18 hole disc golf course and trails. It has Round Rock addresses but sits in the Brushy Creek MUD outside city limits, with an HOA and MUD taxes to compare. It is in Round Rock ISD.
Teravista
A master planned community of about 1,500 acres in northeast Round Rock, built around the public 18 hole Teravista Golf Club, with three pools, fitness centers, ponds and trails. Teravista spans Round Rock and Georgetown, and sections fall in Round Rock ISD or Georgetown ISD, so buyers should verify the district for each address.
Forest Creek
Off Gattis School Road in southeast Round Rock, an established golf course neighborhood of about 1,200 homes built around the public 18 hole Forest Creek Golf Club, with a pool, tennis courts, trails and Forest Creek Elementary inside the neighborhood. It is in Round Rock ISD.
Paloma Lake
In east Round Rock just west of SH 130, a master planned community completed around 2020 and built around a private catch and release lake, with two pool centers, trails and Herrington Elementary inside the neighborhood. It is in Round Rock ISD, with an HOA and MUD taxes to compare.
Vizcaya
Near A.W. Grimes Boulevard and University Boulevard in northeast Round Rock, a Taylor Morrison master planned community built out around 2023, with an all ages section, a 55+ section called Heritage at Vizcaya, pools and trails. Most addresses are in Round Rock ISD, but some are reported in Georgetown ISD, so buyers should verify the district for each address.
Mayfield Ranch
Off FM 1431 on the west side near the Georgetown line, a master planned community of several sections with pools, greenbelts and trails, next to the roughly 800 acre Southwest Williamson County Regional Park. Depending on the section, homes are listed in Round Rock ISD, Leander ISD or Georgetown ISD, so buyers should verify the district for each address.
And all around Round Rock
We also work in Behrens Ranch, Brushy Creek, Walsh Ranch, Sendero Springs and the newer communities on the edges of town, where we compare lots, incentives and builders so you see the whole offer.
Schools: Round Rock ISD serves most of the city, while some Round Rock addresses fall in neighboring districts such as Georgetown, Leander or Pflugerville ISD. Buyers should verify the district and campus for any home they are considering.
Everyday life
Schools, health care and getting around
- Public schools: Round Rock ISD, with seven high schools including Round Rock, Westwood, McNeil, Cedar Ridge and Stony Point.
- Higher education: Texas State University Round Rock Campus, Austin Community College Round Rock Campus and a Texas A&M Health Science Center campus.
- Health care: St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center, Baylor Scott & White and Ascension Seton Williamson.
- Roads: I-35, SH 45, the SH 130 toll road and US 79 connect Round Rock to Austin, Georgetown, Pflugerville and Hutto.
Buying or selling
How we help in Round Rock
Ursula lived in Round Rock for twenty years and raised her family here, and her kids graduated from Round Rock High School. She knows these neighborhoods as a longtime resident and parent, not only from listings.
Round Rock’s range is its strength and its challenge. Older and newer homes, golf communities and new construction can all sit within a few miles, with different taxes, HOA rules and school assignments. We help you compare them clearly.
- Narrow neighborhoods by commute, budget and how you want to spend weekends.
- Compare resale homes with new construction and builder incentives.
- Review taxes, HOA and utility district costs before you commit.
- Price and present your home to reach buyers across the north Austin metro.
- Coordinate inspections, lending, title and closing from start to finish.
Your Round Rock team
Who you will work with
Thence House Group is sisters Ursula Whitworth and Caroline Kissel, brokered by Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty. Both have called Austin home since the 1970s and work throughout the city. One is based north and one south, but they handle every transaction together, so clients get two sets of local knowledge wherever they buy or sell.
Ursula lived in Round Rock for twenty years, where her kids graduated from Round Rock High School, and now lives just north in Georgetown. She knows the northern communities closely, including Round Rock, Georgetown, Pflugerville, Cedar Park, Leander and Liberty Hill, and has closed transactions from Salado to south Austin. She spent more than two decades in new home sales, was named Number One Agent in the nation and the city multiple times, and wrote How to Buy or Build a New Home Without Getting Screwed to give buyers the questions she wished every customer had asked.
Caroline was born and raised in Austin and serves clients throughout Downtown, Central, West, South and East Austin, as well as the surrounding communities. She is especially knowledgeable about Zilker, Barton Hills, Circle C, the 78704 area, South Lamar (SoLa), South Congress (SoCo), Oak Hill, Westlake, Great Hills, Allandale, Tarrytown and Hyde Park. She brings more than 20 years of project management, operations and client service experience to every transaction.
Round Rock real estate questions
How did Round Rock get its name?
From a large round rock in Brushy Creek that marked a low water crossing for wagons and cattle. The settlement took the name Round Rock in 1854, and the Chisholm Trail later crossed the creek at the same spot.
Which school district serves Round Rock?
Round Rock ISD serves most of the city, but some Round Rock addresses are in neighboring districts such as Georgetown, Leander or Pflugerville ISD. Boundaries can change, so buyers should verify the district and campus for any home they are considering.
Is Round Rock a good choice if I work in Austin?
Many residents commute to north Austin employers by I-35, SH 45 or the SH 130 toll road, while others work locally at Dell and other Round Rock employers. We help you test the commute that matters to you before you buy.
Can you help with new construction in Round Rock?
Yes. With more than two decades in new home sales, we compare builders, lots, incentives and contracts, and we recommend bringing us to your first model home visit.
Do you also work in Georgetown, Pflugerville and Hutto?
Yes. We serve Austin and communities across Central Texas, including Georgetown, Pflugerville, Hutto, Cedar Park, Leander and Liberty Hill.
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