Leander, Texas/Flickr user JimNtexas
About 30 minutes from downtown Austin and the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge sits the city of Leander. With a climbing population that reached 31,717 in 2013, according to statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, Leander is in the center of many urban and natural amenities that homebuyers need.
The city has most recently experienced a growth spurt between 2009 and 2014, when the population grew more than 34 percent.
Leander was recently named the no. 3 best small city for families by Nerd Wallet. The affordable community is within access of the recreation and jobs in downtown Austin via the northernmost stop of the Capital Metro light rail.
One of the main attractions of Leander is the Crystal Falls Golf Course that is home to the Hill Country Amateur, ranked as the 2010 Tournament of the Year by Austin Amateur Golf Association. The 6,654-yard, 18-hole course is known for its scenic setting in Hill Country and wildlife sightings.
Leander real estate
The real estate market in Leander has been pretty strong over the past year. According to Altos Research, a California-based real estate data company, the median home prices are rising on an consistent basis and buyer demand is strong.
Leander, Texas/Flickr user JimNtexas
As of August 19, the market conditions have been in favor of home sellers by at least a full point for the past year. Considered in Altos’ Market Action Index and measured on a scale of 30, values above 30 are categorized as seller-favoring. The highest point reached within the past 12 months in Leander was above 38 in early July, though that has declined to less than 36 since.
Altos Research
Annually, inventory has been falling as well, despite increasing in the second quarter of 2016 and into the third quarter.
Economic conditions in Leander
According to AreaVibes, the unemployment rate in Leander is 6.10 percent, or 5 percent higher than the national average. However, the median household income is 42 percent higher in Leander compared with the nation, and the city’s poverty level is 67 percent lower.
Overall, Leander had a reported livability ranking of 86, which is considered exceptionally livable. The cost of living index in the metro is 97 out of the national average of 100, ranking it as more affordable than the nation’s cost of living, but slightly more expensive than the Texas cost of living.
Cost of living, crime, education and housing all received an A or higher on AreaVibes. The high school graduation rate is 12 percent higher than the rest of the state, and the crime rate is 64 percent lower than the state — no wonder the city was ranked as one of the best places for a family.
