Small Booms

Central Texas ZIP among 15 fastest-growing new neighborhoods in U.S.

Central Texas keeps on growing.

As Texas' ever-growing population generates more demand among regional housing markets, one Central Texas ZIP Code has seen more growth than many others in the country.

The 76537 ZIP Code in Jarrell (north of Georgetown) ranks No. 14 in RentCafe's new study that analyzes the 50 fastest-growing "new neighborhoods" in America "that barely existed a decade ago." Two more local ZIPs in Liberty Hill and Austin also made the cut.

The study reviewed housing inventory and population growth across 32,000 U.S. ZIP Codes. It then narrowed down the search to the top 50 locales that experienced a 51 percent minimum surge in new housing units from 2014-2023.

Overall, Texas dominated the list with 17 of the nation's 50 booming new neighborhoods.

RentCafe determined that 76537 in Jarrell saw a 218 percent population growth over the last decade. To keep up with the city's growth, housing inventory soared by 193 percent during the same period.

In 2014, there were just 3,939 residents living within the bounds of 76537, which stretches across both sides of I-35. During that same year, there were only 1,547 housing units in the area, which has since spiked to 4,538 units as of 2023. The ZIP Code now boasts a population of more than 12,526 residents, the study found.

Elsewhere in the Central Texas area, 78642 in Liberty Hill and 78738 in Austin and Bee Cave respectively ranked as the 31st and 38th fastest-growing ZIPs in the U.S. over the last decade.

The report's findings revealed the Liberty Hill area has more than doubled its housing inventory to 8,399 units, up from about 3,500 units in 2014. The area's population has also more than doubled, from 9,867 to 24,146 residents as of 2023.

The West Austin and Bee Cave-area population in 78738 has surged 108.7 percent over the last decade, from 13,794 to 28,790 residents, and housing inventory soared 135 percent to keep pace with the growth.

The top 10 "newest" neighborhoods in the U.S., says RentCafe, are:

No. 1 – Chino, California (91708)
No. 2 – Timnath, Colorado (80547)
No. 3 – Colorado Springs (80927)
No. 4 – Fulshear, Texas (77441)
No. 5 – Ponte Vedra, Florida (32081)
No. 6 – Jersey City, New Jersey (07311)
No. 7 – Fort Worth (76177)
No. 8 – Colorado Springs (80924)
No. 9 – Prosper, Texas (75078)
No. 10 – Melissa, Texas (75454)

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Rent report

Texas remains the country's biggest magnet for renters

Photo by HiveBoxx on Unsplash

Texas remains attractive to renters thanks to factors such as affordability, job growth, and apartment availability.

Texas reigns as the country’s No. 1 magnet for renters. According to an Apartments.com analysis, Texas gained nearly 73,000 net new renters from 2023 to 2024.

That figure, pulled from U.S. Census Bureau data, takes into account people who moved to and away from Texas.

Apartments.com says Texas remains attractive to renters thanks to factors such as affordability, job growth, and apartment availability. Many of these renters arrive from high-cost states like California and New York.

Among the state’s four major metro areas:

San Antonio now has the highest vacancy rate among major U.S. apartment markets (15.7 percent).
Dallas-Fort Worth rent growth recently slipped into negative territory as a wave of new apartments hit the market. “With modern housing choices backed by a strong job market that supports income growth, it’s easy to see why renters are flocking to Dallas,” says Apartments.com.
Houston continues to stand out nationally for relative affordability and high apartment availability. “Though the city has seen growth in recent years, a steady supply of apartment communities has kept rents low,” according to Apartments.com.
Austin continues to see widespread financial incentives for new renters, with more than 60 percent of properties offering one to two months’ free rent.

“Taken together, the data suggests Texas is entering a new housing phase: Demand remains strong, but the state’s massive apartment buildout is beginning to give renters more leverage than they’ve had in years,” Apartments.com says.

According to Apartment List, these are the top sources, in descending order, of new renters for each of Texas’ four major metros:

San Antonio — Austin, Houston, Dallas.
Dallas — Houston, Austin, New York City.
Austin — Dallas, Houston, San Antonio.
Houston — Dallas, Austin, New York City.

“For renters looking to move out of California, Texas was the most popular destination, edging out neighboring Nevada and Arizona,” Apartment List says.

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