RANK #987 / 1001 NAT · #71 / 72 TX · POP 672,688
1YR FORECAST: -4.1%
5YR OUTLOOK: +5%
Williamson County, often called "Wilco" by locals, sits in Central Texas, directly north of Austin. Georgetown, the county seat, is about 25 miles from Austin. The county's landscape transitions from the rolling hills of the Edwards Plateau in the west to the flatter Blackland Prairies in the east, bisected by Interstate 35. This varied terrain offers outdoor recreation, including hiking and biking trails at Southwest Williamson County Regional Park and water activities on Lake Georgetown and Lake Granger. Commutes to Austin are common, with options including personal vehicles, bus services, and a tram line.
Life in Williamson County often appeals to families, drawn by highly rated public schools and a sense of community. The economy has diversified beyond its agricultural roots, with major investments in technology, manufacturing, and healthcare. This growth has attracted a workforce seeking opportunities within these expanding sectors. The county's development includes new retail and commercial centers, particularly in towns like Round Rock and Georgetown.
Williamson County is one of 76 U.S. counties in this market profile — weaker than typical on the BoomTown Index. Within this cohort, its recent home-price change of -6.1% runs below the profile's typical -3.7%.
See all 76 Sun Belt Post-Surge Correction counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Prices declining
Moderate climate & terrain
Prices detached from rents
Housing looks overvalued at 15.3x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Samsung Semiconductor Plant
Samsung Austin Semiconductor, LLC
|
$17,000M | Under Construction |
|
PowerCampus Austin (Hutto Megasite)
Skybox Datacenters LLC and Prologis Inc.
|
$10,000M | Under Construction |
|
Battery Energy Storage Systems (Multiple Projects)
Key Capture Energy, Engie North America, Rabbit Hill Energy Storage Project
|
$200M | Operating |
|
Georgetown DC (Austin) Data Center
Blueprint Data Centers (Compass Datacenters)
|
$160M | Under Construction |
|
Labatt Food Service Facility
Labatt Food Service, LLC
|
$42M | Planned |
|
Pegatron Technologies Manufacturing Facility
Pegatron Technologies, LLC
|
$35M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
The data is not encouraging — Williamson County scores just 0/100 on the Boom Town Index, ranking #987 of 1001 counties. Job growth at +2.6% and median household income of $111,340 reflect an economy that has been contracting or stagnating relative to the rest of the country.
Williamson County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $447,000 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.25 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $1,796/month on average.
Williamson County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +4.5% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +2.6% clip. Home values shifted -6.1% in the past year.
In significant numbers — 5.51% of Williamson County's current population relocated from another state, well above the national norm. That level of in-migration usually signals a county where jobs, affordability, or quality of life are pulling people in from elsewhere.
Home values fell -6.1% over the past year in Williamson County, bringing the median down to $447,000. A drop of that magnitude usually reflects weakening demand or population outflow — worth watching if you're considering buying here.