LIBERTY HILL, Texas — About 35 miles northwest of Austin on the western edge of Williamson County lies the once sleepy town of Liberty Hill.
But that's quickly changing, as the fast-growing city went from 3,646 people in 2020 to more than 10,700 in 2023, according to census numbers.
Butler Farms is building nearly 300 new homes, along with about a dozen other new subdivisions built in the last several years.
“There is no indication it is going to slow down,” said Liberty Hill City Manager Paul Brandenburg.
It’s a city Brit Butz, a mother of two, has called home for three years.
“Just love the people here and how kind they are," Butz said. "Definitely feel you can find more of that village feeling out here. Definitely more affordable here than Austin."
Butz said it’s the perfect place to raise a family and that she loves the school system.
“They do a good job of making you feel you are getting a good education," Butz said. "They are very hands-on with parents.”
Brandenburg echoed that saying there are several reasons people are moving to Liberty Hill.
“The school system obviously," Brandenburg said. "It’s a safe community, and people want to find affordability."
City leaders have been working on a comprehensive plan to deal with the growth that includes roads and infrastructure. But they say water supply is the top priority.
Liberty Hill ISD has also seen significant growth.
“I was elected on the school board five years ago. We had about 4,500 students ... Almost pushing 9,000,” said Megan Parsons who serves as Liberty Hill ISD's school board president.
Liberty Hill currently has six elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. The district added five elementary schools and a second middle school within the last five years, with more schools planned. Parsons anticipates the district could have an enrollment of 18,000 by 2030.
“There is still a small town feel even though we are growing. We hope to keep a culture that facilitates that,” said Parsons.
A third middle school is being built along County Road 528 set to open next year, with a new high school planned to open next door in a couple of years.
‘We are constantly preparing where are putting future schools and ways to try to stay on top of that so our kids can get the best education possible,” Parsons said.
With all the planning for growth also comes immediate challenges.
At the high school level, some class sizes are in the 30s. Some new high school students will attend class at the new middle school starting next year while the new high school is being built. But overall, Parsons is proud of the district's progress.
“I would say we are not fully staffed,” said Parsons. "We have teachers that are working hard to cover gaps in our district. We are constantly working to be fully staffed. We have great things going on here in Liberty Hill and the future looks good.”
The district has had three bonds totaling about $1 billion passed in the last five years. Parsons said the district will continue to adjust as the growth continues. Butz said she just hopes the community can hang on to its small-town Texas charm.
“I am hoping with the growth that we can keep that, small-town feel, school spirit, family feeling here because that captivated us," Butz said.
"Boomtown is KVUE's series covering the explosive growth in Central Texas. For more Boomtown stories, head to KVUE.com/Boomtown."