Moving to Boerne, TX: Pros and Cons

Boerne has become one of the most searched-for towns among people relocating to the San Antonio area, and it's easy to see why. A walkable historic downtown, an "A"-rated school district, and Hill Country scenery just 30 miles from downtown San Antonio make it an appealing option for families, retirees, and remote workers alike. But Boerne's popularity has also driven up home prices and put real strain on roads and water resources. Here's an honest look at what you're gaining — and giving up — by making Boerne home.

Boerne at a Glance

Boerne is the county seat of Kendall County, sitting along Interstate 10 roughly 30 miles northwest of downtown San Antonio, with a drive time of about 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic and your destination within the city (Rise Property Group). The town's population was 17,850 at the 2020 census, and current estimates put it at roughly 25,209 residents in 2026 — growth of around 41% in six years, making Boerne one of the fastest-growing small cities in Texas (U.S. Census/Wikipedia;World Population Review;Rise Property Group). That growth is the thread running through nearly every pro and con on this list: it's the reason Boerne has great new restaurants and thriving businesses, and it's the reason housing, traffic, and water planning are constant topics at City Hall.

The Pros of Moving to Boerne

Top-Rated Schools

Boerne Independent School District has earned an "A" rating from the Texas Education Agency for six consecutive accountability cycles, one of only a small number of Texas districts to do so every year since the current A-F system began (Community Impact;Boerne Star). For families relocating with kids, that consistency is a rare selling point — school quality in Texas can vary sharply from one district boundary to the next, and Boerne ISD's track record removes a lot of the guesswork.

Small-Town Charm with Hill Country Scenery

Boerne's historic Main Street, branded the "Hill Country Mile," is lined with boutiques, antique shops, coffee houses, and locally owned restaurants in restored 19th-century German-settlement buildings (The Kendall Inn;Hill Country Mile). Just a mile from downtown, the Cibolo Center for Conservation protects roughly 100 acres of Hill Country trails, wetlands, and wildlife along Cibolo Creek, open to the public since Earth Day 1990 (The Cibolo;City of Boerne). Add nearby underground attractions like Cascade Caverns and Cave Without a Name, Boerne City Lake Park, and a growing cluster of Hill Country wineries such as Bending Branch just south of town, and it's a genuinely different pace of life than the inner-loop suburbs of San Antonio (Community Impact).

Easy Access to San Antonio — and Austin

Boerne sits directly on I-10, which makes it one of the more commute-friendly Hill Country towns for people who work in San Antonio but want small-town living after hours. It's also positioned for day trips or occasional commutes toward Austin via the Hill Country, something towns further west or south of San Antonio can't offer as conveniently.

A Market That's Still Appreciating

Real estate in Boerne has held its value well. Over the three months ending July 2026, homes sold for a median price of $498,750, up 9.7% year over year, with homes typically going under contract in about 56 to 62 days — Redfin classifies it as a "somewhat competitive" market (Redfin). For buyers, that means Boerne hasn't seen the kind of price stagnation some other Hill Country towns have; for long-term owners, it's meant real equity growth.

The Cons of Moving to Boerne

Home Prices Have Climbed Well Above the San Antonio Median

The flip side of Boerne's popularity is affordability. A median sale price near $499,000 sits well above the broader San Antonio-area median, which theSan Antonio Board of REALTORS® reportedat $329,730 in June 2026. Buyers moving from lower-cost parts of the metro, or from out of state expecting broadly "affordable Texas" pricing, are often surprised by what a comparable home costs once they cross into Kendall County.

Property Taxes Add Up Quickly

Texas has no state income tax, but local property taxes fund most services, and Boerne's combined rate is on the higher side for the region. For tax year 2025, the City of Boerne set a rate of 0.4716%, Kendall County 0.377%, Boerne ISD 1.0109%, and the Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District 0.005% per $100 of valuation — a combined nominal rate near 1.87% before any exemptions (City of Boerne). After the standard homestead exemption and other relief, most owner-occupied homes pay a lower effective rate — one analysis put Boerne's median effective property tax rate at about 1.28% — but it's still worth budgeting for and confirming with the Kendall County Appraisal District before closing (Ownwell).

Growth Has Outpaced the Roads

I-10 through Boerne has long been identified as a bottleneck. A TxDOT-cited estimate found the corridor between Loop 1604 and SH 46 carrying 60,000 to 90,000 vehicles a day through this stretch, prompting years of planning work, including the multi-year Kendall Gateway Study and ongoing TxDOT projects to improve I-10 interchanges like Scenic Loop Road (Texas Public Radio;City of Boerne;TxDOT). Anyone commuting during peak hours should expect real traffic, not the open-highway drive that older brochures sometimes suggest.

Water Supply Is a Recurring Local Concern

Boerne relies primarily on surface water from Boerne Lake and Canyon Lake, supplemented by groundwater and a growing share of reclaimed water — about 72% surface water, 15% groundwater, and 13% reclaimed water in 2024 (Community Impact). City officials told council in March 2025 that current supply and planning should serve residents and forecasted development into the 2060s, even amid a prolonged regional drought that has left both lakes well below full — but ongoing drought conditions mean watering restrictions and conservation messaging are a normal part of living there, not an occasional inconvenience.

It's Still Largely a Bedroom Community

Boerne's downtown has a genuinely thriving small-business and tourism scene, and larger commercial projects (including a long-planned Buc-ee's) reflect real economic development momentum. Even so, most well-paying professional jobs for new residents remain concentrated in San Antonio, so plan on a commute — or remote work — rather than assuming you'll find an equivalent job locally.

Is Boerne Right for You?

Boerne tends to work best for buyers who value school quality, walkable small-town character, and Hill Country scenery enough to pay a premium for it, and who don't mind a real commute if their job is in San Antonio. It's a tougher fit for buyers on a tight budget who need San Antonio-metro-median pricing, or for anyone who wants a large local job market within city limits. Because home prices, lot sizes, and even water and traffic exposure vary block by block — a home near the Hill Country Mile behaves differently than one out toward Cordillera Ranch or the far side of I-10 — it's worth getting local, street-level input rather than relying on citywide averages alone.

If you're weighing Boerne against other Hill Country and Greater San Antonio options, Robert Fedewa, a San Antonio-area REALTOR®, can help you build a personalized shortlist of communities based on your budget, commute tolerance, and priorities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Boerne, TX a good place to live?
Many residents choose Boerne for its top-rated school district, historic downtown, and Hill Country setting close to San Antonio (Community Impact). The tradeoffs are higher home prices than the San Antonio metro median and a longer commute for most professional jobs.

How far is Boerne from San Antonio?
Boerne is about 30 miles northwest of downtown San Antonio via I-10, with a typical drive time of 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic (Rise Property Group).

What is the median home price in Boerne?
Redfin reported a median sale price of $498,750 for the three months ending July 2026, up 9.7% year over year (Redfin). That's notably higher than the San Antonio-area median of $329,730 reported by SABOR for June 2026 (SABOR).

Are property taxes high in Boerne?
Boerne's combined nominal property tax rate for 2025 — city, county, school district, and groundwater district — was about 1.87% per $100 of valuation before exemptions (City of Boerne). After standard exemptions, one analysis estimated a median effective rate closer to 1.28% (Ownwell).

Is Boerne growing too fast?
Boerne's population grew from about 17,850 at the 2020 census to an estimated 25,209 in 2026, roughly 41% growth in six years (Wikipedia;World Population Review). That growth has driven real investment in roads and water planning, but it's also behind the traffic and infrastructure concerns residents cite most often (Texas Public Radio;Community Impact).

Does Boerne have a good water supply?
City officials reported in March 2025 that current supply and infrastructure planning should support residents and forecasted growth into the 2060s, even during an ongoing regional drought (Community Impact). Watering restrictions during drought periods are common, so factor that into landscaping and lawn-care plans.