Leander, Texas

          
MLS Area; LN

The City of Leander, originally called Bagdad, was established on July 17, 1882. The first settlers arrived in the area around 1845, receiving bounty land grants in exchange for service in the Texas Revolution.

Located in the heart of Central Texas off Hwy. 183, Leander remains close to its roots even as it finds itself on the brink of a new future. Its growth over the past few years has been phenomenal, as the Leander Independent School District has become the largest school district in Williamson County and the fastest growing school district in Texas.

Surrounded by the natural beauty of lakes and rolling hills of the Texas Hill Country, Leander has a progressive city government that has successfully managed the city's rapid residential growth and encouraged new business to settle in the area. Leander's long-term water supply has been secured for the future, and a new area wastewater treatment plant is now poised to handle Leander's anticipated growth.

"Leander has done an excellent job of handling the amount of growth they have experienced, and planning for the future," says Myles Schopfer of Prudential Texas Realty. "The whole area has just boomed over the past few years, and there's no stopping anytime soon. Homes in Leander are more affordable than in Austin and give you more for your money - you can expect to buy a home starting at $100,000 up to $225,000. You have twice as much building going on in Leander than you've ever had before. Now that the water treatment plant is online, you're seeing more development in Leander, especially along Bagdad Road."

New roads help commuters get to any number of major employers in the area, and Capital Metro's newly approved urban rail system will help even more. The light rail service will run from Leander, down the northwest corridor and into downtown Austin, and is planned to handle the area's projected population growth.

In addition to those who commute into Austin, many people live in Leander not only because it is close to major employers such as Wal-Mart and national chain restaurants such as Chili's. Leander is also home to people who support those who work at the major employers - from retailers to mail workers to the trucking industry.

The Leander Independent School District has earned "Recognized District" honors from the TX Education Agency for academic excellence, and is another reason many have chosen to make this Hill Country city their home. LISD services both Leander and Cedar Park, and is known for their gifted and talented classes as well as special ed programs.