Millennial migration From the cover
Two-minute impact
Where they’re coming from In 2024, Round Rock ranked 17th among 254 cities for places where people ages 25-44 moved.
Moved from within Williamson County: 3,633 Moved from another county in Texas: 5,668
An estimated 32% of the city’s roughly 135,600 residents in Round Rock are ages 25-44, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data. However, the city of Round Rock, which bases population figures on housing units, occupancy and household size, estimates the city has reached over 142,500 residents as of April. Financial technology company SmartAsset recently ranked Round Rock 17th out of 254 cities in the U.S. in a study based on relative popularity among millennials—a byproduct, officials say, of work the city and developers have done to make Round Rock more attractive. Residents, business leaders and city officials point to several factors driving the recent wave of newcomers, including the city’s proximity to Austin, school system, job opportunities, park amenities and affordability. Realtor Robert Fischer said more homebuyers in the area are looking for a place where they can find community and access activities that a city like Austin can provide. He said Round Rock is “an entry point into Austin.” “The whole lifestyle part is, ‘We can have Austin, but we can also have all the parks and outdoor living, and just a little bit more community [in
Total millennials that moved to Round Rock in 2024: 12,049
Round Rock population*
Percentage of ages 25-44
Round Rock
79
Moved from another
35
state: 1,390
N
*THE OVERALL PERCENTAGE REFLECTS CUMULATIVE POPULATION, INCLUDING THOSE RELOCATING, AGING AND OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS, WHILE MIGRATION NUMBERS CAPTURE THE INFLUX IN ONE YEAR.
Moved from abroad: 1,358
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
SOURCE: SMARTASSET, U.S. CENSUS BUREAU/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Round Rock],’” Fischer said. “I think people are kind of connecting more on that.” Brad Dushkin, Round Rock Planning and Development Services director, said the surge of new residents hasn’t necessarily influenced long- term planning, but fits with what the city already envisioned. The growth has created more business opportunities, which the Round Rock Chamber is
working to cultivate. “There’s a growing community of entrepreneurs that are kind of clustering around here and supporting each other,” said Jordan Robinson, Round Rock Chamber president and CEO. New residents can bring new challenges, though, as locals have seen increased traffic in certain areas of the city.
How we got here
Diving deeper
feel,” such as the estimated $525 million mixed- use project known as The District. The combination of outdoor recreation and amenities, along with plans for more pedestrian- friendly areas, is a contributing factor for many millennials, said local Realtor Michele Sherwood. “I think there’s a better housing value than being in big city Austin,” she said. “We have a really high quality of life here and I feel like more millennials are moving to a raise-kids lifestyle.”
In recent years, Dushkin said the city has focused on facilitating the construction of “missing middle housing,” or housing con- sidered a transition between apartments and single-family homes. Dushkin said the department’s goal within the Round Rock 2030 Comprehen- sive Plan is to enable a mixture of housing types “so that we can accommodate anybody who wants to live here at any kind of price point.” Housing units in development* Single-family/single-family attached 2,393 Townhomes 681 Senior multifamily 195 Multifamily 1,887 High-density multifamily 2,359 Total 7,515
Colby Lawler, 32, and his family moved from Southeast Texas to Round Rock last July in search of a more active community. “There’s more job opportunities, more life opportunities, and more opportunities to interact with nature and other people of like-minded hobbies,” Lawler said. Along with major parks improvements under- way, Dushkin said city staff have been working to create more walkable spaces that offer an “urban
Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage
Cedar Park
Austin
Round Rock
Georgetown
Pflugerville
$3,000
$2,717 $2,679 $2,364 $2,328 $2,262
$2,500
$2,230 $2,117 $1,847 $1,833 $1,748
$2,000
$0 $1,500
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
SOURCE: CITY OF ROUND ROCK/COMMUNITY IMPACT *AS OF APRIL 2026
SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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