life after 65

2 San Antonio neighbors relax among best places to retire in the Hill Country

New Braunfels is the No. 7 best city to retire in.

Many people dream of retiring to the Texas countryside and getting away from the big city hustle and bustle, and there are two places in particular that should be on the radar for any retiring San Antonians: Boerne and New Braunfels.

The two Hill Country destinations were given the spotlight in a March report that ranked "7 Beautiful Places To Retire In Texas Hill Country" by global travel website TheTravel. The report focused on small cities or towns with a lower cost of living, lower crime rates, and a variety of attractions.

New Braunfels, which was already one of the hottest moving destinations for Texans of all ages, ranked the seventh best Hill Country place to retire. The city's cost of living is 15 percent lower than the national average, the study found, with average rent prices at $1,468 per month. TheTravel says the city's crime rate is 16.8, which is far below the national average of 22.7.

Statistics aside, New Braunfels is an enticing place for the retirement crowd, thanks to its abundance of natural beauty and family-friendly attractions. Highlighted places to visit include Schlitterbahn Waterpark, McKenna Children's Museum, New Braunfels Historic Railroad and Modelers Society, the Gruene Historic District, and many more.

"One of the parks that the Guadalupe River passes by is Nichol's Landing, a primitive park known for excellent paddling opportunities," the report's author wrote. "Although there's limited parking, the park welcomes walk-in visitors and is ideal for a relaxing day along the clear-flowing river waters, especially on a hot summer day. However, seniors who want to stretch their legs along an easy trail as they explore the local flora and fauna can visit the lush 51-acre Landa Park."

Two spots ahead of New Braunfels is the small town of Boerne, earning No. 5. Boerne's population of just over 23,300 is vastly smaller than New Braunfels' population of more than 116,000, making it a much more quaint place for retirement-age individuals looking for a quieter lifestyle.

Even with the smaller overall population, the town's crime rate is similar to New Braunfels – at 16.2 – but still lower than the national average. Average rent prices are also lower, at $1,315 per month.

TheTravel says must-see places to visit in Boerne include the Farmer's Market at the Cibolo, Tusculum Brewing Company, Gina Marie's Art Studio, Cascade Caverns, and more.

Athletic retired folks will love exploring the caverns in Boerne.thetravel.com

"Named in honor of Karl Ludwig Börne, a German author, Boerne has a rich heritage best explored during a walking tour of the historic district," the report said. "Moreover, Boerne boasts beautiful places to explore, such as the famed Cave Without A Name, an otherworldly cavern with fascinating geological formations."

The No. 1 best place to retire in the Hill Country is the small town of Comfort, which is less than 50 miles outside San Antonio. It has the smallest population out of all seven destinations on the list, at 1,955 people. The average cost of living in Comfort is 17 percent lower than the national average, but the average rent is higher than New Braunfels' and Boerne's at $1,480 per month. However, much like Boerne, Comfort is full of German history.

"Comfort also has one of Texas’ best preserved historic districts, with over 100 buildings constructed between the 1850s and 1950s, some designed by renowned architect Alfred Giles, such as Hotel Giles," the report said. "The historic district boasts restaurants and charming shops catering to antique collectors and shoppers."

Other notable places to visit in Comfort include the James Kiehl Natural Area, Singing Water Vineyards, Bending Branch Winery, and the Treue Der Union Monument.

The best places to retire in the Hill Country are:

No. 1 – Comfort
No. 2 – Wimberley
No. 3 – Burnet
No. 4 – Fredericksburg
No. 5 – Boerne
No. 6 – Georgetown
No. 7 – New Braunfels

The full report can be found on thetravel.com.

retirement san antonio boerne new braunfels fredericksburg rankings

Vehicle News

What to know about new car inspection requirements in San Antonio

Texas Department of Motor Vehicles

Texas is changing requirements for vehicle registration.

Beginning January 1, 2025, Texas vehicle owners will no longer need to obtain a safety inspection prior to vehicle registration. House Bill 3297, passed during the 88th Legislature in 2023, eliminates the safety inspection program for non-commercial vehicles.

We'll all be free, free, free of the oppression of the safety inspection process. However …

Under the new law, the $7.50 fee that drivers had to pay as a safety inspection fee has not gone away. It now appears on your registration notice under a new name: "Inspection Program Replacement Fee."

This name change comes courtesy of the legislature, who want to keep collecting this fee because the funds go to state programs such as construction and expansion of state highways — funds they previously collected from the Safety Inspection Fee.

And while the safety inspection is gone, state law will still require that drivers in 17 counties must pass an "emission inspection" on vehicles that are 2 to 24 years old, in order to get your vehicle registered. In Bexar County, the new requirement will go into effect in 2026.

But what does an "emissions inspection" mean?

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) details the following changes:

Safety inspection out, emissions testing in
Until December 31, 2024, safety inspections are required for vehicle registration in all 254 counties. Beginning January 1, 2025, noncommercial vehicles in Texas will no longer be required to have an annual safety inspection. Instead, vehicles will have to get an emissions inspection on gasoline-powered vehicles that are 2 to 24 years old.

What is no longer going to be "inspected"?
Texas Transportation Code §548.051 specifies the list of old-school inspection items which will no longer be checked. Moving forward, they will no longer be checking: tires, wheel assembly, safety guards, safety flaps, brakes, steering, lighting, horns, mirrors, windshield wipers, sunscreening devices, and front seat belts in vehicles on which seat belt anchorages were part of the manufacturer's original equipment.

What will still be inspected are listed as "Items 12–15": exhaust system, exhaust emissions system, fuel tank cap, and emissions control equipment. These will be part of the emissions inspection process in 17 counties.

Those 17 counties where this is relevant include:

Austin: Travis and Williamson
DFW: Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, and Tarrant
Houston: Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, and Montgomery
El Paso County

In Bexar County, emissions inspections will be required beginning on November 1, 2026.

Where will emissions inspections be obtained?
Emissions inspections can be obtained at DPS-certified vehicle inspection stations in the 17 emissions counties. These will be the exact same inspection locations we've been going to all along, when it was called a safety inspection. Emissions inspections are not available in the other 237 Texas counties.

DPS offers an inspection station locator online.

What is the estimated cost of an emissions inspection?
Vehicle owners will pay an emissions inspection fee of $2.50 annually to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) at the time of registration. The actual fee you'll pay at the inspection station (as listed on TCEQ’s website) will be $25.50. Just like the former "safety inspection" fee.

In short: There is little that's changing about the entire inspection process, except they won't bother making you honk your horn.

transportation