outer city livin'

New Braunfels is among best Texas cities to move to in 2024

Texans love New Braunfels.

Photo via areavibes.com

Move over, San Antonio: New Braunfels was just named the No. 3 best Texas city to move to in 2024.

The city came out on top in a new population analysis by USA Today Homefront, published February 19, that examined 52 Texas cities across 19 key indicators, including school quality, affordability, entertainment, and more.

The U.S. Census Bureau found the population of New Braunfels grew 56.4 percent from 2010 to 2019, making it one of the fastest growing cities in the state. It was the No. 13 fastest growing city in 2022.

Highlights of the city include a low crime rate, low unemployment rate (3 percent), and a high-ranking school district. USA Today also claims New Braunfels may be the "most entertaining city" in the top five, with nearly two activities per 1,000 city residents.

"[New Braunfels] offers tubing on the Guadalupe River and splashing at Schlitterbahn waterpark to beat the humid summers," the report said.

New Braunfels was also recently dubbed "Destination of the Year" in the 2024 Texas Travel Awards. The Gruene Historic District is another popular travel destination.

Residents have an average life expectancy of 77.9-years-old, according to the report, and a resident's median income is a little more than $79,000 a year. Rent in New Braunfels isn't as polarizing as it is in San Antonio or Austin, averaging about $1,683 per month, while the report says the average home is valued at about $362,487.

San Antonio came in at No. 40 on USA Today's list, likely falling behind due to a lower median income ($58,829) and lower average home value ($254,014). However, the city has a higher life expectancy than New Braunfels, at 78.1 years of age. The typical rent in San Antonio is also lower than New Braunfels – $1,412 per month – and the unemployment rate for the city is 3.2 percent.

The top 10 best cities to move to in 2024, according to USA Today, are:

No. 1 – Tyler
No. 2 – Laredo
No. 3 – New Braunfels
No. 4 – Cedar Park
No. 5 – Temple
No. 6 – McAllen
No. 7 – Longview
No. 8 – Abilene
No. 9 – El Paso
No. 10 – Victoria

The report gathered its data from multiple sources to determine the rankings, including data from Zillow, the U.S. Census Bureau, Tripadvisor, FEMA, the U.S. Centers Medicare and Medicaid Services, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and more.

The full report can be found on usatoday.com.

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Take A Walk

New multifamily community opens near Stone Oak restaurants and shopping

Rendering courtesy of Greyson Luxury Living

The new community offers 291 units.

A new multifamily community is now open to prospective residents in San Antonio. Greyson Luxury Living comprises 291 units at 1734 N. Loop 1604 West, with a focus on lifestyle amenities. But the location will be the main draw for many.

Apartment floor plans range from one to three bedrooms, starting at $1,317 for one bedroom and one bathroom, and working up to a base price of $2,611 for three bedrooms and two baths. The community's pet policy according to the website is: "We welcome all your furry friends at Greyson."

Residents will get reserved parking and a garage with EV charging stations, but it might not always be necessary to hop in the car. The apartments are directly adjacent to restaurants like Cover 3, Eddie V's Prime Seafood, and Blü Prime Steakhouse — not exactly everyday eats, but there's tons more at the Vineyard Shopping Center and the Stone Oak neighborhood's Blanco Market Shopping Center across the highway.

In addition to restaurants, the community is less than a five-minute drive from H-E-B Plus, Whole Foods Market, Target, fashion and furniture stores, and multiple fitness studios like StretchLab and LA Fitness.

A press release promises wood-style flooring, quartz and granite countertops, and ceramic tile backsplash. On the more utilitarian side, it offers single-basin sinks, kitchen islands, "spacious" pantries, a stainless-steel Energy Star appliance package, and washer and dryer connections. (Images shared by the complex so far appear to be more illustrative of the desired vibe than the actual space.)

Every floor plan also shows a private patio or balcony. The most expensive floor plan — the three-by-two — has a wraparound outdoor space.

For shared spaces, a resort-style pool with a tanning shelf (a very shallow area for placing lounge chairs) and bike storage encourage residents to get outside, and a dog wash station makes it easy to leave dirt and hair outside of apartments. There's also a fitness center, a clubhouse with wi-fi, elevators, and concierge services.

“We developed Greyson as a luxury multifamily community aimed to fit any type of lifestyle, and we are grateful for all of our partners that helped bring this project to life,” says Ed Garahan, partner and CEO at Carbon Companies, the development firm heading the project.

Carbon Companies also sold the Addison Medical Center Apartments, Ventura Ridge, Triomphe Apartments, and Pecan Springs Luxury Apartment Homes, with more in the works in San Antonio.

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