Best Places to Live and Launch 2008: No. 2, Georgetown, Texas
What do you think of Georgetown, Texas, the No. 2 town on our 100 Best Places to Live and Launch list? Do you run a local business? How do you feel about the town’s taxes and regulatory climate? Have you been able to attract good workers? Tell us about it.The best replies will be published here, and possibly in future stories in Fortune Small Business.
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DiggTashena Gonzales,
Wow! You should be proud of your mixed heritage. Maybe it was best you went home to dear old Michigan. Best of luck!
Wow Georgetown Texas made number two! I’ll take metro Detroit MI over that any day. I stayed two years in Pflugerville, TX very close to Georgetown and visited and had friends there. It is one of the most prejudice places I’d ever been in my life. Still I’m glad I lived there. I thank Texas, Austin, its suburbs, Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth for showing me just how wonderful Michigan is and wanting me to stay here the rest of my life!
Honestly, I am staying home! Who needs imbeciles like you, when we all can be much happier than frustrated Texans. Get well rounded , travel a across the borders at least to say, there is a great life besides Texas. And YES I like OBAMA, thank God !!!!
For anybody moving to Georgetown, I got four words for you: OBAMA VOTERS STAY HOME!
There may be a few folks like Chris who’d like to close the door and keep others from becoming part of Georgetown, but they are not representative of this community. Georgetown is the friendliest place I’ve ever lived. The vast majority of people whoo live here are from elsewhere originally, but we all have embraced this beautiful place as our new home. You are welcome here, no matter where you may have lived before.
as a life long Georgetown resident, i realize what a wonderful place it is to live, but recently the amount of people that have moved here from other places like CA and up north, have ruined my town. GO HOME WE DON”T WANT YOU HERE!
Amen to that! Kind of goes to show you the educational system and how it caters to the lower level students (i.e., immigrants, hispanics) and to teach “to the test” (TAKS).
With all the free lunches given to these “disadvantaged” school children, you would think that Georgetown was a welfare state. You would have though Obama had already been elected and his socialist agenda in place when they gladly took our tax money.
One of my children is a GT child and at the time he was in the Georgetown system, there were no pullout classes for these children and the school had to solicit help from parents to provide the “extra” lessons. There was no staffing for such provisions.
Where else but Georgetown did they previously have a system of each school campus house one grade level. Not only is this ludicrous, but downright smacks of bussing. We moved into our neighborhood in ‘00 because it was right down the street from a nice school. However, we learned that our children had to go to another school across the highway before they could go to the school down the street.
Both of my children came from the metroplex school system and were high achievers within their grade. My daughter learned almost nothing new that she hadn’t already learned in previous schools in her 1st year in Goergetown. Since we were down there 3+ years, she finally grabbed onto the train and was high within her class. However, when we moved back, she was almost a year behind and it took her at least a year to catch back up with where she left off.
This may not be an indictment of Georgetown versus the rest of the state, but the conditions were certainly worse than anywhere else I have lived.
I am a former resident M.P. My family chose to leave due to the lack of educational opportunities for upper level/GT students. And yes, I am a teacher.
It should be clear by now, given recent exchanges, that Georgetown is a great place to live, regardless of your political persuasion. We have many terrific citizens who call themselves conservatives, moderates and liberals, Democrats, Republicans, and Libertarians. Ideological rhetoric can be interesting and entertaining, but this is a place where we are all happy to set such matters aside when the opportunity arises to work together for the common good or in the service of a neighbor in need. I find it interesting that most of the criticism in these blogs comes from people who don’t live here and often seem to have no real knowledge of what Georgetown is all about. I encourage you find out or yourself.
Who wants a bunch of right-wing conservatives hanging around Georgetown and in the rest of Wiliamson County? You all should know who won the election! Warnging: Liberals are here to stay in Wilco! Things are changing in Wilco. Open minds, open hearts in Wilco.
If you currently live in Georgetown Texas, you might not realize how things are in other parts of the country, as we have it pretty good right here at home. I moved here two years ago from Southern California and Tempe Arizona befor that, and I am here to stay! Went into Real Estate, (perfect timing!) and survived my two year mark. I then decided that working for one of the “Big Name Brokers” wasn’t the best way to be a REALTOR. I decided to change Brokers, and now when I assist my clients in purchasing a home, I give them back part of the commission! I would rather be partners with my clients rather than a Broker. I also list homes for sale for only a 2% Listing Agent Commission. Wow, talk about positive response, since making the change, I have already saved many new home buyers, lots of money, but have had so many prospective new home buyers to Texas contact me from all over the USA. Hey, it’s your equity, why not keep most of it. Georgetown Texas has so many great new home developments like Sun City, Heritage Oaks, Georgetown Village, Berry Creek and so many more, and the deals are fantastice here. With New Construction homes and over 500 existing resales, I’m sure that I can help you find the right home for you. Enjoy the good life in Georgetown Texas. There is a reason that Georgetown has had so much great publicity lately, check it out for yourself.
Who wants a bunch of liberals hanging around Georgetown? We have enough of those peddling around t.u. in Austin. Besides, Williamson County is one of the most conservative counties in the nation and darn well proud of it. Spit on the sidewalk and you might as well go to the head of the line on death row. I kinda like that!
yeah but Southwestern is more expensive than prestigious Ivy League schools.
you forgot to mention that Georgetown, TX is the home of one of the southwest region’s top liberal arts colleges – southwestern university.
Anyone with the name Alice spelling it alysse, isn’t mature enough to understand that there are social rules of behavior in place for the good of the majority having to live there. One might conclude that you are a mere brat wanting to do whatever you wish whenever you wish to do so. Enroll at UT Austin where you will be understood.
so untrue. i live in georgetown. georgetown is one of the most conservative places i know.
Sure, Georgetown is sort of near Austin which is diverse and liberal, but Georgetown itself is in Williamson County which is Redneck Central, filled with drunk driving cops, and school regulations prohibiting long hair or earrings on male high school students. People make cracks about it all the time, and the Black people I know are scared to drive in Williamson county for fear of being pulled over for Driving While Black. Williamson County is creepy.
BLAH. BLAH. BLAH. It’s old versus new in Georgetown. The old don’t accept the new, and the new are trying to live in a city that does not want them. Period. Been there, done that, and moved on to a much happier place.
My family has been in business in Georgetown since 1970. Yes, there have been lots of changes and for the most part the increases in problems (i.e. traffic, noise, etc.) are by-products of ever increasing convenience services/businesses. If you are in retail the increased traffic is a good thing as it represents more rooftops and more potential customers. The city is still evolving to keep pace with the increased amounts of citizens, but I feel they are doing a great job of balancing our historical perspective with our promising future. Schools – top notch from pre-school to university opportunities. Entertainment – fairly good with a good mix of public school offerings coupled with high level seasonal offerings from local theatre and symphony groups.
City services/infrastructure – very receptive and we have our own community owned utilities with good water resources.
Church resources – very strong with mutltiple offerings for all major protestant, catholic doctrines as well as some very large non-denominational congregations.
I grew up here and after college chose (with my wife) to come back here to join the family firm as well as start our own family due to the nurturing climate that I enjoyed as a kiddo which still exists in spades today.
In my mind Georgetown and Williamson County have evolved nicely from their agrarian roots to embrace emerging technologies. Kinda like Mayberry with Wifi and good restaurants!
Moved here in 2000, bought a house and family likes it here. Until they started expanding the airport. Now we can’t hear the birds in our backyard. They are expanding the roads to said airport and opening up a convention center. Soon we won’t be able to hear ourselves think. If you want someplace with a small town flavor (our reason for choosing Georgetown), look elsewhere as it won’t be that way for very much longer. If you want an expansion environment for your growing business, come ahead! Geotown takes anybody.
Being a sixth generation resident of Georgetown, I can honestly say the worst thing to ever happen to Georgetown was Sun City being built here. It destroyed the small town charm residents enjoyed for generations. Now we have to tolerate the loud, pushy and spoiled residents of Sun City. They are now moving into Old Town when properties become available here. I don’t want them as neighbors. They need to stay in Sun City or move away!!
I’d appreciate it if no one else moved to Georgetown. The traffic is getting worse and the land is disappearing to more and more track homes/ shopping centers. On the otherhand, Montana is quite nice- move there.
George is apparently new to Georgetown. There are lots of part-time jobs for high school students. I hope George is still in school and working on improving his communication skills. Employers often prefer to hire peolpe who understand the basics, like spelling and punctuation. We have great schools here, and with an excellent career and technology education program. George could prepare for a career in Healthcare, auto mechanics, Auto CAD, and many other fields. He could even earn a pilot’s license if he applied himself. There is no substitute for a good education.
this place suxs. there is nuthing for kids to do. i cant even get a job till im 18 cuz this town is gay. i hate georgetown and if ur hoping to move here dont.
Georgetown is a great place to live and work. I have been building custom homes in the area for more than 8 years. I’ve met many other business owners through the Georgetown Chamber and they have all been very helpful and professional. If you need a builder, take a look at our website. http://www.bagwellcustomhomes.com We are an Architect / Builder and can help you all the way from lot selection, design and construction.
Anyone moving to Georgetown expecting a smaller, quieter version of ultra-liberal Austin will be in for serious heartbreak. Williamson County is one of the most politically conservative communities in Texas. Those considering a move to Georgetown should first research the political climate, and not assume local attitudes spilled over from Austin.
I believe Texas has a franchise tax for businesses to pay. You might want to check and if so add it to your story.
I’m not so sure that I would call Georgetown the place to live. I moved there in ‘00 and moved away in ‘03. I became part of the boom and bust cycle of the semiconductor industry and felt that there were not a lot of great opportunities for manufacturing growth in the area.
As far as a nice place to live, I have to admit that one of the first days after I moved in, I could hear cows mooing on the other side of the river and that it was cool even though it was July. People were nice although they seemed to have a chip on their shoulder for newcomers with higher end wages.
The schools were not that great and my children were somewhat behind after moving back to a more developed school system. The schools attention and funding catered primarily to the low income children and somewhat alienated gifted and high achievers. People were friendly for the most part, but it had the Bubba Factor going through and through. If you weren’t born and raised here, then you don’t belong.
With all those things being said, it was not the best place for my family at that time although when my wife and I become empty nesters, Georgetown, or surrounding areas, would be a possibility as I would not have to deal with some of the issues that were around when we lived there.
It may be true that there were not enough entertainment optons in Georgetown in the past, and that there was resistance to large retail, but anyone who has moved here recently can tell you that there are lots of great new stores, large and small, and the nicest movie theater (City Lights) and bowling and family fun venue (Mel’s Lone Star Lanes) in the region. Georgetown isn’t perfect, no place is, but it is an amazing place to live, work, educate your children, and play. While retirees are an important and welcome part of our growth, a lot of young professionals and families with children are also moving here for the great schools, safe streets, and wonderful quality of life. Georgetown was the only city on the FSB list to score 100 on the Launch rating. That tells you something about the business environment here. There simply is no better place to start a business.
I’m assuming many of the people commenting about how great Georgetown is reside in Sun City. They love the city because the entire town caters to them whether we want to or not. Growing up there from the time I was small, I observed few meaningful changes in the town, even though the town multiplied greatly in population. The education (while it is regarded as one of the better ones in the state) is a complete joke and I felt incredibly behind when going to UT. The school and school board focuses so much of their time on blowing money on a new football stadium and a ton of elementary schools, yet older kids were stuck cramming into the crappy, waaaay too small high school we’ve had for decades. Only very recently did they FINALLY decide to build a new one (in the most random and inconvenient location possible). Drugs are a problem many choose to ignore, even though kids are doing it in the middle of school and underage parties happen on a weekly basis (due to boredom). Also, Georgetown is very vocal about not wanting to let nationwide chain stores move into town (posting signs protesting for example). While I understand it is nice that we do have a lot of the “home town feel” local businesses, it’s nice to still be able to have the option to choose between the two like everywhere else without having to waste a lot of gas driving to another town. As a teenager there was nothing to do for young people in the town except go to the lake when the weather permitted or catch a movie (which until recently required driving 20 minutes away to Pflugerville). In my opinion Georgetown is a great place to live if you are an empty nester, retiree, or don’t mind driving 30 minutes into Austin to find something to do or even 15 minutes to Round Rock to catch a baseball game.
Georgetown is the only place I know of that looks beautiful, but feels like California. The rock quarries use dynamite Monday through Friday to cut through the limestone. You can feel the shock waves roll through your house several days a week. Also, Oak Wilt is moving through the beautiful Live Oaks in the neighborhoods on the southwest side of town. These are two very important facts that the Real Estate agencies did not pass on to us when we moved to Georgetown. Beautiful town, nice people, but beware of the Oak Wilt and the Rock Quarries.
Everyone who lives in Georgetown needs to visit Dale’s Essenhaus in Walburg (North of Georgetown about 5 miles). GREAT CHEESEBURGERS!!! It is family friendly with live music on Friday and Saturday. Check it out!
http://www.dales-essenhaus.com
I have been manufacturing clinical skin care products since 1992. These products have been sold under the brands of Glycolique and Novita Spa Clinicals to salons and spa’s throughout the United States. Our Manufacturing was in Fort Worth Texas. In 2002 Our company was doing site evaluations to open a day spa and continuing education center in Fort Worth. Early 2003 I was introduced to Georgetown Texas. I then started doing market research on Georgetown and the surrounding area. It was clear that Georgetown, was poised for dramatic growth. With that information we changed course and have moved our entire business to Georgetown Texas and opened The Novita Spa On The Historic Georgetown Square in July of 2005. We are so pleased that we made this decision. Georgetown is a wonderful place to live and do business. Thank you Georgetown!
We moved here last year, Jun 2007, from the suburbs of Washington, DC due to our transfer from the Pentagon to Fort Hood, TX. We looked up and down the Interstate 35 corridor from Temple / Belton, TX – to Salado / Hidden Springs, to Round Rock, TX. We believed Georgetown, TX was the best place to live based on its proximity to Austin (airport, shopping and entertainment) and work (Killeen, TX). Georgetown has the necessary shopping and amenities to meet our daily needs along with providing us the quiet and peacefulness we did not have around the Washington, DC metro area (Northern VA).
Overall the expenses here are much less than in Northern Virginia, albeit the property taxes here were quite surprisingly high. In Northern VA we paid $.86/$100 on property taxes. Here in Georgetown, TX we are paying $2.64/$100. So, buyer beware for the few who may still have a large sum of equity left in their homes, want to sell out and move here for retirement purposes.
You definitely come out ahead with no State Income tax; but the amount of property taxes we’re paying here on a home valued at less than the half the value in Northern VA is equivalent.
My family moved to Gtown in the 70s and I was raised here. I now live 6 miles away in Round Rock, but we are considering moving back to GT since we love it so much there, we do lal our shopping, etc there. My husband and I have 10 acres in Georgetown and have run a business from there for the past 2 years.
“It doesn’t even look like Georgetown!” and “That doesn’t look like Georgetown, TX…”
I agree – most days there are no horses down town.. maybe during the Christmas stroll, when I was a kid, our gymnastics team would be in the stroll, its awful to get behind the horses! You may also see horses down town when the rodeo is in town.
I wish they would have chosen a picture of our beautiful rivers with the courthouse dome in the background.
“The picture in this article is of Boston, MA not Georgetown TX.”
Actually it is GT, but I have gone to Boston on business at least a dozen times over the past 2 years and I have to agree it kind of looks like the old part of Boston.. however, our historic square is only a couple of blocks with a park-like atmosphere – lots of trees, flowers, etc..
“Have you found the town supportive of local businesses?”
Yes. EVERYONE wants to “buy local”, the Chamber of Commerce is really great as well.
“Have you been able to find good workers here?”
NO. My husband and I are in the “green” industry. Its hard to find anyone in this area (we have a really low unemployment rate) that wants to dig holes for a living. I can’t speak for other industries though.
“What do you think of the No. 2 town on this year’s Best Places to Live list?”
Georgetown will always be home for me. Growing up there was quite an experience, and I’ll probably move back someday. Right now I am really close by though and go there every day it seems. Its so much cleander than Round Rock (which has turned quite ghetto/trashy if you ask me). The people are nicer and its a more laid back atmosphere than Austin. I’ve traveled all over the country and don’t like any of the places I’ve traveled because it seems like they don’t have the same elements that I grew up with – clean town, beautiful scenery, lots of water (rivers, lakes, etc), really nice people, not too much traffic, and a unique charm that you don’t get in a big city. Alot of the buildings and stuff around here are really nicely built, there’s great food and stuff to do nearby.
I grew up in Georgetown, and although I have not lived there since joining the military fresh out of high school in 1980, I still consider it my home town, and I love coming back to the slow pace and quiet streets. Suburb of Austin? I think not. Georgetown is a unique and special place, not overshadowed by anything. I do miss Archie’s Restaurant! His son used to take me to lunch there! Some people have dreams of retirement on a remote island in the Pacific…as for me, I would love to just be able to come back home and settle.
I started my food manufacturing business, Justus Foods, Inc. here in Georgetown, TX in 2006 (lived here since 1998) and have been thrilled with the way the businesses and residents of this fine city have supported my products. We make Freeze-dried Fruit Snacks under the “Today’s Farm” brand and we are marketing our products mainly to supermarkets across the U.S. As we continue to grow and make “Today’s Farm” a household name, I intend to continue to expand my business here in Georgetown, TX. The support from the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce is outstanding! There is no other place in the United States that I would rather live and have my business.
http://www.justusfoods.com/
It is ok, too humid and hot half the year. People very nice, but seem to forget that there are 49 other great states also. Too many mexican restaurants and barbeque places. Cute town. Schools ok, but too much attention to standardize test, and awful food service….
Calling Georgetown, Texas a suburb of Austin, Texas is a bit like calling New York City a suburb of Washington DC. Harrumph.
Georgetown is an independent city. Austin has merely grown towards Georgetown.
Someone mentioned a “Keep Austin Weird” campaign. It’s a PR stunt by people with little talent trying to promote showoffs with little talent, the kind of people who leave small towns because no one will subsidize their drivel.
Which is why Georgetown is a charming place. Fewer nutjobs looking for handouts.
As a native New Yorker and a former resident of Washington, Dc…if anyone had ever told me I’d wind up in the small town of Georgetown, Texas, I would have looked at them as if they were crazy.
We’ve been here 5 wonderful years and will never leave. As residents of beautiful Sun City, we greatly resent the snarky comments about Sun Citians. While there are some old cranky types here, the vast majority of Sun Citians are wonderful neighbors who take care of their homes and do not impose a heavy burden on city services.
We have no children in the schools, yet Sun City wholehearterdly supports the Georgetown school budget. Without our 98 percent turnout of the vote, it is unlikely the school bonds or budgets would pass. And, Sun City has a large Georgetown high school sports booster program.
Not to mention that Sun City residents have contributed to the restoration of Georgetown’s Palace Theatre, helped found the Georgetown Symphony, helped fundraise for the new public library, and are generally more involved in the civic, cultural and political life of downtown Georgetown that the average citizen.
There is an old guard of Old Georgetown that has always resented the impact of Sun City on their little clique. Without Sun City, Georgetown would probably not be so business-friendly, nor would it have been listed in FSB’s best places to live and launch. Without Sun City’s significant tax base, disposable income and voter clout, we would not have attracted the upscale shopping developments. Sun City is responsible for a large amount of small business development for landscaping services, retailers and professional services.
So, it is thanks to Sun City, that Georgetown is where it is today.
We have lived in Georgetown since 1978. Still not old timer by “old timers” standards, but long enough to have witnessed lots of changes. Some I am happy with some I am not, but that would be the case with anywhere. When I bought and opened my restaurant on the corner of IH-35 & Andice Rd, the city limits signs said there were 8200 people in town. I was at that time wanting the town to grow anyway it could and as fast as possible to keep my business going. As time has passed and I like the rest have seen the growth I am not sure it has grown in the right way, but it has grown and we have experienced the good the bad and the ugly, but with all that said I would not want to have to live anywhere else.
In response to Joshua, Serenada comments about my little corner of the world (IH-35 & Andice Rd) My resturant burned almost down in June of 2002. Since that time I have struggled to pay the 6000.00 per year taxes on the property because the city has KILLED 6 contracts for business that wanted to buy and build on that corner. To survive I let Vendors rent space in order to help pay that amount, buy know way have the vendors at 25.00 per day been able to provide me with the income to pay these taxes. I know that they do not add to the beauty of my town and I would much rather have a income producing, tax paying, business on the property. Joshua was asking for Mel, etc, to get this resolved, If Mel can make this happen, it would make Joshua and my family happy as well.
Archie,Georgetown,TX April 4th
It is true that Austin is a great place, and they have done a fine job of branding themselves as a unique city. Their “Keep Austin Wierd” campaign is a winner. Georgetown prefers to keep things normal, and the people who move here like it that way. We may be in Austin’s shade, but in the heat of a Texas Summer, the shade is a pretty cool place to be.
If you polled in the Austin metro area, you wouldn’t come up with Georgetown as your city. It’s 26 miles out of town and is nice enough but in the shade compared to being located in Austin. Check out how many tech companies are in Austin v. Georgetown and many of these are new businesses. I wonder who you all talked to?
Before I was dragged kicking and screaming from California to Texas 18 years ago, I thought Texas was all country music, cowboys, and rednecks. I’ve since discovered Texas is much more diverse. You are apparently continuing to promote the Texas cowpoke myth with your picture. How about a picture of the beautiful lakes, the Austin skyline, the college campuses…?
As a Georgetown Realtor, I want to address the “con” of higher housing costs in this article.
Although there are areas of Georgetown that have high-priced homes, there are still plenty of available and affordable homes (under $150k).
According to the Williamson County Assoc. of Realtors, in 2007, The average home price in Georgetown East was $136,200 and $218,000 in Georgetown West.
With those statistics, and knowing the local housing market, I think this article overstates it’s that Georgetown’s current housing cost is high. But if that’s the worst they can come up with, I think that’s pretty great.
Way to go Georgetown!
http://www.GeorgetownTexasRealty.net
I’ve been here since 1999. Prior to moving here Georgetown was on the move with PowerComputing, but it closed when Apple pulled the plug on partners.
Georgetown practices responsible growth and spent a number of years 2000-2003 getting a good plan together. If you want to build a shoddy building and throw some rugs up, not going to happen. The only issue I have right now is the site of the chuckwagon cafe, now home to carny/vendors on the weekend. Mel, etc get this resolved. We need a road that connects to Airport Road from Williams :-)
Texas 130 puts the Austin Airport in your back pocket, but if you travel for business and plan to be gone for 3 days or more, I’d get a car service. The toll road is 1.50×3 – one way. Optionally you can head up to Killeen airport as well – connects to Dallas and Houston.
Let’s see, oh yes, then there is the lake. You can’t live on it, that’s a boon. It keeps the lake calm and generally usable. It’s an army corps lake, like Lake Granger – just minutes away as well.
The square is beautiful, but it’s not the only place to shoppe if you LIVE in Georgetown, i.e. no grocery, no big-tall, no electronics, etc
Overall it’s a great town and if you are looking to have a mid-sized company HQ, green development business or something related to information technology – GT is a good spot. This is also a great community for a technology data center, just ask citicorp.
http://activerain.com/blogsview/419562/Citigroup-data-center-in
Joshua
Georgetown, TX
A couple of years ago, I did not even know that Georgetown existed. As a matter of fact, I had not even been to Texas. I was living in Chicago (a wonderful place), but when it came to buy a place, not having any roots in Chicago, we decided to look elsewhere.
While researching Austin, my realtor suggested Georgetown. I went to their website and they really seemed to have their act together for a small town. We felt in love with square and bought a charming house in old town.
I have no regrets, everyone here is so nice and it’s still has the small town feel and charm, as people wave when they drive by your house.
I disagree with the people that say Georgetown is stuffy. As a gay couple, my partner and myself have not experienced any discrimination from locals. Our neighbors have been very welcoming.
I grew up in Killeen up I-35 from Georgetown, and I can tell you that this part of Central Texas is absolutely charming… it has authentic cowboy roots and yet is close by to Austin, a major, global intellectual center with UT.
Central Texas has a charm all its own and I can see why Georgetown is on your list. As a fabulous place to stay overnight on the way to Georgetown, stop in at Salado, which was on the old stage line. The whole community is like a walk through 1870s Texas.
I’m proud to be a Central Texan.
Wow, what else could be said about Georgetown? Yep, I’m one of many California transplants that came here looking for a great place to live, and by goodness, we found it! I decided to go into Real Estate, GREAT DECISION – GREAT TIMING! Go ahead and read the following posts, most are positive, a few wouldn’t be happy no matter where they lived. Bottom line, small town feel, close to large metro area, plenty of fun things to do, lots of trees, great scenary, fantastic local government, a Police department that makes sure we are safe, and some of the best, lowest price housing in the entire USA…….Welcome to Georgetown!
“No Bull – Just Straight Talk”
Dave Graham, REALTOR
http://www.GeorgetownTxOnline.com
Is this a good thing or a bad thing that you guys are putting our little gem on the map? Our little family loves living in Georgetown, but we also don’t want to see it bombarded by other people from other parts of the country who want to “make a cheap living here.” Kudos to the local leaders who are really trying to help this town grow very methodically and hopefully without uncontrolled sprawl.
My husband and I moved to Georgetown from Austin in March of 2000. After 8 years we still really love it here. When we moved here there wasn’t a lot of shopping except for the downtown area. We had to drive to Round Rock. Now we have several shopping centers and the Round Rock Outlet mall is just a few exits away. Georgetown, has some of the best Antique shopping around and the people are the kind of people you find in small town Texas. It’s a great place to bring up your children. The law enforcement agencies are top notch and we feel very safe here.
Living in Sun City Texas in Georgetown as a real estate agent you see every aspect of the city. It has everthing to offer no matter what age you are. Real estate business is steady here and businesses seem to thrive. We have great diversity in business, the arts, schools and healthcare. Some of the best hospitals and physicians can be found here.
My husband and I lived in Georgetown from 1984 – 1995, when we built a house in Austin. We then lived in Austin until 2005 when we moved home to East Tennessee. You coud not pay me enough money to get me to leave my mountains and go back to Texas!!!!
We moved here in Feb 2007 and love it. After 30 years in the Army we have finally “settled” down in the beautiful community of Sun City. My husband plays golf several times a week and we are involved in some of the numerous activities available here. I would recommend Georgetown, TX to anyone wanting to live in a friendly, beautiful small city. We’re close enough to Austin to enjoy all it has to offer and have excellent health care and many very nice restaurants to choice from.
Don and De Anne Hayes
Not perfect, but working on it!
Georgetown has always been more enlightened than most of the county and is now, along with the entire county, becoming more liberal (i.e.,the ultra-conservative Republican Party is really on decline) and more diverse. (Maybe the two are connected.) A few more elections and we may have the near-nazis’ stranglehold on our legal system and law enforcement agencies sufficiently diluted (or, glory-ge, totally flushed from our midst), adding greatly to the validity of our claim to a warm and safe community. And the influence of the cranky people at Sun City (who are, alas, in the majority there) will be weakened by the growth of other segments of our city and they will no longer be able to stomp and demand an excessive influence in governmental matters.
All in all, yes, the best place around!
i’m a retailer in downtown Georgetown. For eight years I’ve watched change come to Georgetown, but one thing has remained the same – friendly people who care about each other and want to maintain the small town quality of life. This is a great town to live in. As business owner I face a constant struggle to keep the business vibrant and growing, but I would face that anyplace. Here I do it with a smile and get smiles in return.
Come to Georgeown, explore the downtown, eat in some great restaurants, stay in a gracious b&b and enjoy life in a small town.
http://www.annarellaonline.com
We relocated to Georgetown from Houston about three years ago for the lifestyle. Our plan was to manage our financial planning company in Houston while raising our family in a smaller community. After a few months we realized what was happening economically here and the great opportunities for quickly building and branding a business in this community.
Business and Community leaders displayed adept long term planning over the past 10 to 20 years and Georgetown is now reaping the benefits of sound decisions that were made along the way such as utilities, water supply, building and development standards and transportation. With the opening of toll road 130 we now enjoy an alternative route to the Austin airport and easy access to US 290 heading east towards Houston. That’s in addition to a local municipal airport and close access to a third airport in Killeen. 130 will soon connect back into I35 south of Austin allowing you to bypass Austin when heading south to places like San Marcos or San Antonio. That should be a big deal for business that relies on regular shipping or business travel. Georgetown’s proximity to Austin makes it convenient if you need something not yet locally available or just want an interesting night on the town.
Real Estate prices in Georgetown are moderate to high for Texas but bargains by national standards. The downtown square is one of the nicest features of Georgetown. You can see historic buildings with quaint shops and restaurants all around the extended square. You also see new construction of architecturally historic looking buildings going up just on the fringe of downtown. As density of office space, shops and residential options grows I predict the Georgetown square will become one of the most unique and exciting shopping, dining, entertainment and arts destinations in Central Texas. The parks here are really nice. We enjoy one of the best hiking and biking trail systems in the State. Little league baseball fields sit in the middle of San Gabriel Park and are much nicer than the sprawling fields we scrambled to get to in the large city. It all adds up to a great mix of lifestyle and business opportunity.
Personally, we’ll open our third business here in May, a Keva Juice Smoothie shop. Last year my wife opened Rufina’s Garden Gifts & Home Decor on the historic downtown square. It allows us to spend a lot of time mixing with the other shop owners, restaurants, arts and entertainment venues downtown. Our third business is a second office of our Houston based financial planning company Wise$Counsel. We’re having a great time working in this small town environment. I’m happy that Georgetown received this recognition. It is a beautiful place bursting with opportunity and the friendly people make it easy to call home.
As a real estate consultant, I had the opportunity to live in any city in the U.S. My family and I chose Georgetown, and we are so very happy with the decision.
Georgetown is a wonderful place to live and work. The town has all of the benefits of a large town, yet still the quaint feeling of a small town. We opened a single, story maintenance free community in Georgetown, The Oaks at Wildwood, last year and all of our new homeowners love the many activities that are offered to Seniors in the community. You can learn a lot more about our community at http://www.OaksAtWildwood.com.
It is an honor to see Georgetown recognized this way. I was born and raised in this community and can recall stories from my Great Grandmother Lorena Caluette telling me when Georgetown had less than a thousand people. I enjoy spending time with my grandmother Estelle Kimbro and hearing stories of dirt roads, floods before the lake, and the old businesses that used to be here. I enjoy sharing my knowledge of the history of Georgetown and what makes this community unique. I wouldn’t refer to Georgetown as a suburb of Austin; we are our own community.
I started my computer business out of highschool in 2002 and this town is no doubt a place to get started. It’s all about treating people with respect and honesty. If you can do that, you will have success.
The saying here in Georgetown is the people have the power to get things done. I truely believe that statement and believe in the fine folks that Georgetown is filled with.
Rob Hipp, Click Computers, Ltd.
I’ve visited relatives there and like the fact that even though it is growing fast it still has that small town feel. I go to the mall but also enjoy walking around the town square and stopping in the shops. I hope with their growth they don’t lose that friendly, small town atmosphere.
We live in the Sun City a section of Georgetown. We came here in 2000 and I fell as madly in love with this quaint little town, with long horn drives,home of the oldest university in Texas, Southwestern, and fine schools. Its newly refurbished courthouse is a highlight of a trip to downtown. They have had some “rules” but we find it is rapidly changing. Georgetown has some of the finest churches, lots of history, the arts, a fine Symphony Society, Fine Arts Festival, outreach programs from the University of Texas, fine golf courses in Sun City open to the public, an active group of citizens who volunteer in the fine library, school districts of Georgetown and Jarrell and every charity within the city. We vote, we shop, we dine in the city now that has Wolf Ranch. We look forward to the new Convention Center and Hotel, Sun City residents are a major pool of volunteer resources for The Palace Theater, The Caring Place and the many hospitals located within the City and nearby Round Rock. We have St. David’s Hospital, Texas A&M run Scott & White, the new Seton with its Cardiovascular Services 20 minutes away. Many clinics and fine doctors and many assisted living facilities. The forefathers plans of caring for the poor and indigent are unbelievable. The spirit of caring is tremendous.
The Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development and the City Manager all are working to keep Sun City a “gem of history” while developing and controlling growth which will help the city to become a better place to live for all of us.
What can I say? I loved Houston which was large and so vibrant…..I love Georgetown where you can become as active as you wish, enjoy less traffic have all kinds of service within the city and nearby. You can help promote and develop your city while for Sun Citians they can contribute while enjoying the fruits of retirement.
Betty C. Jukes, Volunteer Leader
Individual Member GCC
Looking for a downtown where you can open a business that looks like you are walking into a Norman Rockwell painting, then check out downtown Georgetown. Its downtown has been involved in the Main Street Program since 1982 and it shows with it’s great Victorian architecture and quaint feel. It has received the Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the centerpiece of the downtown, the Williamson County Courthouse, was just recently restored. If you want to find out more details, check out visitgeorgetown.com . The downtown is definitely a Texas gem!
It is great to see Georgetown recognized as one of the very best places to live and launch new businesses in America. This confirms what many of us already knew about this wonderful community. The quality of life here is truly exceptional and the cost of living (including housing) is low compared to national averages.
Last year, largely on the strength of our robust economy and low housing costs, Retirement Places Rated (Seventh Edition) named Georgetown the Best Place in America to Retire. in 1998, Time Magazine listed Georgetown among the 10 Best Small Cities in America. The prestigious Princeton Review ranks our Southwestern University among the best buys in higher education. Our outstanding Economic Development team was recognized with the Community Economic Development Award for all cities in our population category in 2007. Our parks and recreation programs have received national recognition for their excellence. Our historic downtown is a Main Street America award winner. Now Fortune Small Business confirms yet again what an amazing place this is. It is a phenominal place to live, work, own a business, educate your children and play. Come check it out for yourself. We will be glad to see you.
I have had my business in Georgetown for the past 28 years, raised my family and it is without question the best place anywhere to live, work, and raise a family
I see you used the word “suburb” in your nice article. I guess if by that you mean a small town near a big one, then Georgetown is a suburb, but we moved her 5 years ago to get out of the suburbs! We came here from Pflugerville (south of Georgetown, North of Austin) where all the houses are the same: built at the same time by the same builder with the same basic floorplan. To me, a “suburb” is a bunch of cookie-cutter homes stitched together with cookie-cutter strip malls. We liked Georgetown because it was different. It’s still small and intimate, but it felt like a real “town,” with a center and a history to it. And I’ve noticed something else: people here always say they are from Georgetown. When I lived in Pflugerville, when asked where we were from, we’d say “Austin,” even though we really didn’t live in Austin. People seem to be happy to be from Georgetown, and we really like being in a place that people are happy to call home.
We moved to Georgetown in September and love it here. Nice people, great weather, clear skies, and convenient to everything make this a perfect place to live, work and shop.
Hmmm. In point of fact taxes in Georgetown are among the lowest in Central Texas. Water East of 35 comes from the Edwards Aquifer, which serves 1.7 million Central Texans in places like San Antonio, San Marcos, Austin, even Uvalde. On the West side the water comes from the lake, which is essentially rainfall, which is neighboring Austin’s primary water source. The lake is administered by the Army Corp of Engineers, not the State of Texas, who manages it on behalf of all Americans, not just lake house owners. Georgetown is highly favored by all ages: 30% of the population is under 21: another 32% is between 20 and 40, meaning 62% of the population is under 40. Only 6.5% of the population is retirement age or older. What other factual distortions can I dispell? Oh yes, Southwestern University is the first university in Texas, with a charter going back to the Republic. It is one of the finest small private schools in the nation, and is consistently listed as a “best buy” and “best value” in college education by authorities such as the Princeton Review and Barrons. Just the facts.
Over-rated…Lived there for over 20 yrs. Moved away 4 yrs ago. Raised my kids there. Used to be a nice place to live. Growing too fast-running out all of the hometown businesses….Del Webb’s Sun City changed it all…they are in a different school district so they don’t have to pay higher property taxes. We used to know every business owner by first name and they knew us. Georgetown used to fight growth, now they have let it happen. I call it “Pleasantville”-the population does not have enough diversity to call it hometown America…mostly higher income caucasians live there.
Not much to do there. No upscale restaurants or night spots. Lot’s of fast food, though! I don’t miss it, although I have some fond memories of my kids and family while we were there. I won’t be moving back any time soon!
Harkeyville is way better than Georgetown.
The taxes are some of the highest in the area. The water is terrible, lake georgetown does not allow building on the water it is a state park. Mainly a retirement area, Sun City.
Very few good places to eat. Watch out for bad drivers in this area, Lots of wrecks by Retirement community. The College here is the most expensive in the State of texas.
Thank you so much for acknowledging what the citizens of Georgetown, Texas, have known for many years! Our community is vibrant, evolving, and supportive. Our dynamic Chamber of Commerce, led by Mel Pendland, and our phenomenal Economic Development group, led by the indomitable Mark Thomas, have steadily spread the word about our community. Our family relocated here ten years ago, after Georgetown was featured in Time Magazine as one of the best ten small towns in Texas. It is now not so small–word got out! We are actually closer to 65,000 with the ETJ area populations added. As a real estate broker, I look forward to many more families moving here. We offer wonderful acreage subdivisions, parks, and plenty of towering oaks. Call me for more information! 512-763-1500. I put the Urban in Urban Homes and Land–four blocks from the historic Square in downtown Georgetown. Marcy Urban, http://www.UrbanHomesAndLand.com. We can show you why Georgetown is so special!
Georgetown is a great place to live, work and visit. For more information visit the City’s web sites:
http://www.georgetown.org/
http://visit.georgetown.org/
http://galleries.georgetown.org/
If Gtown is such a great place for business, why aren’t there any jobs that pay more than $10 an hour?
Georgetown….a Wonderful place to live, to raise children, and to do business. We have a peaceful community with mock cattle drives right through downtown, a festival for almost everything, and restaurants that rival any high end place anywhere. The traffic is slow and easy, and it only takes 15 minutes to go from one end of town to the other. A 5 o’clock traffic jam is 12 vehicles occupying two lanes at one of the major intersections. Are you packing boxes yet??
The crime rate is low and the winter temperature moderate, though summer does get to 100 degrees intermittently.
Area lakes are great for boating and fishing. They range in size from small Lake Georgetown to long Lake Travis to gigantic Lake Buchanan. The Texas Hill Country is 45 minutes travel time, and Austin’s museums and night life is 20 minutes down the interstate.
The only near negative about the area is the property and school district taxes that tend to be among the highest in the state. There are very few tax hikes but the Williamson County Tax Appraisal District carries a “license to kill” with their constantly rising property valuations.
So, there you are. Georgetown Texas, a nice place to live, so lets keep it that way.
How wonderful to see Gtown so highly acclaimed! It is such a fantastic town with many friendly people and a lot to do. My husband and I attended Southwestern when Georgetown was still 30 miles from Austin and a small town. Now it has just about everything you could want or need! We recently lived in Round Rock and went to Georgetown often to shop, eat, go to the parks, etc — much nicer than fighting traffic to get into Austin! It is a charming and beautiful city! Way to go, Georgetown!
Wow thanks so much for featuring Georgetown. My husband and I moved here in June of 1980. We ran a business here for 23 of those years. We had all five of our kids here and have watched the town grow from a quiet little burg to a up and coming city. We love Georgetown.. It does have recycling services, just not up to the quantities of a large city.. With Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston, being currently listed as 4 of the top ten fastest growing cities in the US, Georgetown is becoming more and more popular. The School system is getting crowded but still has wonderful teachers. The Hospital system has grown tremendously. We currently have wonderful shopping areas. We no longer have a need to go into Austin unless we want to. Southwestern University provides us with collegiate opportunities. We have art, music and theater comparable to any I have seen anywhere, yet we maintain a small town atmosphere.. I can still go almost anywhere and be called by my first name. There are many wonderful growing church communities in the Georgetown area and some well known community ventures, such as: Mayfair, and the Christmas Stroll. However, if you want law enforcement that looks the other way when you break the law, you won’t find that here. Williamson County is known for it’s strict reputation when it comes to law enforcement, prosecution, and conviction. Several well known trials have been held here because citizens of Williamson Co. are not afraid of conviction. There is almost no sexually oriented businesses in the County, of which Georgetown is the Seat. By and large I can tell you.. I am happy that my grandchildren are being raised here as my kids were.
It’s really cool Gtown made the list. I just moved here from San Antonio for my new job and was a bit weiry of living out in the suburbs but Georgetown is a perfect match for a single guy like myself. I can Kayak, swim, run, hike, fish, bike, go cave exploring and so much more. I love it! Plus I am only a very short drive from Austin and the airport thanks to I-35 and the brand new Austin Bypass/Tollroad.
Thank you for a great article. We are actually moving to Georgetown next March. I’m very excited.
I moved from LA after hurricane Katrina. I am a doctor and we were looking for a place that my wife and I could start over and raise a family. I have to say it is a God send that I found Georgetown. If you are looking for a place that is family oriented, outdoor activites (fishing, hiking, biking, parks), friendly and loving people, safe, and with growth opportunity, this is the place to be. I encourage anyone, from anywhere, to come and visit Georgetown before deciding on a place to live. The seafood isn’t too bad either!
We were stationed in Fort Hood Texas in 1991 and after many tours and living in other cities we always thought of coming back to Texas. In 2001 after leaving the military we moved to Georgetown. We could not have picked a better place to live. We love our neighborhood, great schools, lots of places to shop, fishing, camping etc. we go it all. Come visit.
I have lived in Georgetown for almost 3 years now with my husband and two kids. We moved from East Nebraska where the weather stinks and the landscape was not so appealing. Georgetown is a completely different story. Although the city has a higher housing cost than surrounding suburbs throughout Williamson County, it is worth it! Georgetown has not fallen to the cheap strip malls and unappealing fast food joints along IH-35 like North Austin, Pflugerville and Round Rock have. The Planning people seem to be doing a very good job at limiting those types of places from building wherever they want. I love Georgetown, its large oak trees, hills to the west, green spaces, clean rivers, beautiful downtown, great schools and proximity to the large city entertainment in Austin. I hope to be here for a long time!
Congratulations to Georgetown for being recognized for all its efforts at excellence. It’s very difficult to create a wonderful space to live, work and play, let alone be nationally recognized for it. It is easy to destroy or deride, but creation is artisy. I am constantly amazed by those who believe excellence happens by accident.
Congratulations to everyone who is involved in creating the extraordinary place Georgetown is becoming. This recognition swells me with pride.
I moved to Georgetown about 6 months ago from a much larger city. I was worried at first about moving to such a smaller city, but I have found that concern to be unfounded. Georgetown has nearly everything I went to in the larger city with a fraction of the traffic.
There is virtually no crime here and outstanding schools. People are friendly and the weather is usually very pleasant. There are lots of things to do here on the weekend. My husband & I cook out and go kyacking at Lake Georgetown, take the dogs to the Bark Park, or hike along the trails in one of the many parks.
We were initially concerned about the higher cost of housing. Ultimately, we found that Georgetown doesn’t really have many low income housing neighborhoods. The homes may cost a little more than some areas, but we found that you can get a relatively large house for that money. Plus, property values are increasing which makes locating in Georgetown a good long term strategy.
My husband, typically a very critical man, has often commented that he loves it here.
Haaaaa! Georgetown. What a joke. I noticed they didn’t mention anything about the crooked dealings in the Georgetown and Williamson county Police department. Don’t make a mistake and get a traffic ticket. You might just go to jail for a few years.
Georgtown is AWESOME. My family and I moved here in 1984. We have lived here since that time, with the exception of 3 years when my husband was transfered to Minnesota. Needless to say, we did not stay north and returned home. I cannot imagine living anywhere else. The area is beautiful, the school system is wonderful and on the cutting edge of educational trends. You could not go wrong living here. Ya’ll come see us!
We love living in Georgetown! The location and size is perfect. The downtown has kept its charm and people are extremely friendly. Southwestern University is one of the oldest and best small colleges in America. It is beautiful and has a lot to offer people of all ages.
Georgetown, Texas is great for business because they have such an active Chamber of Commerce and other networking venues for you to plug into.
I was stationed at Ft. Hood and chose Georgetown, Texas as a great place to commute from that would give me the much needed break from the military environment of Killeen. When I got out of the Army and jumped into Real Estate, the networking was what kept my business alive!
Here are some other things you might not have known about Georgetown, Texas: http://www.georgetowncustomhomes.com/georgetown-texas.php
As a small business owner since 1996, I have found Georgetown to be an incredible place to live and work. I have fabulous, loyal customers, a supportive Main Street program and terrific schools for my children. Georgetown is very committed to small business and I am proud to do business here. I cannot think of a more deserving city for the recognition.
Just don’t build anuthing within the city limits here. Their building permitting – meeting codes,etc an abosolute horrible experience.
Georgetown is a great place to live. Growth, as in any small town, is coming (faster than some would like) and as a result, burdens on streets, schools, and other city services are growing – but our leaders realize this, and are taking measures to correct and improve this.
Georgetown has been a National Award Winning city with their Planning and Zoning, Finance, and Parks and Recreation departments. There are a number of open spaces and trails that allow for travel across town, with more planned.
I lived here for 10 years, left, and came back. I’ve recently started a business, and I can’t begin to tell everyone how supportive not only the Chamber of Commerce has been, but City staff, as well as Georgetown Business Network. I don’t think that there is any community in Central Texas that is as committed to maintaining our quality of life standards as Georgetown.
Thank you for recognizing all of this community’s efforts.
Georgetown, Texas is indeed a beautiful place to live and work. It is also the seat of Williamson County – one of the fastest growing counties in the nation. I think the article overlooks the charming historic downtown area, courthouse and exciting redevelopment projects occurring up and down Austin Avenue – the city is growing both west and east – hopefully both sides of the city will become a draw for the region – each offering exciting options, amenities, etc.
Find out about Economic Development in Georgetown here: http://www.russ-phillips.com/l_welcome-round-rock-austin-georgetown-texas-real-estate.asp
I moved here from Austin years ago and found exactly the lifestyle I was looking for – the look and feel of a small town, with the growth and opportunity to make a living.
People know each other here. They are friendly. They volunteer and contribute to all kinds of philanthropy.
You can make a life as you want it here. For example, while I lived in Austin, I never dreamed of being appointed by the City Council to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Well, I served for 3 years in Georgetown. City leaders here are reachable. A person CAN make a difference here.
We have some bureaucracy in city government, but it is mostly aimed at keeping our town’s beauty and character. For example, our Home Depot and Wal-Mart are both easily accessible and hidden from view, back in the trees. You wouldn’t know they were there.
I strongly disagree with the assumption that housing costs are high here. Austin is definitely higher, and as a REALTOR, I work with folks coming in from all over the country. Many of them are astonished at what their money will buy here. If you want proof, EMAIL ME at russ@moreland.com and I’ll prove it to you.
I LOVE THIS PLACE AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO SHARE MORE REASONS WHY. Contact me at http://www.Russ-Phillips.com.
Georgetown is a great town for many reasons. I manage a bank, go to church, volunteer there and was the 2007 Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce. People want to live and work in Georgetown because of many great attributes, such as its schools, downtown Square, churches, parks, neighborhoods, rivers, weather, safety, proximity to Austin, friendly people and geography. The business climate is positive with its leaders involved in the community. Our biggest problem is growth. How do we keep the city we love while experiencing outstanding residential and commercial growth? Its our challenge and one dealt with good cooperation among city, school, county and business leaders. The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce is committed to being the finest community of 100,000 people in the United State and we are well on our way.
Oops! I meant to include a link to my blog, in case anyone’s interested in learning more about our great town. Check it out at HometownGeorgetown.com/blog.
I am thrilled to see Georgetown being recognized as the wonderful place that it is. Our city is growing, but we’re working hard to retain our small town feel. Let me give you an example. One day recently, my husband was waiting for me outside of the post office. A stranger approached him and said with a smile, “You look lost. Can I help you?” I write a blog about the local real estate market here, and things happening in the city, and you can be sure I’ll be writing about this very exciting honor. Thank you!
Move to Georgetown TX, 2 years ago. LOVE IT! Nice, friendly, traffic low, people upbeat. Houseing is not an issue compared to other areas in the US we have a strong growing housing market.
Plastic and glass bottles and aluminum and metal cans are picked up curbside every week in Georgetown. This is an eco-friendly place populated with a lot more than stuffy white male Republicans. I think someone’s relying on uninformed stereotypes.
Georgetown is a small town with a huge heart. The people are friendly and the atmosphere is serene. Georgetown is a town where people still stop to help change a flat tire or talk about the weather or events with enthusiasm and sincere interest. Community pride and participation is very big throughout the town. I actually work in Georgetown but live a little south. We have fallen in love with the town and plan to move in soon. Great schools, great people and a great location (right off I-35). It is conservative but all types are welcome!
My company is one of those 270 businesses that Georgetown has welcomed over the past 2 years. We spent a lot of time and money researching where to move our company because it was time to move out of California (bet you haven’t heard that before). Georgetown is not only where I work but where I live and I’m proud to call my home. Your article is mostly accurate but Georgetown is NOT an Austin suburb, we are our own city! Also worth mentioning is the great job done by Georgetown’s Economic Developer and their proactive Chamber of Commerce. The city government has done a wonderful job preparing for growth and continues to do so.
On the contrary to several previous comments–I have lived in Georgetown for several years now and have witnessed a serious trend from old and staunchy to lively, fresh and green. While those readers’ comments may have applied years ago, I think it’s time they revisit our growing city with a small town feel. The trails, the parks, the urban restoration, the family friendly activities… they all make our town an inspiring place to live and run a business. Georgetown is not all made up of Sun City residents! And my recycled beer bottles are picked up curbside every week.
As a resident of Georgetown, I can tell you without a doubt that this is definitely a great place to live and own a business. The Austin region as a whole is very big on supporting locally owned business, and shunning national chains, and Georgetown in particular takes this to heart.
Scope,
I and my neighbor have recycled plenty of glass beer bottles in Georgetown.
Getting past the photo issue, since I live in Georgetown, I can tell you that it is an ok place to live, but as with a lot of suburbs of growing regions, some of the infrastructure has not kept up with the growth – try driving down Williams Drive (aka FM 2338, aka Andice Road) just about any time during the day and you’ll see what I mean. They’re working on it, but these things take time and are usually behind the growth curve (WAY behind the curve in this case). Also, with it being a popular retirement town (mainly driven by the addition of Sun City Georgetown several years ago), you do tend to have the situation described by Kyle (”a bunch of old grumpy white republican men” – and their wives might I add), and every one of them is at the grocery store when I’m trying to do my shopping. Aside from that, there are lots of outdoor activities including the lake, hike and bike trails, parks, disc golf, real golf, etc. and there are lots of nice people. I feel that housing is RELATIVELY inexpensive compared to other areas of the country, but it is an area where housing hasn’t taken a hit and prices continue to rise (or remain stable). Many big-box stores are moving into town, so it is starting to feel a lot less like a small town, but there are more conveniences that come along with these establishments. From a business perspective, I know a couple of people who have run into issues/delays in establishing their shops due to bureaucracy and/or red tape. Not sure if the problems were due to their inexperience or are typical for those trying to establish – I only heard one side of the story. Lots of people moving in, so there’s lots of good talent in the area. Overall, a good place to live and raise a family – for now.
It was indeed Cambridge. Er, Cambridge looks a lot like Texas, right!? ;)
Proper Georgetown image now in place. Thanks for the alert, everyone!
-Stacy (FSB Web editor)
Go to this website.
http://visit.georgetown.org/attractions.tourofdowntown.php
The picture you have posted sure looks like Georgetown to me.
Not sure where the confusion about the photo is coming in- the one with the article is of the trail drive down Main Street. As a resident of Georgetown I can tell you that is certainly here! It’ a great place to live, work, and own a small business. We still have a “small town” feel and local residents like to support local businesses!
That’s an image of downtown Boston (Go Sox!) in reverse shot from the Charles River.
Thanks for the feedback, and we apologize for the error! We’re checking this out but will have a new, correct photo in shortly.
-Stacy (FSB web editor)
Nice photo. Too bad it is NOT a photo of Georgetown, Texas!
The picture is deffinately not Georgetown, TX. I don’t think they have any buildings taller than four stories in Georgetown. Lovely old courthouse though.
I live in Texas, that picture is NOT Georgetown. Georgetown is a bunch of old grumpy white republican men. You will have to go to Austin or Dallas if you want progressive young and hip!
The metropolis pictured is not Georgetown. Georgetown, while growing leaps and bounds, does not have a single skyscraper within its limits.
That picture is definitely NOT Georgetown, TX. There is a lake there, but it’s not near the downtown area. And relative to the housing cost in the rest of the Austin area, Georgetown isn’t high at all. It’s a nice smaller town with great access to bigger city activities.
Must not be that great if they can’t provide their own picture.
Georgetown, like Round Rock and other Austin suburbs, has lousy services compared to Austin or many other popular cities. I find it hard to understand why magazines and websites would recommend a place which has relatively poor recycling services, poor support for other green initiatives, lack of public transit, etc. Yes, low taxes helps new businesses – but driving new businesses to set up in “green free zones” that have low taxes does little for our long term success. Those new businesses will eventually be crippled by $10 gas, lack of alternate energy, full landfills, etc – and will have contributed to the problem by not locating in a place that has programs at the municipal level to help address the issues.
I simply *CANNOT* imagine locating a business in a town that won;t recycle a glass beer bottle.
The picture in this article is of Boston, MA not Georgetown TX.
Have you found the town supportive of local businesses?
Have you been able to find good workers here?
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LOL I am actually not mixed but I do love my heritage and myself. I never personally had any problems there. I just love all the culture and diversity we have here in Metro Detroit. Through out the summer we have festivals downtown celebrating various cultures from Hispanics, Carribeans, Polish, Africans you name it! I just love living in a place like this. And I have plenty of friends to enjoy it with and love the same things. Rather than going to a place of worship where everyone thinks I should only listent to country music like them.