What San Marcos is actually like
Several Spanish settlement attempts preceded the modern town — a 1755 mission/presidio abandoned within a year, and an 1808 civilian settlement abandoned by 1812 — before the modern Anglo-American settlement began in 1846. San Marcos was incorporated in 1851, the same year it became the seat of the newly organized Hays County. Its name traces to a 1689 Spanish expedition that reached the river on April 25, the feast day of St. Mark the Evangelist. San Marcos formally joined the Austin metropolitan area in 1973.
San Marcos is a classic Austin–San Antonio-corridor college town, its economy centered on Texas State University — chartered in 1899 as Southwest Texas State Normal School, now enrolling more than 34,000 students, the 4th-largest university in Texas. Housing stock mixes an older core with newer suburban subdivisions growing quickly along I-35; a 2025 Census Bureau estimate put the city at 77,830 residents, up from 67,553 at the 2020 Census.
Home values in San Marcos
Zillow tracks home values city-by-city, not for every neighborhood within a city — San Marcos is one of the pockets that doesn't get its own figure. Rather than publish a citywide number that might not reflect this specific part of town, we're leaving pricing out of this particular guide for now.
Getting around
Located along the I-35 corridor roughly midway between Austin and San Antonio; no regional passenger rail service currently reaches San Marcos.
San Marcos FAQ
Is San Marcos part of the Austin metro?
Yes — it's been part of the Austin metropolitan statistical area since 1973, sitting along I-35 between Austin and San Antonio.
What school district serves San Marcos?
San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District (San Marcos CISD).
Is San Marcos a college town?
Yes — home to Texas State University, enrolling more than 34,000 students, which shapes local housing demand alongside single-family growth.
What is San Marcos known for besides the university?
The spring-fed San Marcos River and Spring Lake, popular for tubing and swimming, and the San Marcos Premium Outlets, a major regional shopping destination.