Cost of Living & Housing in Horseshoe Bay
Horseshoe Bay runs genuinely expensive across every housing tier, with a real HOA/country-club cost layer on top of the purchase price. Because the community spans two counties, property tax rates also vary meaningfully by which side of the county line a specific parcel sits on.
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Learn moreHousing Prices: Expensive, and Genuinely Variable by Neighborhood
Citywide median sale price is $535,000, down 12.7% year over year -- already well above the $408,776 US national median sale price for June 2026. Pricing varies significantly by gated sub-community: Horseshoe Bay West cites a $670,000 median (up 21.8% YoY), while The Village cites $488,000 (down 21.6% YoY). Waterfront listings carry an $812,000 median asking price and new-construction listings $793,000 -- treat these as asking-price context rather than confirmed transaction medians.
Property Taxes Vary by County -- Confirm Which Side of the Line
Horseshoe Bay spans both Llano and Burnet Counties, and the effective tax rate genuinely differs by side: 1.32% on the Llano County portion (below the Texas state median of 1.48%) versus a 1.48% average rate on the Burnet County portion (above that county's own 1.30% average). Both are driven further by local school-district levies and Municipal Utility District (MUD) assessments that vary by specific neighborhood -- confirm both the county and the MUD for any specific parcel before budgeting.
A Real HOA and Country-Club Cost Layer
Each residential neighborhood in Horseshoe Bay carries its own homeowners association, with real variation in fees, restrictions, and amenity access -- buyers should confirm a specific neighborhood's HOA structure and any country-club/resort-amenity membership costs directly rather than assuming they're uniform across the community.
Groceries and Healthcare Run Above the National Average
Groceries are cited as running about 5%-10% above the national average, and healthcare about 13% above, attributed to limited local provider availability and smaller facilities. Sample homeowners insurance quotes ranged $2,970-$3,850/year for $310,000-$370,000 in dwelling coverage -- likely an understatement relative to Horseshoe Bay's actual median home values, so get an address- and coverage-specific quote. No state income tax applies to income or retirement withdrawals.
Key takeaways
- Horseshoe Bay housing runs well above the $408,776 US national median (June 2026) at every tier: $488K-$670K by neighborhood, $812K for waterfront listings.
- Property tax rates genuinely differ by county -- 1.32% on the Llano County side versus 1.48% on the Burnet County side -- confirm which applies to a specific parcel, plus its MUD assessment.
- Each neighborhood carries its own HOA with real variation in fees, restrictions, and amenity access -- confirm a specific neighborhood's structure directly rather than assuming uniformity.
- Groceries (5%-10% above national average) and healthcare (about 13% above) both run elevated given limited local provider density; no state income tax applies.
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