Pflugerville is a rapidly growing Austin suburb located northeast of downtown Austin just off the I-35 corridor. Part of the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metropolitan area, Pflugerville has its own school district, numerous parks and playgrounds, and a large commercial district providing a strong tax base for the community. Pflugerville real estate is a popular choice for Austin families seeking a comfortable suburban lifestyle, good schools, and affordable homes-- all within close proximity of Austin. Pflugerville is also famous as one of the primary film locations for the NBC television drama Friday Night Lights. The TV show’s football games were filmed in Pflugerville High School's stadium, Kuempel Stadium. Just like the TV show, the biggest game in town is still Friday night at the football stadium.
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As of 2014, Plfugerville was home to an estimated 54,644 residents, a 13 percent increase over the 2010 population, according to U.S. Census data. This growth rate is on par with Round Rock (Austin’s largest suburb of 112,744 people, which grew by 12.8 percent during the same period) and the city of Austin itself, which grew by an estimated 12.5 percent from 2010 to 2014. Pflugerville’s rapid growth is driven by the suburb’s close proximity to Austin and ideal location at the junction of three major roadways: I-35, State Highway 130 and State Highway 45.
Pflugerville is located immediately southeast of Round Rock at the junction of I-35 and the Texas Tollway system, including State Highway 130 and State Highway 45. The new tollway system and I-35 are bringing rapid commercial development to the city and expanding the city’s tax base. Stone Town Center recently opened, which includes major stores like Super Target, Home Depot, Best Buy, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Petco, 24 Hour Fitness Center, Cinemark Theater, and a St. David’s Health Care 24 Hour Emergency Facility. The Pfluger Crossing development includes a Walmart SuperCenter. There is also a large HEB in town.
The Pflugerville Community Development Corporation (PCDC) oversees economic development for the city. PCDC has managed major development deals including the upcoming RRE Solar Farm (expected to be the one of the largest solar farms in the United States upon completion), the 130 Commerce Center (tenants include FedEx, two hotels and a conference center), and the Hawaiian Falls Water and Adventure Park (the largest Hawaiian Falls park in the United States).
Thanks to this extensive commercial development, the City Council actually lowered the property tax from 2003 to 2014. Property taxes were increased for the first time in a decade starting in late 2015 as part of a $53 million transportation and park bond project that voters approved during the 2014 bond election.
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Like many towns in central Texas, Pflugerville owes its start to the Missouri-Kansas-Texas railroad. Once a small, quiet farming community of German immigrants, Pflugerville grew rapidly in the early 1900's until the Great Depression. Growth slowed until the 1970's, when Pflugerville’s proximity to Austin spurred a second population boom. In the 1980's, new development made Pflugerville one of the fastest growing communities in the Unite States, bringing the population up to 4,444 in 1990. Steady growth over the last decade led Pflugerville, along with the neighboring suburbs of Cedar Park, Round Rock and Georgetown, to more than double in size by the 2000 census. Today, median home prices are increasingly rapidly in response to continued development and population growth, with the median home price jumping from $165,000 in 2011 to $307,000 in 2016.
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Pflugerville residents are active and enjoy time outdoors, taking advantage of the city’s more than 15 parks, 30.5 miles of trails, 16 playscapes, 500 acres of parks, and 528 open space acres within city limits. Lake Pflugerville is a 180-acre drinking reservoir that is also a popular spot for fishing, swimming, canoeing, kayaking and wind surfing. A three-mile walking/jogging trail stretches around the lake, and a boat launch is also available.
While technically located with Austin's city limits, the 349-acre Northeast Metropolitan Park is also a popular spot for Pflugerville residents. The park includes multi-use fields, baseball fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, and a large BMX skate park. Deutschen Pfest, the city’s annual German heritage festival celebrated the third weekend in May, is held in Pfluger Park along Gilleland Creek. This park is a popular location for community festivals and events throughout the year. The Hawaiian Falls Pflugerville is a 15-acre water park and 5-acre adventure park offering a lazy river, kiddie pools, water slides, rock walls, and zip lines.
Pflugerville is one of Austin’s fastest growing suburbs, and this growth shows no signs of letting up any time soon. With all the standard suburban comforts, plenty of outdoor space, and a strong school district (Pflugerville Independent School District), expect Pflugerville to continue to be a top suburban destination for Austin’s families, young couples and empty nesters.
