8,869
Population
Sunny Days: 236
95100 Affordability
100100 Schools
65100 Diversity
100100 Safety
Living in Dripping Springs, Texas
Drip
Dripping Springs Aerial Views, Credit: Destination Dripping Springs
Mercer Street/Historic Downtown, Credit: Destination Dripping Springs
Dripping Springs Founder's Day
Dripping Springs Farmer's Market, Credit: Dripping Springs Ranch Park & Event Center
LookyLOO Review of Dripping Springs
Hill Country Cool with a Family-Friendly Core
Dripping Springs has long been a favorite for those who want to be “in the Hill Country” but still within striking distance of Austin. About 25–30 minutes west of downtown, it offers a mix of rolling landscapes, small-town vibes, and top-rated schools that draw in everyone from young families to retirees and entrepreneurs.
What was once a dusty ranching town has become a destination, known for its wedding venues, breweries, distilleries, and increasingly, upscale master-planned communities. Despite the growth, it still holds onto its identity: local shops, strong community events, and a pride in being just far enough from the city to breathe a little deeper.
The tradeoff is price—this is not a budget destination anymore. But for folks who want land, views, and schools in one package, it’s worth the premium.
Lifestyle in Dripping Springs
Trails, Tastings, and Open Skies
There’s something slower and sweeter about life in Drip. The downtown strip has cafés, boutiques, and wine bars. Just outside of town, you’ve got Hamilton Pool Preserve, Pedernales Falls, and a long list of scenic hill country drives.
It’s a great place for families—outdoor-focused, highly involved, and full of activities. You’ll find equestrian centers, soccer fields, hiking trails, and neighborhood events all over town. Breweries like Jester King and distilleries like Treaty Oak also make it a popular weekend destination.
It’s not walkable or urban, but for folks who like a slower pace with hill country flair, it checks every box.
Schools in Dripping Springs
Schools in Dripping Springs
Some of the Best in the Austin Area
Dripping Springs ISD is one of the top-performing small districts in Central Texas. It has an “A” rating on Niche.com and is consistently recognized for its academics, arts programs, and student support. Despite growth, it has kept class sizes relatively small and quality high.
Top campuses include:
Dripping Springs Elementary School: Highly rated with strong parent reviews.
Dripping Springs High School: One of the top public high schools in the state, with college-prep and AP programs.
Why You Should Move Here Now
DripHill Country Life, Top Schools, and Big Skies
Dripping Springs offers something rare—rural views, small-town values/bigger town entertainment, and high-end schools all in one package. It’s ideal for those who want room to roam without sacrificing opportunity. It’s not cheap—but for many, it’s absolutely worth it.
Reviews of Dripping Springs from Locals
Izrun
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉
I have kids at Sycamore and now DSHS. I personally love those both of those schools. I think a lot of it is a function of where you're coming from. We moved from FL from "good" schools that were so filthy it was scary and didn't have enough funding to make sure their ACs work. Then we move here to beautiful well maintained schools, with staff that really seem to care about their students and treat them with so much more trust and respect than I ever saw in FL. Yet I still hear people complaining about everything under the sun, talking like things are horrible. Of course it's possible that I just don't see it, but I know that I'm very happy.
That isn't to say things are perfect. Yes there is overcrowding (again, much less than I was used to), they have issues filling positions (not an issue just for our district), and the way they just decided to not do bussing is frankly unacceptable. But I also really feel like everyone is doing their best with what they have and I think overall they are doing an amazing job.
With my girls there was no bullying issues. Same normal complaints about the "popular girls" and I've heard some troubling things from my daughters ethnic minority friends, but overall it sounds better than what I grew up with. The ethnic minority things was the most troubling, I only have heard of that third hand, but if I were in those groups I would definitely do some investigating.
Traffic is better than I expected when I moved here, but I tend to go east and not south. When the Y construction is finally done I think it will be pretty amazing. We will probably get to downtown in like 18 minutes from Belterra, which is awesome.
Anyway, I've lived in Shady Hollow / SW Austin before here and I think I made a great choice. I love the little distance we have that keeps us out of some of the Austin craziness.
For more reviews of Dripping Springs from locals check out: The Reviews
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Living in Dripping Springs
Neighborhoods in Dripping Springs
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Belterra
Upscale Families & Community-Lovers
Belterra is the flagship master-planned community in Dripping Springs. With pools, parks, trails, and its own shopping center, it offers everything families want without needing to drive into town. Homes are large, well-designed, and zoned to top DSISD schools.
Median Home Price: ~$725,000
Other similar upscale suburbs:
- Rough Hollow (Lakeway)
- Bryson (Leander)
- La Cima (San Marcos)