New tech jobs and schools in a hippo-crazy Texas small town
Affectionately called the “Hippo Capital of Texas,” the independent city of Hutto has grown rapidly from 700 European cattle herders and cotton farmers in 1896 to 38,700 residents in 2023, according to Census data. Nestled roughly 30 miles north of Austin in the fertile Texas Blackland Prairies, the small city has an assumed mascot deriving from Hutto's railroad history when a hippo allegedly escaped from a circus train in 1915, causing a stir in town. Today, thousands of hippo statues hide throughout a charming small town that has grown from major tech companies moving in nearby, bringing new schools and parks with them while maintaining small-town traditions and community involvement. “We’re in Williamson County, which is the ninth fastest growing county in the U.S.,” says David Amsler, assistant to Hutto’s city manager. “Hutto is really just a growing city that has an importance on maintaining its small-town charm and agricultural roots.”
The homes in Hutto vary in style and size.
Find spirited hippos welcoming at the park entrance.
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Small businesses in Old Town, modern shopping centers next door
The historic core of Hutto, called "Old Town," is a cutesy strip of local businesses centered upon East Street, where 19th-century buildings house cafes, dive bars, pie shops and Mexican cantinas. The city even hosts a farmers’ market every Sunday in a renovated cotton gin as a nod to Hutto’s agricultural heritage. Directly west, the Co-Op District's modern, mixed-use area with a central green for events surrounded by retail, a movie theater, restaurants and some residencies starkly contrasts the historic core. Immediately west of the Co-Op, the neighboring shopping centers of Hanson's Corner and Townwest Commons house big box stores, chain restaurants and the Hutto Family YMCA. But there are no supermarkets in Hutto – only convenience stores, which provide crucial needs and a touch of small-town character. “The Hutto General Store produces custom hippos for people and businesses to put out front,” Amsler says. “A joke we all say to each other is ‘You’re not a real business in Hutto until your hippo is out.’” For pantry restocks, an H-E-B plus! sits roughly 4 miles south in Forest Creek.
Providing families the best locally grown produce, pure beef and products from around the world.
Lamppost Coffee has specialty coffee drinks and pastries.
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Collecting commemorative mugs from the Santa Claus Crawl
Despite Hutto’s growth, a small-town feel is maintained by old traditions and new events. Now in its 39th year, Olde Tyme Days is a two-day celebration highlighting Hutto's history with live music, a vendor village, family-friendly programming and a classic car show. During the holiday season, the Santa Claus Crawl attracts dozens of thirsty attendees to Hutto's small businesses. Visitors hit up the bar crawl every year to collect a commemorative mug, then stroll between businesses for a pour, followed by a costume contest. The Hutto Public Library also hosts family-friendly events like plant swaps, story times and crafting classes throughout the year.
East Austin job growth at Samsung and other major tech companies
East Austin, a region widely considered the next frontier for tech development, includes Hutto. Some Fortune 500 tech companies have been gradually moving further east, including Samsung, which is building a new $17 billion chipmaking plant 10 miles east in Taylor, bringing 2,000 tech jobs and 6,500 construction jobs to the region. In June of 2024, Paradigm Manufacturing broke ground on a 60,000 sq. foot expansion to their current facility in Hutto, expected to bring roughly 50 to 75 new jobs to the city. Without public transportation, Hutto's commuters typically depend on a personal vehicle. The only alternative is the CARTS Interurban Coach bus, which runs intermittently between Taylor and Downtown Austin, making stops in Hutto and Round Rock. Hutto sits roughly halfway between Round Rock and Taylor on U.S. Highway 70 – the main thoroughfare for Hutto. Highway 79 connects with TX-130, a newly built toll road that reaches established employers in East Austin, like the Tesla Gigafactory or the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
New elementary and high schools for growing Hutto ISD
The Hutto Independent School District, which has an overall Niche rating of B is currently a single high school district where students reconvene at Hutto High School, home of the Hippos. “We are the only city in America with that mascot for the high school, and they really, really believe in the hippo,” Amsler says. The district manages seven elementary schools and two middle schools. But it's growing fast, evidenced by a 2021 vote that approved $522 million in municipal bonds to fund two new elementary schools. The bonds will also impact the Hutto Ninth Grade Center, a $49 million facility opened in 2021 that helps eighth graders smoothly transition into freshman year. Soon, it will be the district's second standalone high school.
Students soar at Hutto High School.
The Hippos welcoming students and teachers through the doors.
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A faster-moving buyer's market than surrounding cities
Homes spend an average of 54 days on the market, making Hutto a buyer's market, though a faster-moving one than cities nearby, like Taylor, where homes spend an average of 86 days on the market. A few established homes from the mid-20th century still stand around the core of Hutto, usually sporting a ranch-style layout with a midcentury aesthetic. However, newer homes surrounding the core of Hutto are far more numerous. Single-story new traditional homes include snout houses with extensive garage space or expansive cottages with a Craftsman-style design. Meanwhile, multi-story new traditional homes commonly flash a Prairie-style motif with low-pitched roofs and stacked stone exteriors. Adding to the modern options are several attached townhouses just outside the city, many also sporting Prairie-style aesthetics and plenty of garage space. The median price for a single-family home in Hutto is around $385,000, but prices vary, as some outliers for $550,000 and above can be found in more recently developed neighborhoods like Cottonwood or Creekside. Townhouses tend to see a median price of $353,700.
Homes in Carmel Creek of Hutto have smaller front yards and large spacious back yards.
Residents will love the hometown Hippo spirit and renowned Hutto ISD schools.
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New trails and BMX paths at Fritz Park
Hutto's Parks and Recreation department oversees 165 acres of parkland across the city, comprising four playgrounds, two athletic complexes and a splashpad, and an 8-mile-long network of trails. The Cottonwood Trail is the longest leg, offering a bike route between Carl Stern Drive and Mager Lane, passing through Fritz Park along the way. Fritz Park is undergoing renovations, promising improvements like a new playground and splashpad, a new BMX pump track, and an improved Cottonwood Trail as early as 2025.
The Cottonwood Trail runs through Fritz Park on the north side of Hutto.
Hutto residents cherish Creek Bend Neighborhood Park for its refreshing pool and play areas.
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Natural hazards and below average crime rates
Hutto is grappling with an ongoing drought and is addressing the problem with a voluntary water conservation plan. If the drought worsens, restrictions on how and when water can be consumed will become mandatory. Droughts heighten the risk of wildfires, which Hutto is prone to, considering the entire city is in an ember zone, and areas with high vulnerability sit in and around the city. Even with its drought, Hutto contends with the risk of flooding, as both Brushy Creek and Cottonwood Creek can experience flash floods when heavy rain occurs in the city or upstream. Most homes are not within a flood zone but still have some risk.
According to FBI data, rates of both violent and property crime in Hutto fall below the average for Texas and the entire U.S. Violent crime has been trending downward since 2022. Inversely, property crime rates have been increasing since 2022. However, property crime rates remain below state and national averages and are lower than those in nearby cities like Taylor or Round Rock.
Additional Writing by Leslie Klosterman
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
