FOR BUYERS - SCHOOL ZONES
Best Schools in the Austin Metro
A Realtor’s guide to school districts, attendance zones and the neighborhoods that feed them.
START HERE
The school comes first. The address decides it.
For a lot of families moving to the Austin area, the school comes first and the house comes second. The catch is that “best schools” doesn’t work like a shopping list in Texas. Your child’s school is set by your home address, not by the city on your mail or the neighborhood name on a listing. Pick the right school without the right address, and the plan falls apart.
This guide is where I start every school-focused search. It explains how Texas attendance zones and school ratings work, compares the districts my clients ask about most, and links to my zone-by-zone guides for specific elementary schools. I focus on the north Austin suburbs (Round Rock, Leander, Hutto, Pflugerville and Georgetown), where I’ve worked for more than 20 years, and I add new districts and schools every month.
If you already know the school you want, skip to the zone guides below. If you’re still deciding where to live, start with how the system works.
HOW IT WORKS
How Texas School Zones and Ratings Work
Your address decides your school
Every Texas public school district draws attendance zones. If your home sits inside a school’s zone, your child is enrolled there, with no application, lottery or waitlist. If it sits one street outside, your child goes somewhere else.
City names and district lines don't match
A Round Rock mailing address doesn’t guarantee Round Rock ISD, and the same is true across the north suburbs. Veterans Hill Elementary is a good example: it sits in Round Rock but belongs to Hutto ISD. Always check the district and the specific campus for the exact address, not the city or subdivision name.
Boundaries change
Fast-growing districts open new campuses and redraw zones, sometimes every year or two. A listing that says “zoned to” a school may be out of date, so confirm with the district’s own zone lookup before you make an offer.
How the state rates schools
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) gives every district and campus an A–F accountability rating each August, based mostly on test performance, student growth and, for high schools, college and career readiness. Ratings are a useful starting point, but they’re one measure. Class sizes, specific programs (dual language, gifted, fine arts) and the feel of the campus matter too, and the best way to judge those is a visit.
Transfers are possible but not guaranteed
Most districts accept transfer requests to a campus outside your zone, but approval depends on space, usually lasts one school year at a time, and doesn’t include bus service. If a specific school is the goal, an address inside its zone is the only sure path. (See how this works in Hutto ISD in the Veterans Hill Elementary guide.)
COMPARE DISTRICTS
District by District: The North Austin Suburbs
These are the districts I work in most. Ratings are TEA’s 2026 district grades, released August 14, 2026. TEA calls them preliminary until appeals are final.
| District | 2026 TEA | 2025 | Where it is | Zone guides |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round Rock ISD | B (89) | B (87) | Round Rock, parts of north Austin and Cedar Park | Cactus Ranch Elementary |
| Leander ISD | B (87) | B (88) | Leander, Cedar Park, parts of northwest Austin | Deer Creek and Tarvin Elementary |
| Pflugerville ISD | B (81) | C (79) | Pflugerville and parts of northeast Austin | Riojas Elementary |
| Georgetown ISD | B (80) | C (76) | Georgetown | Coming soon |
| Hutto ISD | C (75) | C (76) | Hutto and parts of east Round Rock | Veterans Hill Elementary |
Round Rock ISD. One of the largest districts in the region, with highly rated campuses across Round Rock and its western neighborhoods. Cactus Ranch Elementary in Behrens Ranch, for example, feeds Walsh Middle School and Round Rock High School.
Leander ISD. A large, fast-growing district covering Leander, Cedar Park and parts of northwest Austin. Families often target specific campuses, so confirming the exact zone matters here. See the Deer Creek and Tarvin Elementary guides.
Pflugerville ISD. Rose to a B in 2026. The Riojas Elementary zone in Avalon is a strong example of a highly rated campus inside a master-planned community, feeding Cele Middle School and Hendrickson High School.
Georgetown ISD. Also rose to a B in 2026. A school-zone guide for Georgetown is coming soon.
Hutto ISD. Covers Hutto and part of east Round Rock, which surprises many buyers with a Round Rock address. The district grade is a C, but campuses vary, so look at the specific school. See the Veterans Hill Elementary guide, including how Hutto ISD transfers work.
A district grade averages many campuses. A B or C district can still have A-rated schools, so always look up the specific campus for the address you’re considering.
SCHOOL-ZONE GUIDES
Find Your School-Zone Guide
Already know which school you want? Each guide covers where the attendance zone is, which neighborhoods feed it, what homes there cost, and what to verify before you buy.
MORE DISTRICTS
More Austin-Area Districts
Families moving to the Austin area often compare these districts too. I’m adding zone-by-zone guides for each of them over the coming months.
Eanes ISD (2026 TEA: A)
Westlake / West Lake Hills.
Lake Travis ISD (2026 TEA: A)
Lakeway, Bee Cave and the Lake Travis area.
Dripping Springs ISD (2026 TEA: B, 89)
Dripping Springs.
Hays CISD (2026 TEA: B)
Kyle and Buda.
Austin ISD (2026 TEA: B, 81)
The City of Austin.
HOW I HELP
How I Help Families Buy in the Right Zone
I’ve helped families buy across the Austin area for more than 20 years, and school zones are one of the most common reasons they call me. Before any offer goes in, I confirm the district and the specific campus for that exact address, so you don’t fall for a listing that’s “near” a school but zoned somewhere else.
And because I’m also a general contractor, I can tell you what the house itself needs. In the neighborhoods around the most popular schools, homes sell fast, so knowing the real condition and cost before you write an offer matters.
Found a home near a school you love?
Send me the address and I’ll confirm which school it’s zoned to.
Frequently Asked Questions About Austin-Area Schools
What are the best school districts in the Austin area?
In TEA’s 2026 ratings, Eanes ISD and Lake Travis ISD earned A’s. Round Rock, Leander, Pflugerville, Georgetown, Dripping Springs, Hays CISD and Austin ISD earned B’s. District grades average many campuses, so the best choice depends on the specific school for the address you’re considering.
Which school districts serve Round Rock?
Most of Round Rock is in Round Rock ISD, but part of east Round Rock is in Hutto ISD, including the Veterans Hill Elementary zone. Always confirm the district for the exact address.
How do I find out which school a home is zoned to?
Use the school district’s own attendance-zone lookup for the exact address, and don’t rely on the listing description or neighborhood name. I verify the district and campus for every home before an offer goes in.
Can my child attend a school outside our attendance zone?
Most districts accept transfer requests, but approval depends on available space, usually lasts one school year at a time, and doesn’t include bus service. Living inside the zone is the only guaranteed way in.
When do Texas school ratings come out?
The Texas Education Agency releases A–F ratings for districts and campuses each August. The 2026 ratings came out on August 14, 2026.
Do school boundaries change?
Yes. Fast-growing districts open new campuses and redraw zones, sometimes every year or two. Check the current zone before you buy, even if a listing says a home is zoned to a particular school.
BUYING NEAR A SPECIFIC SCHOOL?
Let's Chat
Tell me which school you’re after, and I’ll show you the homes zoned to it and what they really need.