Living in Downtown and Old Town Georgetown, TX: Homes, Historic Rules and Prices

Downtown and Old Town Georgetown are the historic core of the city: the blocks around the Williamson County Courthouse Square and the mostly residential streets that run south toward Southwestern University. You get 1800s storefronts, Victorian and early 1900s homes on big lots, and the South Fork of the San Gabriel River a few blocks from the square.

I'm Nick Himes with Service First Real Estate Group, and I help buyers and sellers all over Williamson County. Old Town is one of the few places around here where you can buy a house that is over 100 years old, so it comes with its own rules and its own homework. If you're still comparing areas, start with my guide to the 7 best neighborhoods in Williamson County.

Downtown and Old Town Georgetown at a Glance

• Location: Central Georgetown, ZIP 78626, about 30 miles north of Austin.
• Districts: Two city historic overlays. Downtown covers the square and nearby blocks. Old Town covers mostly residential streets between downtown and Southwestern University, into parts of 17th, 18th and 19th Streets.
• Homes: Victorian, early 1900s cottages and bungalows, mid-century homes and newer infill. Listings I pulled show homes built as early as 1880.
• Prices: Redfin's Old Town District median sale price was about $499,000 in August 2026. Active listings in October 2026 ran from about $280,000 to about $1.8 million.
• Schools: Georgetown ISD.
• HOA: Most homes are in established city neighborhoods without an HOA. Confirm on the listing.
• Signature amenity: The courthouse square, built around the 1911 Williamson County Courthouse, home of the Red Poppy Festival every April.

Where It Is and the Commute

The square sits on Austin Avenue, a short drive from I-35, so you skip the 10 minutes some edge-of-town subdivisions spend just reaching the highway. Rough drive times without traffic:

• Downtown Austin: about 35 to 40 minutes
• Round Rock: about 15 to 20 minutes
• The Domain area in north Austin: about 25 to 30 minutes
• Southwestern University: a few minutes, and walkable from much of Old Town

Rush hour on I-35 is the wild card. Drive your real commute at rush hour before you write an offer.

Homes and Prices

This is not a subdivision with five floor plans. One block might have a restored Victorian, a small wood-sided cottage, a 1950s ranch and a new build designed to fit the district.

Active Old Town listings on Redfin in October 2026:

• Small 2-bedroom cottages around 700 to 1,100 square feet, roughly $280,000 to $380,000
• 3 and 4-bedroom homes in the 1,500 to 2,200 square foot range, mostly $435,000 to $700,000
• Large restored or newer homes near Church Street, Main Street and University Avenue, roughly $775,000 to $1.8 million

Redfin reported the Old Town District median sale price at about $499,000 in August 2026, up about 9% from a year earlier. Only a handful of homes sell here each month, so one sale can swing that number. For a wider view, the 78626 ZIP code had a median sale price of about $360,000 in March 2026, per Austin Board of Realtors MLS data reported by Community Impact.

What moves the price in Old Town:

• Condition and updates. A home with updated wiring, plumbing and HVAC sells very differently from one still running on window units.
• Walking distance to the square. Closer usually costs more.
• Lot size. Some lots are close to half an acre, which is rare this close to a downtown.
• Extra living space. Garage apartments and guest suites add value. Check city rules before counting on rental income.

Historic District Rules: What Needs Approval

This is the part buyers skip and then regret. Here's what the City of Georgetown's historic preservation pages say.

• A Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) is required for projects inside a historic overlay district. That includes the Downtown and Old Town overlays.
• The work that typically triggers review: exterior changes to historic structures, additions, remodels, restorations, new construction, fences, signs, and demolition or relocation.
• Even paint can count. The city's COA checklist lists paint color changes, exterior lighting and mechanical equipment as "minor" staff reviews. Painting a surface that was never painted, or stripping paint, is also called out.
• Who decides: Some projects are approved by city staff (the Historic Preservation Officer) with no public hearing. Bigger ones go to the Historic and Architectural Review Commission (HARC) at a public hearing.
• It depends on the house. Each historic property is rated Low, Medium or High priority on the city's Historic Resource Survey. That rating plus your scope of work decides what review you need.
• Fees: The city's spring 2025 checklist listed $121 for minor staff review, $185 for staff review and $505 for HARC review.

A COA is separate from a building permit and comes first. Before you buy, look up the home's priority rating on the city's interactive historic map and call the city's historic planning staff about anything you plan to change on the outside.

Buying an Older Home

A 100-year-old house can be a great buy. It can also hide a lot. Here's what to check on any older home in Old Town:

• An inspector who knows old houses. Ask how many pre-1950 homes they've done.
• Sewer scope. A camera down the main line to the street. Older lines can be clay or cast iron, and roots and cracked pipe are common. It costs a few hundred dollars and can save thousands.
• Foundation. Many older homes sit on pier and beam. Watch for sloping floors, sticking doors and rotted sills, and bring in a structural engineer if anything looks off.
• Wiring. Look for knob and tube wiring, ungrounded outlets, undersized panels and DIY additions. Insurers will ask.
• Plumbing. Galvanized supply lines corrode from the inside.
• HVAC. Some homes still run on wall furnaces and window units. Price out central air before you make an offer.
• Lead paint. Homes built before 1978 come with a federal lead paint disclosure. Any project that disturbs old paint needs proper precautions.
• Insurance. Get a quote during your option period, not the week before closing.

Then line those findings up against the historic rules. Replacing original windows or siding may need a COA, which adds time.

Schools

Old Town and downtown are served by Georgetown ISD. Listings I checked in the area showed Annie Purl Elementary, with middle and high school assignments that vary by address, including Forbes, Tippit or Wagner Middle School and East View or Georgetown High School. Georgetown ISD redrew elementary and middle zones for fall 2024, so older listing info may be stale. Always verify the exact campus by address with the district before you buy.

Amenities and Things to Do

This is why people pay up to live here. Most of it is walkable.

• The Square. Shops, restaurants and the Williamson Museum around the 1911 courthouse, which was restored to its original design in 2006. Georgetown Winery has been on the square since 2008.
• The Palace Theatre. Opened in 1925 as a movie house on South Austin Avenue and now puts on musicals and plays.
• Blue Hole Park. A limestone-bluff lagoon on the South Fork of the San Gabriel River, about five blocks north of the square. Swimming and wading are allowed at your own risk, and cliff jumping is not.
• San Gabriel Park. Sports fields, a splash pad, a skate park, a pavilion and an event lawn, with river trail connections to Blue Hole and other parks.
• Southwestern University. Founded in 1840, it calls itself the oldest continually operating university in Texas.
• Red Poppy Festival. Every April on the square. The 2026 festival ran April 24 to 26 with live music, vendors and a parade. The Texas Legislature named Georgetown the Red Poppy Capital of Texas in 1990.

Taxes, HOA and MUD

Most of Old Town is established city neighborhood without an HOA, and one East 8th Street listing I checked showed no HOA and a 2026 total tax rate of about 1.82%. Rates change every year and by address, so always ask for the exact total rate on the specific property.

One perk worth knowing: the City of Georgetown adopted a Historic Tax Exemption Program in 2023. It gives owner-occupied historic homes in an overlay district a 10-year partial exemption on the city portion of property taxes after a qualifying exterior restoration of $10,000 or more with an approved COA. Painting, foundation work and interior remodels don't qualify. Coverage at the time said it expires in January 2027 unless extended, so confirm with the city.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Walk to the square, restaurants, the Palace and the river
• One-of-a-kind homes and larger lots close to downtown
• Quick access to I-35
• Usually no HOA

Cons

• Exterior changes can need city approval, which adds time and cost
• Older homes can mean big repair bills
• Low inventory, so the right house may take time to show up
• Festival and weekend crowds and parking near the square
• Fewer amenity-center perks than master-planned communities

Is Downtown and Old Town Georgetown Right for You?

If walkability, character and a shorter drive to I-35 matter more to you than a pool and a builder warranty, Old Town is hard to beat in Williamson County. If you want something new with low maintenance and no review process for a fence, a newer neighborhood like Wolf Ranch will be less work. If golf is higher on your list, check out my guides to Berry Creek and Sun City Texas.

Old Town works best when you have room in the budget for repairs, some patience and a good inspector.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need city approval to paint my house in Old Town Georgetown?

Possibly. The city's COA checklist lists paint color changes as a minor staff review in the historic overlay districts. Check with the city before you start.

What is a Certificate of Appropriateness in Georgetown, TX?

The city's approval for exterior work, new construction or demolition in a historic overlay district, issued by city staff or HARC.

How much do homes cost in Old Town Georgetown?

Redfin reported a median sale price of about $499,000 in August 2026. Listings in October 2026 ranged from about $280,000 to about $1.8 million.

Can I swim at Blue Hole in Georgetown?

Swimming and wading are allowed at your own risk. The city does not monitor water flow or bacteria, and cliff jumping is not permitted.

Thinking About Downtown or Old Town Georgetown?

Old houses take a different playbook, from the inspection to the historic rules to pricing your offer. Call or text me at 512-964-8883, or search homes for sale. See the whole city on my Georgetown area page, and if you're moving in from out of the area, read my guide to moving to Williamson County.