Towns Along the Guadalupe River

New Braunfels Is the River's Largest and Fastest-Growing City

New Braunfels, with an estimated 2025 population of 122,492, up roughly 35.5 percent since its 2020 Census figure of 90,403, has been ranked among the fastest-growing cities in the country in recent years. It anchors the river's tourism economy below Canyon Dam and offers by far the largest, most liquid real estate market of any town along the Guadalupe.

Gruene Blends Historic Character With Premium River Frontage

Gruene, a historic district within New Braunfels rather than its own incorporated town, centers on Gruene Hall, widely billed as Texas's oldest continually operating dance hall, dating to 1878. Its heritage-district cachet and strong short-term-rental demand make Gruene river frontage command a genuine premium within the broader New Braunfels market.

Canyon Lake CDP Absorbed the Smaller Sattler and Startzville Communities

Canyon Lake, an unincorporated community with a 2020 Census population of 31,124, grew from roughly 100 residents in 1980. Startzville was formally absorbed into the Canyon Lake CDP boundary in 2018, and Sattler is similarly folded into the same designation today, meaning neither has current standalone population data. This area skews older, with a median age of 51.4, and reads more as a lake-adjacent retirement and vacation-home community than a river-frontage-specific market.

Kerrville Anchors the Upper River as County Seat and Arts Destination

Kerrville, the Kerr County seat with an estimated 2025 population of 25,578, up 5.4 percent since 2020, is known for the Kerrville Folk Festival, the Museum of Western Art, and Schreiner University. It was significantly affected by the July 2025 flood, and its current city tax rate reflects an ongoing, temporary disaster-recovery increase.

Ingram Offers River Frontage With Less Tourist Density Than Kerrville

Ingram, with a 2020 Census population of 1,787 and an essentially flat population trend over more than two decades, is a quiet small city with direct river frontage and dam-pool swimming, appealing to buyers who want river access without Kerrville's comparatively larger scale.

Hunt Remains a Rustic Summer-Camp Hub With a Small Year-Round Population

Hunt has a year-round population of roughly 1,332, swelling to 3,000 or more during peak summer camp season, home to Camp Mystic and several other longstanding camps including Waldemar and Stewart. This is the community most directly and tragically affected by the July 2025 flood, and that context should inform any research into the area.

Compare Each Town's Distance to San Antonio and Austin

New Braunfels sits roughly midway between San Antonio and Austin, giving it strong commuter appeal to both metro areas, while Kerrville, Ingram, and Hunt sit considerably further west and function more as standalone destinations than bedroom communities for either city.

School District Coverage Varies Significantly by Specific Town

Comal ISD and New Braunfels ISD both serve parts of the New Braunfels area with differing boundaries, while Kerrville ISD, Ingram ISD, and Hunt ISD serve the upper river towns respectively. Confirm the specific district serving any given address, since boundaries can split even within a single town.

Talk to Current Residents About What Each Town Actually Feels Like

Beyond population figures and tax rates, talking directly with current residents in New Braunfels, Canyon Lake, Kerrville, Ingram, or Hunt can surface honest, practical detail about seasonal tourist traffic, community feel, and how each town has responded to recent flood events that a single visit won't reveal on its own.

New Braunfels' Growth Brings Real New Construction and Amenities

New Braunfels' rapid population growth has brought substantial new residential construction, retail development, and expanding healthcare infrastructure, a genuine convenience for buyers who want a fuller range of amenities close to home rather than a longer drive to San Antonio or Austin for routine needs.

Canyon Lake CDP Skews Toward Retirees and Second-Home Owners

Given its older median age and vacation-home character, Canyon Lake CDP tends to attract retirees and second-home buyers more than young families, a genuinely different buyer profile than the family- and career-oriented growth happening in New Braunfels proper.

Kerrville Offers a Slower Pace With Genuine Cultural Amenities

Despite recent flood recovery, Kerrville retains a genuinely active arts and cultural scene through its folk festival and museum, along with Schreiner University, giving it a distinct identity as a smaller, slower-paced alternative to the busier New Braunfels tourism corridor.

Consider Seasonal Population Swings When Evaluating a Community

Towns like Hunt experience dramatic seasonal population swings tied to summer camp season, while New Braunfels sees its own seasonal surge from tubing tourism. Understand how a specific community's character shifts between peak season and the quieter off-season before committing to a purchase.

Healthcare Access Concentrates in the Larger Towns

New Braunfels and Kerrville both offer meaningful local healthcare infrastructure, while smaller communities like Ingram and Hunt rely more heavily on a drive to one of these larger hubs for more specialized care, a genuine consideration for retirees or buyers with ongoing medical needs.

Weigh Commute Realities Honestly for Any Employment-Tied Move

Buyers relocating for work in San Antonio or Austin should map the actual daily commute time from a specific New Braunfels-area address realistically, since traffic along the I-35 corridor can meaningfully extend what looks like a short distance on a map.

What This Means for Your Search

The Guadalupe River corridor offers a genuinely wide range of community character, from booming, tourism-driven New Braunfels to quiet, rural Hunt and Ingram. Match a specific town to your priorities around growth, tourist density, commute needs, and honest awareness of local flood history before narrowing your search.