Living in Bee Cave, TX
Explore Things To Do, Cost of Living, Top Restaurants and More

Why You’ll Love Living in Bee Cave, TX

The city’s slogan says it best: Bee Cave is “simply elevated.”

Bee Cave, Texas got its name the way the best Texas stories do: from something unexpected. In the 1850s, settlers discovered a large cave near the junction of Barton Creek and Little Barton Creek, populated by colonies of Mexican honeybees. That cave is long gone, but the name stuck, the community grew, and what exists today is one of the most sought-after addresses in the entire Austin metro. Incorporated in 1987 with a founding philosophy of family-friendly living free from big-city government, Bee Cave has kept that original promise while delivering even more.

Moving to Bee Cave, TX puts you 15 miles west of downtown Austin in Travis County, with Lake Travis to the north, the Hill Country at your doorstep, and some of the best schools in the state just minutes away. In 2023, Bee Cave became an International Dark-Sky Community, meaning the city actively limits light pollution to preserve night sky visibility. In other words: yes, you can see the stars from here.

With a population of approximately 8,200 residents, a median age of 41.7 years, and a homeownership rate of 75%, Bee Cave is a community built around stability, families and long-term investment. Nearly 70% of households have children, and the infrastructure reflects it: top-rated schools, well-maintained parks, safe streets and an active community calendar.

The Hill Country Galleria is the civic and commercial anchor of the city. It’s a 90-acre open-air shopping and dining destination that boasts everything from boutique retailers to nationally recognized restaurants, a farmers market, a seasonal ice rink, live music events and a rotating events calendar.

And then, there’s the setting. Bee Cave sits at the edge of the Texas Hill Country, with Lake Travis accessible to the north, the Barton Creek Watershed to the east, and rolling limestone terrain and live oak canopies that make you feel a world away from the city.

Top Reasons to Move to Bee Cave, TX

• Bee Cave is an International Dark-Sky Community, one of the only suburbs near a major U.S. city where you can see the stars.
• Lake Travis ISD is one of the top-rated school districts in Texas.
• The Hill Country Galleria puts world-class shopping, dining and community events within walking distance of most neighborhoods.
• Bee Cave has one of the lowest tax rates in the Austin metro.
• Fifteen miles west of downtown Austin with an average commute of just 22 minutes, Bee Cave is a short drive from everything you need.

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Bee Cave is located in Travis County, approximately 15 miles west of downtown Austin along Highway 71 and RM 620. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is 22 miles east, about a 25-minute drive.

Nearby Cities

• Austin, TX: 15 miles east, with world-class dining, live music and major employment hubs across tech, healthcare and government.
• Lakeway, TX: Immediately adjacent to the north, with Lake Travis access and additional dining and retail.
• Dripping Springs, TX: 18 miles west, the gateway to the Texas Hill Country wine and distillery corridor.

Bee Cave enjoys the same Central Texas climate as its neighbors; long, hot summers with temperatures regularly climbing into the high 90s, and mild winters that rarely see a freeze. What sets Bee Cave apart from the Austin metro is the breezes that roll in off the Hill Country, the canopy of live oaks, and that Lake Travis is never more than a short drive away when the heat is a non-negotiable.

Bee Cave’s residents skew toward high-earning professionals, and the most common employment sectors are professional and scientific services or finance and insurance. The cost of living is approximately 1.5 times the national average, driven almost entirely by housing costs, but residents benefit from Texas’s lack of state income tax and Bee Cave’s notably low property tax rate.

For commuters, the average drive to Austin is just 22 minutes away from its major tech, healthcare and government employment centers. The Hill Country Galleria provides a large local employment presence, and the growing West Austin corridor continues to attract professional firms within easy reach of the city.

Bee Cave is served by two exceptional school districts depending on neighborhood location. Lake Travis Independent School District, which covers most of the city, is consistently ranked among the top school districts in Texas, with exemplary ratings and a comprehensive range of programs from elementary to high school. Students typically attend Bee Cave Elementary or Lake Pointe Elementary, Bee Cave Middle School, and Lake Travis High School.

The Uplands neighborhood and a few adjacent areas are zoned to Eanes Independent School District, another highly regarded district known for academic excellence and strong community involvement. For higher education, the University of Texas at Austin is approximately 20 miles east, and Austin Community College campuses are easily accessible for residents pursuing certifications or two-year programs.

Bee Cave’s neighborhoods span a remarkable range of character and price point. Spanish Oaks is the crown jewel of Bee Cave, including a private 18-hole golf club, pool, a Fish Camp on Barton Creek, miles of trails, and gated access.

Falconhead is widely considered the best all-around value in Bee Cave, as an established neighborhood with no MUD taxes and a reasonable HOA. Mature live oaks, cul-de-sac streets, a public golf course, and strong Lake Travis ISD schools make Falconhead the go-to recommendation for families.

Bella Colinas offers a newer suburban feel with more amenities than many older communities. The community amenity center with pool and splash pad is a particular rarity, setting it apart from other neighborhoods. Bella Colinas is a strong choice for families who want walkability to Bee Cave Middle School and the Hill Country Galleria.

Lake Pointe is technically in Lakeway, but borders Bee Cave and feeds into Lake Travis ISD schools. Lake Pointe spans more than 825 homesites across multiple sub-neighborhoods and offers exclusive resident access to a private Lake Austin day dock, kayak launch and a waterfront greenbelt park. A community pool, splash pad, sports courts and active HOA round out the package.

The Uplands is a gated luxury community known for large lots, impressive square footage and a competitive tax rate relative to its luxury positioning. The Uplands offers resort-style backyards, privacy and a 20-minute commute to downtown Austin that belies its Hill Country setting.

Housing Profile and Market

The Bee Cave housing market sits at the premium end of the Austin metro. Homes average 87 to 117 days on the market, giving buyers more time to deliberate than in Austin proper. The absence of MUD taxes in all Bee Cave neighborhoods represents a significant long-term financial advantage.

Bee Cave residents have strong healthcare access. Ascension Seton Express Care Westlake, approximately 10 miles east in West Lake Hills, serves the immediate community with emergency and specialty care. The broader Austin healthcare network, including St. David’s Medical Center and Dell Seton Medical Center, is also accessible within 20 to 30 minutes, making comprehensive care convenient for residents.

The Hill Country Galleria is Bee Cave’s social and commercial centerpiece. Bee Cave on Ice runs from November through January and transforms the Galleria plaza into a seasonal ice skating rink. The Books and Bees Festival in April is the city’s annual literary celebration. The Haunted Trail and Trunk or Treat in October are beloved community traditions. And the Galleria’s outdoor concert series brings live music to the community throughout the warmer months.

Who doesn’t love beautiful things? The Bee Cave Sculpture Park, set near a spring-fed pond just behind the Galleria, is a 7-acre outdoor gallery featuring permanent and rotating sculptures by local and regional artists, with some of the oldest oak trees in town providing the backdrop.

For something genuinely unusual, Yoga & Goga offers traditional yoga alongside goat yoga. Baby pygmy Nigerian dwarf goats wander through class as you hold your poses, and it’s exactly as delightful as it sounds. And Urban Air Adventure Park brings the energy indoors with trampolines, climbing walls, obstacle courses and zip lines, making it another great destination for families to beat the heat year-round.

Bee Cave Central Park covers 50 acres of grassy meadows and live oak trees with a walking trail, basketball courts, playgrounds and picnic areas. The Greenway Primitive Trails are for those who want a more rugged experience, winding through natural Hill Country terrain.

Lake Travis is the area’s premier outdoor destination, as a 65-mile Highland Lakes reservoir offering boating, swimming, paddleboarding and fishing from multiple marinas along its shores. Lake Pointe residents also enjoy a private Lake Austin day dock for waterfront access.

Falconhead Golf Club, open to the public, offers a course design that takes full advantage of the limestone terrain and live oak canopy of the surrounding landscape.

The League Kitchen & Tavern at the Hill Country Galleria features a lively, upscale American kitchen with a bar scene that draws both neighborhood regulars and outside visitors. Plate By Dzintra is a local, intimate, chef-driven spot earning consistent raves for its elevated, seasonal menu and personal attention you’ll only find at a truly independent restaurant.

For a last-minute night out, Chisos Grill is a neighborhood staple for Southwestern-inspired cooking. That’s My Jam is the go-to brunch spot, consistently earning raves for egg sandwiches, cinnamon twists and standout coffee. Vista Brewing’s tasting room at the Galleria pours everything from honey wheat ales to award-winning black pilsners, with a relaxed atmosphere ideal for a post-shopping afternoon pint. And dessert lovers rejoice: Foliepop’s French Pastry & Coffee House brings cylinder-shaped confections built from banana cake, brownie and cookie bases topped with ganache and filled with flavors like creme brulee, lemon and peanut butter.

Bee Cave is a city that takes quality of life seriously and has the infrastructure to back it up. It has a poverty rate of just 2.2%, far below the national average of 12.5%, and a community that skews educated, established, and deeply invested in their neighborhoods.

The West Pole, declared by the Texas Legislature to sit on the 98th meridian in Bee Cave, is the site of the annual Armadillo Day celebration every February 2nd. It has no geographic significance whatsoever, which is exactly the point.

Bee Cave’s violent crime rate of 153.9 per 100,000 residents is well below state and national averages, making it one of the safest communities in the Austin metro. The community events calendar, the active HOAs, the dark-sky designation, and school district pride make up a city that values what it has and works to preserve it.