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| area_magnitude = | area_total_km2 = 154.44| area_land_km2 = 148.49| area_water_km2 = 5.95| area_total_sq_mi = 59.63| area_land_sq_mi = 57.33| area_water_sq_mi = 2.302020 United States census>2020| population_est = 108281| pop_est_as_of = 2024| pop_est_footnotes = Ura, Alexa. Texas cities again lead population growth, and Austin is now country’s 10th largest, Texas Tribune, May 18, 2023.| population_footnotes = | population_total = 67176| population_rank = US: 305thTX: 42nd| population_density_km2 = 536.09| population_density_sq_mi = 1388.47Central Time Zone>CST| utc_offset = -6| timezone_DST = CDT| utc_offset_DST = -5| elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | elevation_ft = 7553049753region:US-TX|display=inline,title}}| postal_code_type = ZIP codes| postal_code = 78626, 78627, 78628, 78633Area code 512>512 and 737Federal Information Processing Standard>FIPS codeUNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU >ACCESS-DATE=JANUARY 31, 2008, U.S. Census website, Geographic Names Information System>GNIS feature ID1357960}}georgetown.org/|georgetown.org}}| footnotes = }}Georgetown is a city in Texas and the county seat of Williamson County, Texas, United States.WEB,www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx, June 7, 2011, Find a County, National Association of Counties, dead,www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx," title="web.archive.org/web/20110531210815www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx,">web.archive.org/web/20110531210815www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx, May 31, 2011, The population was 67,176 according to the 2020 census.WEB, Explore Census Data,data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US4829336, United States Census Bureau, July 3, 2022, It is 30 miles (48 km) north of Austin.Georgetown has a notable range of Victorian commercial and residential architecture. In 1976, a local historic ordinance was passed to recognize and protect the significance of the historic central business district. In 1977, the Williamson County Courthouse Historical District, containing some 46 contributing structures, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.WEB,mainstreet.georgetown.org/georgetown-history/, Georgetown Mainstreet History, May 3, 2017, dead,mainstreet.georgetown.org/georgetown-history/," title="web.archive.org/web/20100706211900mainstreet.georgetown.org/georgetown-history/,">web.archive.org/web/20100706211900mainstreet.georgetown.org/georgetown-history/, July 6, 2010, Southwestern University is the oldest university in Texas. Founded in 1875 from four existing colleges, the oldest of which had been founded 35 years earlier,WEB,www.southwestern.edu/about-southwestern/our-history/, Our History, it is in Georgetown about one-half mile from the historic square. Georgetown is known as the “Red Poppy” Capital of Texas for the red poppy wildflowers planted throughout the city. Georgetown’s Red Poppy Festival, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors annually, is held in April each year on the historic square.

History

Prehistoric era

(File:Clovis Point.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Example of a Clovis fluted blade that is 11,000 years old)Georgetown has been the site of human habitation since at least 9000 BC, and possibly considerably before that. The earliest-known inhabitants of the county, during the late Pleistocene (Ice Age), can be linked to the Clovis culture, a Paleo-Indian culture characterized by the manufacture of distinctive “Clovis points” for weapons. It first appeared around 9200 BC, and possibly as early as 11500 BC,JOURNAL, Handbook of Texas Online, “Gault Site” entry,tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/bbgya, Texas State History Association, July 18, 2010,www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/bbgya," title="web.archive.org/web/20110710065631www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/bbgya,">web.archive.org/web/20110710065631www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/bbgya, July 10, 2011, live, at the end of the last glacial period.One of the most important discoveries in recent times is that of the ancient skeletal remains dubbed the “Leanderthal Lady”, because of its age and proximity to the nearby community of Leander, Texas.BOOK, Historical Round Rock Texas, Thompson, Karen R., Jane H. Digesualado, Nortex Press (Eakin Publications), Austin, Texas, 4, 7, The site is immediately southwest of Georgetown and was discovered by accident by Texas Department of Transportation workers while drilling core samples for a new highway. The site has been extensively studied for many years, and samples carbon date the findings to the Pleistocene period, about 10,500 years ago (8500 BC). Archeological dig sites showing much greater evidence of archaic period inhabitants have been found in burned rock middens at several sites along the San Gabriel River, which have since been inundated by the manmade Granger Lake, and at the confluence of the North and South San Gabriel rivers in Georgetown.WEB,tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/bfp02, “Pre-history” Handbook of Texas entry, Tshaonline.org, December 6, 2017,web.archive.org/web/20171111152100/https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/bfp02, November 11, 2017, live,

Early history

The earliest known historical occupants of the county, the Tonkawa, were a flint-working, hunting people who followed buffalo on foot and periodically set fire to the prairie to aid them in their hunts. During the 18th century, they made the transition to a horse culture and used firearms to a limited extent. Also, small numbers of Kiowa, Yojuane, Tawakoni, and Mayeye Indians apparently were living in the county at the time of the earliest Anglo settlements.WEB,tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcw11, “Williamson County” Handbook of Texas entry, Tshaonline.org, December 6, 2017,web.archive.org/web/20180509195701/https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcw11, May 9, 2018, live, As these native populations thinned under pressure from non-indigenous settlements, the Comanche continued to raid native peoples’ settlements in the county until the 1860s.

Modern history

Georgetown was named for George Washington Glasscock, who donated the land for the new town.WEB, Association, Texas State Historical, Glasscock, George Washington,www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/glasscock-george-washington, 2024-05-20, Texas State Historical Association, en, Early American and Swedish pioneers were attracted to the area’s abundance of timber and good, clear water. In addition, the land was inexpensive and fertile. Georgetown is the county seat of Williamson County, which was formed on March 13, 1848, after the early settlers petitioned the state legislature to create it from a portion of Milam County. The county was originally to have been named San Gabriel County, but was instead named after Robert McAlpin Williamson (known as “Three-legged Willie“), a Texas statesman and judge at the time.“Williamson, Robert McAlpin (Three Legged Willie)” {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180509195701tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fwi42 |date=May 9, 2018 }}. Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved July 26, 2010.(File:CullenOld.png|thumb|The Cullen Building on the campus of Southwestern University shortly after completion (c. 1900))Georgetown was an agrarian community for most of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The Shawnee Trail, a cattle trail that led from Texas to the rail centers in Kansas and Missouri, crossed through Georgetown. The establishment of Southwestern University in 1873 and construction of a railroad in 1878 contributed to the town’s growth and importance. A stable economy developed, based largely on agricultural activity. Cotton was the dominant crop in the area between the 1880s and the 1920s. In this period, Williamson County was once the top producer of cotton in Texas.NEWS, Cotton County, Andrew, McLemore, Williamson County Sun, August 15, 2010, At one time, Georgetown was served by two national railroads, the International-Great Northern Railroad (I-GN), which eventually was merged into the Missouri Pacific, and the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad (M-K-T). Both supported the transport of commodities to market: beef cattle and cotton. The regional Georgetown and Granger Railroad (GGR) was completed to Austin in 1904. Georgetown is served today by the Georgetown Railroad, a ‘short line’ railroad that uses portions of the former M-K-T and the I-GN to connect with the Union Pacific Railroad at Round Rock and at Granger.Georgetown has also been home to minor league baseball: the 1914 Georgetown Collegians began play as charter members of the Class D level Middle Texas League.WEB,www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=8bc77e8f, 1914 Georgetown Collegians Statistics, In 1921 a low-pressure system from a hurricane settled in over Williamson County and brought more than 23 inches of rain in Taylor and more than 18 inches of rain in Georgetown. The flooding resulted in the death of 156 persons, many of them farm laborers. There was also extensive property damage, and Georgetown residents sought to begin flood control.BOOK, Road, River and Good Ol’ Boy Politics: A Texas County’s Path from Farm to Supersuburb, Scarbrough, Linda, 2009, Texas State Historical Association, Austin, Texas, 9780876112359, 36, 42, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed construction of a dam more than 50 years later, on the north fork of the San Gabriel River, to create and impound Lake Georgetown, which opened officially on October 5, 1979.BOOK, Road, River and Good Ol’ Boy Politics: A Texas County’s Path from Farm to Supersuburb, Scarbrough, Linda, 2009, Texas State Historical Association, Austin, Texas, 9780876112359, 233, Both Georgetown and Round Rock own water rights to Lake Georgetown for municipal water use.Population growth and industrial expansion continued modestly in the 20th century until about 1960, when residential, commercial, and industrial development, due to major growth and urban expansion of nearby Austin, greatly accelerated. In 2008, Fortune Small Business magazine ranked Georgetown as the second-best city in the nation to “live and launch” a new business.WEB,money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/bestplaces/2008/top100/, 100 Best places to live and launch 2008: Top 100 - Fortune Small Business Magazine, money.cnn.com, November 17, 2019,web.archive.org/web/20191117192802/https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/bestplaces/2008/top100/, November 17, 2019, live, In March 2015, Georgetown announced that their municipal-owned utility, Georgetown Utility Systems, would begin buying 100% of power for its customers from wind and solar farms by 2017, effectively making the city 100% green-powered.WEB,www.slate.com/articles/business/the_juice/2015/03/georgetown_texas_goes_renewable_why_the_town_is_dropping_fossil_fuels_for.html, The Texas Town That Just Quit Fossil Fuels, Slate (magazine), Slate, Daniel Gross, March 23, 2015, March 7, 2017,www.slate.com/articles/business/the_juice/2015/03/georgetown_texas_goes_renewable_why_the_town_is_dropping_fossil_fuels_for.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20170308150521www.slate.com/articles/business/the_juice/2015/03/georgetown_texas_goes_renewable_why_the_town_is_dropping_fossil_fuels_for.html,">web.archive.org/web/20170308150521www.slate.com/articles/business/the_juice/2015/03/georgetown_texas_goes_renewable_why_the_town_is_dropping_fossil_fuels_for.html, March 8, 2017, live, (File:Georgetown Downtown 4.jpg|thumb|upright|Typical downtown Georgetown buildings on “The Square”)

Burkland-Frisk House

File:Burkland Frisk House.jpg|thumb|right|This 1900–1910 “pattern book” house was moved to Georgetown from Round Rock, Texas, in 2006. It overlooks the South San Gabriel River.]]A densely overgrown, 1908–1910 Victorian house was found in Round Rock, Texas. (The site was later redeveloped for the La Frontera project.) The historic house was cut into pieces, and moved to Georgetown in 2006. There it was restored by Don Martin and Bill Smalling (1953–2008). It is located on San Gabriel Village Blvd, prominently overlooking the South San Gabriel River, and is now used as an office. It is known locally as the Burkland-Frisk House, as it was built by Leonard Frisk, an early settler in Williamson County, and was later owned by Tony Burkland, a relative.In Round Rock, this house was originally across the street from an identical house, built in the same era. The latter was used in the filming of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. The houses were known as “pattern book” houses, ordered from a catalog and assembled on site from a package of materials brought by wagon from a local lumber company. They were likely built between 1908 and 1910.WEB,www.texaschainsawmassacre.net/Sister/index.htm, TCM Sister House, Matt Phillips, Texaschainsawmassacre.net, February 5, 2011,www.texaschainsawmassacre.net/Sister/index.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20110108064126www.texaschainsawmassacre.net/Sister/index.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20110108064126www.texaschainsawmassacre.net/Sister/index.htm, January 8, 2011, live, Later the filmed house was cut and relocated to Kingsland, Texas. There it was redeveloped as part of the Antlers Hotel.NEWS, Twin to Texas Chainsaw Massacre House Moves to Georgetown, Jeff, Dorsch, January 20, 2002, Williamson County Sun,www.wilcosun.com, December 13, 2019,www.wilcosun.com/," title="web.archive.org/web/20191020203158www.wilcosun.com/,">web.archive.org/web/20191020203158www.wilcosun.com/, October 20, 2019, live,

Historic neighborhoods

In the 1970s, Georgetown’s downtown was bleak and featureless. In an effort to modernize and compete with suburban retail development, building owners in the 1950s and 1960s had obscured some of their historical retail buildings. The Texas-Victorian streetscape was plastered with stucco, aluminum covers, brick, and multiple layers of white paint. Community leaders began to reassess this retail stock, and work with the Main Street program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation to enhance the architectural heritage of the city.In this period, economics also began to favor the reuse of historic buildings, as the cost of borrowing money was soaring. In Georgetown, every bank offered significantly lower interest loans for the renewal of the town’s grand Victorian buildings and facades. Rehabilitation tax credit programs in the 1980s made investing in historic property more profitable. By 1984, 40 rehabilitations were complete. Two years after Georgetown initiated its Main Street program, more than half the Main Street district had undergone some kind of positive transition.Georgetown Texas. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100222215453www.preservationnation.org/resources/case-studies/gamsa/1997/georgetown-texas.html |date=February 22, 2010 }} National Trust for Historic Places. 1977.The city was recently{{when|date=May 2022}} named one of the best places to purchase a historic house. Today, Georgetown is home to one of the best-preserved Victorian and pre-WW1 downtown historic districts, with the Beaux-Arts Williamson County Courthouse (1911) as its centerpiece. Due to its successful preservation efforts, Georgetown was named a national Main Street City in 1997, the first Texas city so designated.Georgetown Texas. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100222215453www.preservationnation.org/resources/case-studies/gamsa/1997/georgetown-texas.html |date=February 22, 2010 }} Georgetown, Texas 1997 Great American Main Street Award Winner. National Trust for Historic Places. 1997. Georgetown has three National Register Historic Districts:

• Williamson County Courthouse Historic District
• Belford National District
• The University Avenue/Elm Street District

Geography

File:GeorgetownParksBH.jpg|thumb|right|Blue Hole ParkBlue Hole ParkGeorgetown is located at {{Coord|30.651187|-97.681333|type:city_region:US|display=inline|format=dms}} (30.651187, −97.681333),WEB,www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html, United States Census Bureau, April 23, 2011, February 12, 2011, US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990, 26 miles (42 km) north of Austin’s central business district. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 24.9 square miles (64.6 km2), of which 22.8 square miles (59.1 km2) are land and 2.1 square miles (5.4 km2) (8.42%) are covered by water.Prior to the 2010 census, the city annexed part of the Serenada CDP, increasing its total area to {{convert|54.3|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|52.1|sqmi|km2}} was land and {{convert|2.3|sqmi|km2}} was water-covered.WEB, Population and Housing Unit Counts, 2010 Census of Population and Housing,www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-45.pdf, Texas: 2010, January 6, 2017,www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-45.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20170213215724www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-45.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20170213215724www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-45.pdf, February 13, 2017, live, WEB, Boundary Map of Georgetown, Texas,www.maptechnica.com/city-map/Georgetown/TX/4829336, MapTechnica, January 6, 2017,web.archive.org/web/20170106173918/https://www.maptechnica.com/city-map/Georgetown/TX/4829336, January 6, 2017, dead, The city is located on the northeastern edge of Texas Hill Country. Portions of Georgetown are located on either side of the Balcones Escarpment,{{Handbook of Texas |name=Balcones Escarpment |id=rxb01 |retrieved=May 11, 2010}} Texas State Historical Association a fault line in which the areas roughly east of IH-35 are flat and characterized by having black, fertile soils of the Blackland Prairie, and the west side of the escarpment which consists mostly of hilly, karst-like terrain with little topsoil and higher elevations and which is part of the Texas Hill Country. Inner Space Cavern, a large cave, is a major tourist attraction found on the south side of the city, just west of Interstate 35, and is a large-scale example of limestone karst formations.The North and Middle Forks of the San Gabriel River both run through the city. More than 30 miles of hike and bike trails, several parks, and recreation for both residents and visitors are provided along their banks.

Major highways

• (File:I-35.svg|20px) Interstate 35
• (File:Texas 29.svg|20px) State Highway 29
• (File:Texas 195.svg|20px) State Highway 195
• (File:Toll Texas 130.svg|20px) State Highway 130 (Toll Road)

Endangered species

Georgetown is home to five endangered species. Two are songbirds protected by the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve in Travis and Williamson Counties.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}} Invertebrate species found only in Williamson County live in the cave-like fissures on the west side of Georgetown. Karst topography is the name for the honeycomb-type limestone formations (including caves, sinkholes, and fissures) that are typical in the county’s limestone geology west of I-35.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}}In the 1990s, a small group of concerned landowners and developers formed the Northern Edwards Aquifer Resource Council. Their goal was to identify and preserve a sufficient number of caves with endangered species to ensure survival of the species. Ultimately they wanted to obtain a United States Fish and Wildlife Service 10-A permit (known as an Incidental Take Permit) for the entire county by such actions.NEWS, Grant will help creepier residents. $2.35 million to save beetles, spiders and other endangered species, Jennifer, Barrios, A1, September 30, 2004, Austin American-Statesman, By gaining the permit, these species would be preserved through voluntary donations of land rather than by the county or state requiring setbacks and other involuntary means. The group documented their successful work in an environmental impact statement to the county in 2002, and a county-wide 10-A permit was obtained in October 2008.NEWS, Plan to protect species gets OK; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service gives approval., David, Doolittle, Austin American-Statesman, October 23, 2008,

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Georgetown has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps.WEB,www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=58837&cityname=Georgetown,+Texas,+United+States+of+America&units=, Georgetown, Texas Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase), Weatherbase, May 3, 2017,www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=58837&cityname=Georgetown,+Texas,+United+States+of+America&units=," title="web.archive.org/web/20160304044747www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=58837&cityname=Georgetown,+Texas,+United+States+of+America&units=,">web.archive.org/web/20160304044747www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=58837&cityname=Georgetown,+Texas,+United+States+of+America&units=, March 4, 2016, live, Georgetown, like much of Central Texas, is characterized by its long, hot summers and cooler, mild winters. The average summer temperature typically reaches 100 Â°F for several days during July and August. It is common for highs to be near 90 Â°F well into October, but by this time, the nights are noticeably cooler.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}}Winters in Georgetown have highs in the 50s and 60s, with a few days dropping near freezing, causing one or two ice storms per season. A few days reach well above the average. The region may have temperatures in the 80s well into December and 70s in January.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}}Fall, winter, and spring all average about two to three inches of rain per month, while July and August are the driest, averaging only one to two inches and sometimes no precipitation at all. Most of what rain does fall during the long summer comes from the outflow of Gulf storms that are often pushed away from the region by a large summer high-pressure system.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}}Georgetown has more than 225 days classified as mostly sunny to sunny, among a total of more than 300 days of at least partly cloudy skies per year.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}}{{Weather box| location = Georgetown Lake, Texas (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1980-present)| single line = Y| Jan record high F = 88| Feb record high F = 98| Mar record high F = 97| Apr record high F = 99| May record high F = 102| Jun record high F = 106| Jul record high F = 110| Aug record high F = 109| Sep record high F = 111| Oct record high F = 99| Nov record high F = 93| Dec record high F = 84| year record high F = 111| Jan high F = 60.3| Feb high F = 64.6| Mar high F = 71.5| Apr high F = 78.6| May high F = 85.4| Jun high F = 92.0| Jul high F = 95.9| Aug high F = 96.8| Sep high F = 90.1| Oct high F = 81.3| Nov high F = 69.8| Dec high F = 61.7| year high F = | Jan mean F = 48.3| Feb mean F = 52.3| Mar mean F = 59.4| Apr mean F = 66.4| May mean F = 74.4| Jun mean F = 80.7| Jul mean F = 84.1| Aug mean F = 84.4| Sep mean F = 78.3| Oct mean F = 69.0| Nov mean F = 58.1| Dec mean F = 49.9| year mean F = | Jan low F = 36.2| Feb low F = 40.1| Mar low F = 47.2| Apr low F = 54.2| May low F = 63.4| Jun low F = 69.5| Jul low F = 72.2| Aug low F = 72.0| Sep low F = 66.5| Oct low F = 56.8| Nov low F = 46.3| Dec low F = 38.2| year low F = | Jan record low F = 6| Feb record low F = 6| Mar record low F = 17| Apr record low F = 31| May record low F = 37| Jun record low F = 46| Jul record low F = 56| Aug record low F = 55| Sep record low F = 34| Oct record low F = 28| Nov record low F = 23| Dec record low F = -2| year record low F = -2| precipitation colour = green| Jan precipitation inch = 2.50| Feb precipitation inch = 2.24| Mar precipitation inch = 3.09| Apr precipitation inch = 3.02| May precipitation inch = 4.25| Jun precipitation inch = 3.97| Jul precipitation inch = 2.19| Aug precipitation inch = 2.64| Sep precipitation inch = 3.96| Oct precipitation inch = 3.92| Nov precipitation inch = 2.71| Dec precipitation inch = 2.59| year precipitation inch = 37.08PUBLISHER=NOAA, March 20, 2022, | source = }}

Demographics

{{US Census population| 1870 = 479| 1880 = 1354| 1890 = 2447| 1900 = 2790| 1910 = 2096| 1920 = 2871| 1930 = 3583| 1940 = 3682| 1950 = 4951| 1960 = 5218| 1970 = 6395| 1980 = 9468| 1990 = 14842| 2000 = 28339| 2010 = 47400| 2020 = 67176| estyear = 2023| estimate = 96312PUBLISHER=UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU, May 20, 2024, WEBSITE=CENSUS.GOV, June 4, 2015, 2020 Census}}

2020 census{| class“wikitable”

Georgetown racial composition as of 2020EXPLORE CENSUS DATA,data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4829336&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2, May 24, 2022, data.census.gov, (NH = Non-Hispanic){{efn|Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any racewww.census.gov {{nonspecific|date=August 2022}}WEB, About the Hispanic Population and its Origin,www.census.gov/topics/population/hispanic-origin/about.html, www.census.gov, May 18, 2022, }}!Race!Number!PercentageNon-Hispanic or Latino whites>White (NH)|45,555|67.81%Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans>Black or African American (NH)|2,948|4.39%Native Americans in the United States>Native American or Alaska Native (NH)|182|0.27%Asian Americans>Asian (NH)|1,355|2.02%Pacific Islander Americans>Pacific Islander (NH)|53|0.08%|Some Other Race (NH)|241|0.36%Multiracial Americans>Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)|2,397|3.57%Hispanic and Latino Americans>Hispanic or Latino|14,445|21.5%|Total|67,176|As of the 2020 United States census, there were 67,176 people, 28,075 households, and 19,180 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,241.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The 10,902 housing units averaged 477.5 per square mile (184.4/km2). Of the 28,075 households, 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.6% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were not families; 21.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.92.In the city, the population was distributed as 23.4% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.0 males. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there were 91.1 men.The median income for a household in the city was $54,098, and for a family was $63,338. Males had a median income of $40,541 versus $27,082 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,287. About 4.4% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.3% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

List of major employers

Georgetown’s major employers and number of employees as of June 2009:WEB,invest.georgetown.org/business/major-employers/printpage/, Invest in Georgetown » Major Employers » Print, July 6, 2010,invest.georgetown.org/business/major-employers/printpage/," title="web.archive.org/web/20100706212920invest.georgetown.org/business/major-employers/printpage/,">web.archive.org/web/20100706212920invest.georgetown.org/business/major-employers/printpage/, July 6, 2010,

• Williamson County Government (1,700)
• Georgetown Independent School District (1,650)
• St. David’s Georgetown Hospital (650)
• Airborn, Inc. (550)
• City of Georgetown (455)
• Southwestern University (450)
• Caring Home Health (400)
• Wesleyan Homes, Inc. (290)
• Sun City (Del Webb) (260)

Interstate Highway 35 location

(File:Georgetown San Gabrial Village.jpg|thumb|right|A residential condominium project overlooking the San Gabriel River is part of the San Gabriel Village mixed-use “walk-friendly” development. Photo by Don Martin.)The single most important issue relating to economic development was the location of Interstate 35 through Georgetown. Originally, when first conceived, a Georgetown route was very much in doubt, as most alignments had the road going through or near Taylor. At the time, Taylor was the economic hub of Williamson County as the center for cotton and cattle.BOOK, Road, River and Good Ol’ Boy Politics: A Texas County’s Path from Farm to Supersuburb, Scarbrough, Linda, 2009, Texas State Historical Association, Austin, Texas, 9780876112359, Chapter 13, While the Taylor leadership supported the Taylor route, local farmers opposed it. The interstate required then-unheard-of {{convert|300| feet}} of right of way across the entire county and through nearby Taylor farms, and many farmers worried that their homes might get cut off from their fields. Also, concerns were expressed about noise relating to cattle and other farm animals. Meanwhile, Round Rock and Georgetown leadership strongly lobbied for a route along the Balcones Escarpment fault line, which would later become U.S. Highway 81 and then eventually I-35.BOOK, Road, River and Good Ol’ Boy Politics: A Texas County’s Path from Farm to Supersuburb, Scarbrough, Linda, 2009, Texas State Historical Association, Austin, Texas, 9780876112359, 245,

Sun City

(File:Sun City Entry.jpg|thumb|right|Sun City has had a significant impact on Georgetown in terms of population and demographics.)(File:Sun City Texas pool.jpg|thumb|right| A Sun City Texas pool at the most recent neighborhood amenity center at Cowan Creek)The second-largest economic development activity in Georgetown history was the selection in 1995 of Georgetown as the site for the first-ever Sun City location in Texas. Originally called Sun City Georgetown, the project today is called Sun City Texas due to its size and because it draws residents from all over the state. {{As of| 2021}}, about 15,700 people live in the massive, 4,700-acre (and expanding) community,WEB, Figueroa, Fernanda, In 25 years, Sun City adds nearly 8,500 new homes, 15,700 residents,communityimpact.com/austin/georgetown/development/2021/04/15/in-25-years-sun-city-adds-nearly-8500-new-homes-15-700-residents/, communityimpact.com, Community Impact Newspaper, January 14, 2022, April 15, 2021, with an average net worth over $1,000,000 per person. The economic stimulus, creation of sales tax, banking and investment, and the high rate of community support and volunteerism has had an enormous effect on Georgetown.NEWS, Fifteen years later, Sun City still drives city growth, Blake, Rasmussen, Suzanne Haberman, Community Impact Newspaper, August 13, 2010, A1,impactnews.com/georgetown-hutto-taylor/143-local-news/9334-fifteen-years-later-sun-city-still-drives-city-growth, August 17, 2010,impactnews.com/georgetown-hutto-taylor/143-local-news/9334-fifteen-years-later-sun-city-still-drives-city-growth," title="web.archive.org/web/20110420132603impactnews.com/georgetown-hutto-taylor/143-local-news/9334-fifteen-years-later-sun-city-still-drives-city-growth,">web.archive.org/web/20110420132603impactnews.com/georgetown-hutto-taylor/143-local-news/9334-fifteen-years-later-sun-city-still-drives-city-growth, April 20, 2011, dead, Opened in June 1995, Sun City Texas is a 5,300-acre (21 km2) age-restricted community located in Georgetown, about 10 miles west of I-35 on Williams Drive (RM 2338). It is part of the chain of Sun City communities started by the Del E. Webb Construction Company (now a division of PulteGroup).NEWS,nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=list&p_topdoc=31, Builders Pulte, Centex to combine in deal with national significance, Merger might be sign of industry rebound, Austin American-Statesman, Novak, Shonda, April 9, 2009, B–07,nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=list&p_topdoc=31," title="web.archive.org/web/20110609175450nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=list&p_topdoc=31,">web.archive.org/web/20110609175450nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=list&p_topdoc=31, June 9, 2011, live, Residency is restricted to persons over age 55 (at least one person in a couple has to be 55 or older).NEWS,nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AASB&p_theme=aasb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_hidethis=no&p_field_label-0=Author&p_field_label-1=title&p_bool_label-1=AND&s_dispstring=Sun%20City%20Georgetown%20AND%20date(01/01/1995%20to%2001/01/1997)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=01/01/1995%20to%2001/01/1997)&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(Sun%20City%20Georgetown)&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no, ON COURSE FOR A GRAND OPENING IN SUN CITY, Ward, Pamela, Austin American-Statesman, B–1, November 9, 1996, July 18, 2010,nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AASB&p_theme=aasb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_hidethis=no&p_field_label-0=Author&p_field_label-1=title&p_bool_label-1=AND&s_dispstring=Sun%20City%20Georgetown%20AND%20date%2801%2F01%2F1995%20to%2001%2F01%2F1997%29&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date%3AB%2CE&p_text_date-0=01%2F01%2F1995%20to%2001%2F01%2F1997%29&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=%28Sun%20City%20Georgetown%29&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date%3AD&xcal_useweights=no," title="web.archive.org/web/20110609111221nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AASB&p_theme=aasb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_hidethis=no&p_field_label-0=Author&p_field_label-1=title&p_bool_label-1=AND&s_dispstring=Sun%20City%20Georgetown%20AND%20date%2801%2F01%2F1995%20to%2001%2F01%2F1997%29&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date%3AB%2CE&p_text_date-0=01%2F01%2F1995%20to%2001%2F01%2F1997%29&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=%28Sun%20City%20Georgetown%29&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date%3AD&xcal_useweights=no,">web.archive.org/web/20110609111221nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AASB&p_theme=aasb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_hidethis=no&p_field_label-0=Author&p_field_label-1=title&p_bool_label-1=AND&s_dispstring=Sun%20City%20Georgetown%20AND%20date%2801%2F01%2F1995%20to%2001%2F01%2F1997%29&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date%3AB%2CE&p_text_date-0=01%2F01%2F1995%20to%2001%2F01%2F1997%29&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=%28Sun%20City%20Georgetown%29&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date%3AD&xcal_useweights=no, June 9, 2011, live, Sun City Texas is made up mostly of single-family dwellings, but also has duplexes. It is legal to drive golf carts on the streets in the development (under a special Texas license exemption with help from Del Webb), and most shopping and the community facilities all have special parking slots for them.WEB,www.delwebb.com/communities/tx/georgetown/sun-city-texas/index.aspx, Del Webb Sun City Texas, About Our Community, July 18, 2010,www.delwebb.com/communities/tx/georgetown/sun-city-texas/index.aspx," title="web.archive.org/web/20120618093700www.delwebb.com/communities/tx/georgetown/sun-city-texas/index.aspx,">web.archive.org/web/20120618093700www.delwebb.com/communities/tx/georgetown/sun-city-texas/index.aspx, June 18, 2012, live, Opposition to the project has been vocal at times, especially at the start during the zoning process, with arguments against the size of the community, its effect on Georgetown as a family-oriented town, concerns about the costs of providing city utilities, concern about lowered property taxes fixed for retirees under Texas law, and the disproportionate effect of city voting.NEWS, Bob, Banta, Mayoral hopefuls let their work talk, April 10, 2008, Austin American-Statesman, W–01, Georgetown is considered to be one of the best places to retire in the nation because of its fairly warm climate year round, close proximity to both the countryside and Austin, excellent medical care including Alzheimer’s care, and its increasing population of retirees.NEWS, Fifteen years later Sun City still drives Georgetown growth, Blake, Rasmussen, Suzanne Haberman, Community Impact Newspaper, August 13, 2010,impactnews.com/georgetown-hutto-taylor/143-local-news/9334-fifteen-years-later-sun-city-still-drives-city-growth, August 16, 2010,impactnews.com/georgetown-hutto-taylor/143-local-news/9334-fifteen-years-later-sun-city-still-drives-city-growth," title="web.archive.org/web/20110420132603impactnews.com/georgetown-hutto-taylor/143-local-news/9334-fifteen-years-later-sun-city-still-drives-city-growth,">web.archive.org/web/20110420132603impactnews.com/georgetown-hutto-taylor/143-local-news/9334-fifteen-years-later-sun-city-still-drives-city-growth, April 20, 2011, dead, In 2007, Georgetown was named by Retirement Places Rated (seventh edition) as the Best Place in America to Retire.BOOK, Retirement Places Rated, Wiley, David Savageu, 9780470194362,books.google.com/books?id=2MUKat6yGTQC&q=Retirement+Places+Rated+%28Seventh+Edition%29&pg=PR13, August 24, 2007, Seventh, Part of this is because Sun City Texas, a large master-planned community for “active adults 55 and over”, calls Georgetown home. Twenty-five years after the project groundbreaking, Sun City is now home to nearly 16,000 residents and has been a driving force behind growth, development, and the very shape of Georgetown since its inception.Numerous other active adult communities are also found in Georgetown, including the well-respected Wesleyan at Estrella, the Oaks at Wildwood, Heritage Oaks, and many others.NEWS, New Housing Developments; The Wesleyan at Estrella, Karin, Shaver, Community Impact News, October 7, 2007,impactnews.com/georgetown-hutto-taylor/126-community-corridor/2187-williams-drive-georgetown, August 16, 2010,impactnews.com/georgetown-hutto-taylor/126-community-corridor/2187-williams-drive-georgetown," title="web.archive.org/web/20110713024726impactnews.com/georgetown-hutto-taylor/126-community-corridor/2187-williams-drive-georgetown,">web.archive.org/web/20110713024726impactnews.com/georgetown-hutto-taylor/126-community-corridor/2187-williams-drive-georgetown, July 13, 2011, dead, Various projects offer differing levels of care, including assisted living. The city, county, and churches also maintain compassionate-care facilities for the elderly at the Bluebonnet Community Residence.

Energy policy

Georgetown is the first Texas city to operate entirely on renewable energy.NEWS,www.statesman.com/article/20171023/NEWS/310239786, How Georgetown’s GOP mayor became a hero to climate change evangelists, Tilove, Jonathan, October 23, 2017, Austin American, November 20, 2018, en,web.archive.org/web/20181120221302/https://www.statesman.com/article/20171023/NEWS/310239786, November 20, 2018, live, Georgetown’s projected power expenditures were $33 million for 2016 (spent $40 million); $39 million for 2017 (spent $46 million) and $45 million for 2018 (spent $53 million). It made up the shortfall through lower capital investments, rate adjustments, and “higher revenue” (tax).WEB,www.statesman.com/news/20181216/georgetown-renegotiating-solar-wind-power-contracts, Georgetown renegotiating solar, wind power contracts, Claire, Osborn, Austin American-Statesman, June 8, 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190715143315/https://www.statesman.com/news/20181216/georgetown-renegotiating-solar-wind-power-contracts, July 15, 2019, live, The average home power bill in the city increased 22% in 2019 compared to 2018.WEB,www.eenews.net/stories/1061456081, POLITICO Pro, November 7, 2019,web.archive.org/web/20191105002112/https://www.eenews.net/stories/1061456081, November 5, 2019, live,

Government and politics

City government

The City of Georgetown is a home rule city and adopted its initial home-rule charter on April 24, 1970. As provided by its charter, Georgetown has a council-manager form of government. Under this form of government, the city council provides leadership by establishing the city’s goals and policies. The city council appoints a full-time city manager to achieve the desired end set by the city council. The manager oversees the day-to-day activities of the city and all city departments and executes council-established laws and policies. The city council is composed of seven council members elected by geographic districts:WEB,government.georgetown.org/city-council/, City Council – City Government, Government.georgetown.org, June 8, 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190329222557/https://government.georgetown.org/city-council/, March 29, 2019, live,

• District 1 – Amanda Parr
• District 2 – Shawn Hood
• District 3 – Michael Triggs
• District 4 – Steve Fought
• District 5 – Kevin Pitts
• District 6 – Jake French
• District 7 – Tommy Gonzalez

A mayor is elected at-large. Each position is elected for a term of three years, with council districts with staggered election dates. Josh Schroeder was elected mayor in 2020 with 64.54% of the vote and reelected in May 2023 with 85.6% of the vote.WEB, Election results for Mayor and Council Districts 2 and 6,georgetown.org/2023/05/06/election-results-for-mayor-and-council-districts-2-and-6/, City of Georgetown, Texas, May 6, 2023, He will serve until May 2026. David Morgan was hired by the City Council as the City Manager in 2015.WEB, Pham, Tadd, January 21, 2021, City Management,government.georgetown.org/mayor/, live,web.archive.org/web/20170615134818/https://government.georgetown.org/city-management/, June 15, 2017, May 3, 2017, City Government,

State and national representation

• Texas House of Representatives:
  • State Representative District 20 – Terry Wilson (R) – elected November 2012
  • State Representative District 52 – James Talarico (D) – elected November 2018
• Texas Senate
  • Texas Senate District 5 – Charles Schwertner (R) – elected November 2012
• United States House of Representatives:
  • Texas’s 31st congressional district – John R. Carter (R)

Education

(File:Georgetown, TX, Public Library IMG 7121.JPG|right|thumb|The Georgetown Public Library)The City of Georgetown is served by the Georgetown Independent School District and Georgetown High School, a National Blue Ribbon Award school, serves the community. Georgetown opened a second high school, East View High, in 2008. The graduating class of 2014 was the first class of students to graduate from East View as a full high school. Up to that point, East View High School had started as a freshman-only campus and added on one grade at a time as those students moved up.Georgetown is the home of Southwestern University, a private, four-year, undergraduate, liberal arts college.JOURNAL, Handbook of Texas Online, “Southwestern University” entry,tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/bbgya, Texas State History Association, April 12, 2019,www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/bbgya," title="web.archive.org/web/20110710065631www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/bbgya,">web.archive.org/web/20110710065631www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/bbgya, July 10, 2011, live, Founded in 1875,WEB,williamson-county-texas-history.org/GEORGETOWN_TEXAS/Original_Site_of_Southwestern_niversity-Georgetown-Historical_Marker.html, Southwestern University Original Site of in Georgetown Williamson County Historical Texas, 2021-01-28, 2021-05-15,web.archive.org/web/20210515050346/https://williamson-county-texas-history.org/GEORGETOWN_TEXAS/Original_Site_of_Southwestern_niversity-Georgetown-Historical_Marker.html, dead, Southwestern is the oldest university in Texas. The school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, although the curriculum is nonsectarian. Southwestern offers 40 bachelor’s degrees in the arts, sciences, fine arts, and music, as well as interdisciplinary and pre-professional programs. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the National Association of Schools of Music.

Sites of interest

{{unreferenced section|date=August 2018}}(File:GeorgetownPalace.jpg|thumbnail|The Palace Theatre is a historic theater in downtown Georgetown.)(File:M.B. Lockett Building, Georgetown, TX IMG 7115.JPG|right|thumb|The unusually designed M. B. Lockett Building in Courthouse Square in Georgetown)File:Grace Heritage Center, Georgetown, TX IMG 7117.JPG|right|thumb|The Grace Heritage CenterGrace Heritage Center

• Williamson County Courthouse
• Williamson County Art Guild
• Berry Springs Park
• Sun City Texas
• Blue Hole Park
• San Gabriel Park
• Georgetown Firefighters Museum
• Inner Space Cavern
• Lake Georgetown
• Georgetown Municipal Airport
• The Levy House
• Palace Theatre
• Georgetown Art Center
• Garey Park
• Booty’s Park

In popular culture

List partly from material provided by the Texas Film CommissionKatie Kelley, Office Manager – Texas Film Commission. Email July 23, 2009

• Friday Night Lights (Movie & TV series)
• Leadbelly
• Grindhouse
• Bernie
• My Boyfriend’s Back
• Natural Selection
• The Big Picture
• Picnic
• Ãœber Goober
• Pair of Aces
• What’s Eating Gilbert Grape
• Night Job
• Johnny Be Good
• Michael – a 1996 Nora Ephron film
• Varsity Blues
• Lemmy Lemmy
• Where the Heart Is
• Shady Grove
• The Prophet of Armageddon
• Dazed and Confused
• Hope Floats
• Temple Grandin
• Men, Women & Children

Notable people

• Brian Anderson, sports announcer: Turner Sports, Milwaukee BrewersWEB,www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2019/03/24/brewers-tv-announcer-brian-anderson-has-hectic-spring-schedule/3203530002/, Brewers TV announcer Brian Anderson has hectic spring schedule that includes basketball and golf, too, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, en, November 17, 2019,
• Mason Crosby, NFL kicker, Green Bay Packers, 2010 Super Bowl XLV championWEB,www.packers.com/team/players-roster/mason-crosby/?campaign=sf:fanshare:facebook, Mason Crosby, www.packers.com, en-US, November 17, 2019,
• Matt Dominguez, a Grey Cup winner and 2006 All-Star wide receiver with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football LeagueWEB,www.cfl.ca/2018/11/30/former-rider-dominguez-giving-back-sport-made-saskatchewan-star/, Former Rider Dominguez giving back to sport that made him a star, November 30, 2018, CFL.ca, en, November 17, 2019,web.archive.org/web/20191117192537/https://www.cfl.ca/2018/11/30/former-rider-dominguez-giving-back-sport-made-saskatchewan-star/, November 17, 2019, live,
• Thomas Fletcher, NFL Long Snapper, Carolina Panthers
• Conan Gray, singer-songwriter, internet personality, awarded ‘Best YouTube Musician’ at the 2019 Shorty AwardWEB,shortyawards.com/11th/conangray, Conan Gray – The Shorty Awards, shortyawards.com, July 11, 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190320200922/https://shortyawards.com/11th/conangray, March 20, 2019, dead,
• Ryan Ludwick, a Major League Baseball outfielder who last played for the Cincinnati RedsWEB,www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/ludwiry01.shtml, Ryan Ludwick Stats, Baseball-Reference.com, en, November 17, 2019,web.archive.org/web/20191106130814/https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/ludwiry01.shtml, November 6, 2019, live,
• Nolan Ryan, former Major League Baseball playerWEB,www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/ryanno01.shtml, Nolan Ryan Stats, Baseball-Reference.com, en, November 17, 2019,www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/R/Pryann001.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20170625075922www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/R/Pryann001.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20170625075922www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/R/Pryann001.htm, June 25, 2017, live,
• Granger Smith, singer-songwriter, Country Music, 2016 BMI Awards won the BMI Country Award, 2017 IHeartRadio Music Awards nominated for Best New Country Artist
• James Willbanks, military historian
• Paul Wall, rapper

Notes

{{notelist}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category}}{{EB1911 poster|Georgetown (Texas)|Georgetown, Texas}}

• City of Georgetown website

{{Williamson County, Texas}}{{Greater Austin}}{{Texas county seats}}{{Authority control}}