Profile of the Steiner Ranch Neighborhood in Austin

Steiner Ranch is a community in northwest Austin that was master-planned by Taylor Woodrow. It is located on 4,600 acres and borders two lakes. Its countless outdoor amenities make it feel more like a resort than a neighborhood.

The Location

Depending on traffic, it can take 30 to 45 minutes to get to downtown Austin from Steiner Ranch. It is positioned between Lake Travis and Lake Austin (it is located along Lake Travis’ south shore and along Lake Austin’s north shore). Steiner Ranch’s main entrance is located off RR 620 at Quinlan Park Road. It is just minutes from Mansfield dam and near Lakeway. It is a bit of a drive to central Austin, especially when traffic is bad, but it's hard to beat the outdoor amenities that come with living in Steiner Ranch.

Transportation

Depending on where you live in Steiner Ranch, you may be able to walk to certain community gathering spots, such as a swimming pool or hiking trail. However, Steiner Ranch is very large and you will need a car to get around most of it.

Capital Metro’s Route 122 stops at the Four Points shopping center near Steiner Ranch and another stop at 3M, which has offices near Steiner Ranch. Those are the only two bus stops near Steiner Ranch, as this is a limited bus route. You can take this route to get downtown. However, it is most convenient to get around town with a car in Austin.

The People of Steiner Ranch

Steiner Ranch is ideal for people who enjoy golfing, boating, swimming, biking, fishing and any other outdoor activities. It is an upscale area that feels very safe and has many included amenities, making it a great place to raise a family.

About half of Steiner Ranch residents have children and 77 percent are married. The median age is 36.7 and the median household income is $280,000. The large majority of residents above age 25 have a college degree. The population of Steiner Ranch was around 15,000 in 2017.

Outdoor Activities

Steiner Ranch is chock full of excellent outdoor amenities. The neighborhood has community parks, two recreation centers with swimming pools, tennis courts and basketball courts. It has a private club on Lake Austin, which features 11 day docks for homeowners' use. Steiner Ranch also has an 800-acre nature preserve, which includes 12 miles of nature trails. There are 19 marinas, 15 public parks and 10 golf courses in the area.

The University of Texas golf club is located in Steiner Ranch. It sits on 275 acres and features a 7,225-yard championship course.

Devil's Cove

Depending on your perspective, Devil’s Cove may be viewed as one of the best or worst aspects of living in Steiner Ranch. Devil’s Cove is an inlet on nearby Lake Travis that turns into an on-the-water party every weekend during the summer. Revelers anchor their boats in one area, play loud music, slide or jump off boats, cruise around on floats, drink and generally have a great time. The celebrating can sometimes get out of hand, however. New rules have been implemented in recent years to keep the situation under control. For example, now only five boats can be tied up together. Too many anchor lines in the water were damaging the underwater structures and causing a variety of other problems, so the boats now have to stay well away from any docks.

Coffee Shops and Restaurants

The Oasis, called “the sunset capital of Texas,” is a multi-deck restaurant that overlooks Lake Travis and offers incredible views of the sunset over the lake. It is very close to Steiner Ranch.

The neighborhood is located near the Four Points Shopping Center, which has an H-E-B grocery store in addition to a Starbucks, Austin's Pizza and Subway. Lakeline Mall is nearby and has a food court and several restaurants. The Hill Country Galleria is also not far from Steiner Ranch, and it has many restaurants and great shopping.

Real Estate

Homes in Steiner Ranch range from around $450,000 to $6 million. The median home price is around $550,000, while the average price is in the $500,000s. There are old and new homes available. You can also buy a lot and have your home custom-built. Most homes in Steiner Ranch are 10 years old and have just over 3,000 square feet. Property taxes are somewhat high in Steiner Ranch.

The Essentials

Post office: 2110 Ranch Road 620 S., Lakeway, Texas
Zip code: 78726
Schools: Steiner Ranch is located within the Leander Independent School District. Steiner Ranch Elementary, Laura Welch Bush Elementary, and Canyon Ridge Middle School are the elementary and middle schools in the area and are located within Steiner Ranch. Students in this neighborhood attend Cedar Park High School. The School of the Hills Montessori is a private school located in Steiner Ranch.

Stricter Codes

Stricter development codes passed in 2018 have slowed down development in Steiner Ranch somewhat. However, demand continues to be so strong that no significant impact is expected.

Edited by Robert Macias