A Texas Town Surrounded By Nature Is One Of The Best Place For Seniors Despite An Above Average Cost Of Living

Wimberley, Texas is a prime spot for retirement. Its appeal was confirmed when World Atlas included it among the six ideal towns for seniors in Texas. A MySanAntonio feature echoed that praise, noting how Wimberley is a place for outdoor fun. The town was incorporated in 1856 as Winters' Mill on Cypress Creek. In 1874, mill owner Pleasant Wimberley bought the operation, and the town later took his name. Today, the old limestone mill still anchors the town square. You can see its water-powered past at Blue Hole Regional Park — a cypress-shaded swimming area — and at Jacob's Well, the artesian spring that once turned those grindstones.

That calm, creek-side start still shapes life in Wimberley. In 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau listed just 2,839 residents. More than a quarter of them (26.7%) are age 65 or older, and with a median age of 56.4, the town naturally appeals to retirees. Safety statistics boost its charm even more. Neighborhood Scout ranks Wimberley safer than 83% of U.S. cities, with a combined violent-and-property-crime rate of 2.8 incidents per 1,000 people — well below state and national levels.

That sense of security, combined with decades of volunteer-run art markets and community festivals, creates a sense of community. Here, a newcomer's grocery bags seldom make it from the car to the house without a friendly wave or hello. This neighborliness is vital. Asides acceptance into the community, it can create a market for a retiree who decides to make money after retirement.

Zillow's 2025 Home-Value Index shows the typical house at $619,542. Renters spend much less up front. Zillow's rental tracker lists the average rent at $1,800 a month across all unit sizes. Yet it is lower than the national average of $2,100. Once your mortgage or rent is covered, routine costs stay affordable. The MIT's Living Wage Calculator estimates that a single adult in Hays County (where Wimberley is located) spends about $3,971 a year on food, while a family of four pays around $11,640 — roughly $331 and $970 per month respectively.

For utilities, the 2023 U.S. EIA data shows Texas households paying about $165.82 each month in 2023 for electricity, at a rate of 14.5 cents per kilowatt hour. For water and sewer, Wimberley customers served by Aqua Texas now face a proposed base charge of $20.81 for water plus $32.48 for wastewater — a combined $53.29, according to Wimberley View in 2024. Adding those two lines puts a typical resident's core utilities close to $219 a month. Taxes sweeten the deal because Texas has no state income tax. Yet, property taxes can be high. Wimberley sits inside Hays County, so homeowners begin with the county's average effective property-tax rate of 1.85%, as calculated in SmartAsset's 2024 property-tax report. Apply that countywide rate to Wimberley's $619,542 typical home value and the annual bill comes to roughly $11,460.

Wimberley handles everyday healthcare right in town. Wimberley Medical Clinic manages routine doctor visits, and a team of 12 paramedics at Wimberley EMS responds to 9-1-1 calls across 150 square miles of western Hays County. For hospital care, retirees can drive 15 to 20 minutes north to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Buda, which opened in late 2019, or head south to the San Marcos campus for specialized surgery and heart treatments. Costs stay reasonable; the MIT's Living Wage Calculator projects 2025 out-of-pocket medical expenses in Hays County at $3,133 for a single adult and $10,299 for a two-adult household.

When retirees need daily assistance, two nearby communities offer care without leaving the valley. Symphony of Wimberley, via Family Assets, lists 2025 rates from $2,850 to $7,011 per month, averaging about $4,930. Just a mile away, Alexis Pointe also provides memory-care suites for residents with higher needs. Both centers feature on-site rehabilitation gyms, chef-prepared meals, and shuttle service to doctors in Buda or Dripping Springs.

Health and leisure blends in Wimberley, too. In summer, residents cool off in Blue Hole Regional Park's spring-fed pool (reservations run May through September), and all year long they explore its free hiking trails shaded by towering cypress trees. Every first Saturday from March through December, Wimberley Market Days fills the town square with over 450 booths — making it Texas's second-largest outdoor market — and draws crowds from sunrise until mid-afternoon.