Highland Horizon, Where the Park and Pool Set the Pace

About Highland Horizon

In Highland Horizon, the most recognizable landmark isn’t a monument—it’s the rhythm of Highland Horizon Park & Pool right in the middle of everyday life. On warm afternoons, you’ll see neighbors drifting toward the water and shaded picnic tables, while the quieter edges of the community naturally spill into nearby green space like Beck Preserve, just a short hop away. It’s the kind of Brushy Creek setting where weekend plans often start outdoors and end with a grocery run at the H-E-B about a mile from home.

This pocket of 78717 feels shaped by Round Rock ISD’s footprint and the way the area has grown around strong campuses and established parks. Families learn the school calendar by heart because schools like Cedar Valley Middle and Great Oaks EL sit close enough to be part of the neighborhood’s daily routes, not a special trip. With A-rated options all around—down to Round Rock H S roughly two miles away—Highland Horizon reads like a community that formed with school zones and recreation already baked into the lifestyle.

Housing here aligns with what many buyers want from Brushy Creek: a suburban streetscape where people put down roots, update interiors over time, and lean on nearby amenities rather than driving across town for basics. The typical price expectations reflect the area’s demand; in this ZIP code the median home value sits around $652,200, and you feel that in the level of care in yards, the steady renovation activity, and the general “settled-in” look of the blocks.

Culturally, 78717 is one of the more educated corners of the region, with 68.9% of residents holding a bachelor’s degree or higher, and that shows up in how people use the neighborhood—morning coffee runs, after-school activities, and community-center workouts. With a ZIP-area population of 37,262 and a median age of 36.8, Highland Horizon comes across as energetic but not transient: a mix of long-time homeowners and newer arrivals who want a Brushy Creek base close to parks, schools, and familiar everyday conveniences.

If your ideal week includes a lap at the pool, a quick stop at Starbucks around the corner, and a calendar that revolves around Round Rock ISD events, Highland Horizon tends to feel immediately intuitive—designed for people who want their routines to be local.

Living in Highland Horizon: Parks First, Everyday Convenience Close Behind

Daily life in Highland Horizon tends to orbit around what’s closest and easiest: Highland Horizon Park & Pool for summer days, Brushy Creek Community Park about a mile away when you want bigger trails and open space, and the Brushy Creek Community Center nearby when you’re fitting a workout in between school pickup and dinner. The neighborhood’s layout makes it simple to build routines that don’t require much planning—an evening walk at The Woods Greenbelt, a weekend disc golf loop at Liberty Walk Greenbelt & Disc Golf Course, or a quick reset in the Xeriscape Garden when you want something calmer than a full park outing.

Home expectations here line up with the broader 78717 market, where the median home value is about $652,200. You’ll also notice the area supports both owners and renters; housing in the ZIP includes about 15,361 units with roughly 49.9% owner-occupied and 47.3% renter, which creates a neighborhood feel that’s lively rather than locked-in. With a median household income of $145,325 and per capita income of $73,886 in the surrounding ZIP area, Highland Horizon tends to attract buyers and renters who are deliberate about school access, commute patterns, and having parks within easy reach.

Coffee and errands are notably simple here. A Starbucks sits about half a mile away for quick mornings, while Lamppost Coffee and Corner Bakery Cafe are close enough to become regulars once you find your order. Groceries are similarly convenient: H-E-B is under a mile, and specialty stops like Teji’s Indian Grocery or Manpasand Indian Pakistani Halal Groceries Supermarket are nearby when you want something specific. For fitness, a lot of residents rotate between LA Fitness, Burn Bootcamp, and the Brushy Creek Community Center depending on the season—and when it’s hot, Micki Krebsbach Pool becomes a go-to.

Schools are a major part of the decision to live here, and the nearby list reads like a Round Rock ISD highlight reel. Families talk about the practicality of campuses like Great Oaks EL, Elsa England EL, and Cedar Valley Middle being so close, and the fact that they’re all rated A adds to the confidence. High school options nearby include Round Rock H S and McNeil H S, both also rated A, which helps explain why people often try to stay in the area even as their needs change.

Commute habits reflect a modern Brushy Creek reality: about 33.1% of residents work from home, while 57.7% drive alone, so you’ll see a mix of quiet weekday mornings and busier school-hour traffic. Evenings are when the neighborhood feels most social—families at the park, neighbors meeting up for a casual drink at places like Round Rock Tavern or Quinns a few minutes away, and a steady flow of locals heading toward Centennial Plaza Amphitheater when there’s something on the calendar.

Things to Do Near Highland Horizon

If you like having options without a long drive, Highland Horizon delivers. Highland Horizon Park & Pool is the obvious anchor, but the real fun is how many parks stack up within a couple of miles: Brushy Creek Community Park for bigger outdoor days, Racine Woods Park and Cat Hollow Park for quick meetups, and Pepper Rock Park when you want to check out Pepper Rock Climb Scape. When you want something more tucked away, Beck Preserve sits close enough for an easy nature break.

Day-to-day conveniences are equally close. A Starbucks about 0.6 miles away makes morning coffee simple, and Lamppost Coffee, Teapioca Lounge, and Unicorniverse Bakery & Cafe give you variety when you want to switch it up. Grocery runs are easy with H-E-B under a mile and Sprouts Farmers Market nearby, plus specialty stores like Teji’s Indian Grocery and Manpasand Indian Pakistani Halal Groceries Supermarket for harder-to-find ingredients. For nights out, locals often keep it casual at Round Rock Tavern or Rocky’s Piano Bar, and for a change of pace, Sam Bass Community Theatre and Centennial Plaza Amphitheater put entertainment within a short drive.

Neighborhoods Near Highland Horizon

Highland Horizon sits among a cluster of established Round Rock and Brushy Creek communities that each bring their own feel. Old Round Rock is close enough for a quick change of scenery—more of a “meet a friend and wander” vibe—while Cimarron and The Oaklands (Round Rock) read as similarly residential neighbors that keep you in the same general orbit of parks, schools, and everyday shopping.

If you’re comparing pockets, Fern Bluff and Stone Canyon are nearby names you’ll hear often when people talk about school zones and park access, and Oak Creek (Round Rock) and Sauls Ranch (Round Rock) help round out the choices for buyers who want to stay near the same amenities. A little farther out, Robinson Ranch (Austin) and Parmer Crossing at Lakeline Station (Austin) are useful reference points if you’re balancing a Brushy Creek lifestyle with Austin-adjacent routines.

Local Resources Near Highland Horizon

For families, Round Rock ISD is the day-to-day touchpoint, with nearby campuses like Great Oaks EL, Cedar Valley Middle, and Round Rock H S shaping routines from morning drop-off to after-school activities. When you need county-level property information, the Williamson Central Appraisal District is the primary hub for valuation and exemptions, and being in Williamson County also means your property tax picture includes the county rate of $0.4138 per $100 of valuation.

For public services and community life, many residents use the Round Rock Public Library area as a practical reference point for local resources, and county services run through Williamson County offices. Public safety support is close at hand with options like Impact Fire Services and the Round Rock Fire Department within a few miles, and for everyday tasks like shipping and P.O. box needs, a USPS location sits nearby. For vehicle and tax-related errands, the Round Rock Tax Office is also close enough to be manageable when deadlines hit.

Healthcare access is a short drive away at Cedar Park Regional Medical Center and Baylor Scott & White Clinic-Cedar Park, which matters for families who want a Brushy Creek home base without feeling far from routine care.

Frequently Asked Questions About Highland Horizon

Is Highland Horizon a good place to live?

Highland Horizon is a strong choice if you want a Brushy Creek lifestyle built around parks, schools, and practical errands. Having Highland Horizon Park & Pool right there changes how people use their evenings and weekends, and being close to Brushy Creek Community Park and Beck Preserve keeps outdoor time easy. The surrounding 78717 area also supports a comfortable day-to-day rhythm, with a median household income of $145,325 and a median age of 36.8, which often translates to active households and a busy school-and-sports calendar. With the median home value around $652,200, it’s a neighborhood where buyers tend to plan to stay and invest in the home over time.

Is Highland Horizon safe?

Highland Horizon generally carries the safety reputation people look for in established Brushy Creek neighborhoods, especially because so much daily life happens out in the open at places like Highland Horizon Park & Pool, The Woods Greenbelt, and nearby parks like Racine Woods Park. When neighborhoods are used heavily by families and walkers, it naturally creates more “eyes on the street.” For emergency response, residents are supported by nearby services such as Impact Fire Services and Round Rock Fire Department locations within a few miles, which adds reassurance for homeowners. As with any area, the best approach is to visit at different times of day and talk with neighbors who regularly use the parks and greenbelts.

How are the schools in Highland Horizon?

Schools are one of Highland Horizon’s biggest draws, with a deep bench of nearby A-rated campuses in Round Rock ISD. Great Oaks EL is about a mile away, and Cedar Valley Middle is even closer at roughly 0.7 miles, which makes school-day logistics more manageable. As students grow, families often look at options like Round Rock H S around two miles away and McNeil H S about three miles away, both rated A. If you’re exploring alternatives, there are also nearby A-rated options like IDEA Round Rock Tech Academy and Meridian World School LLC within a few miles, giving families more paths without leaving the general 78717 area.

What is the cost of living in Highland Horizon?

Highland Horizon sits in the 78717 market where housing costs are a major part of the budget; the median home value is about $652,200, and the median gross rent is around $1,867 per month, so whether you buy or rent, housing tends to be the headline expense. On the tax side, the only specific rate provided here is the Williamson County property tax rate of $0.4138 per $100 of valuation; other key components that typically affect the total bill, like the school district and any other local taxing units, weren’t provided, so a reliable combined estimated rate can’t be calculated from the available numbers alone. For overall cost comparisons, Regional Price Parity (where 100 equals the U.S. average) wasn’t provided for Brushy Creek or 78717 in the data, so I can’t quantify whether goods, utilities, or housing run above or below the national average using that index. Practically, many households balance higher housing prices with Texas’s lack of a state income tax, and in this part of Brushy Creek it’s common to see residents focus on locking in the right home and school fit first, then dialing in monthly costs through commute choices—especially with 33.1% working from home in the area.

Is Highland Horizon good for families?

Highland Horizon works well for families because the neighborhood’s best amenities are the ones you’ll use constantly. Highland Horizon Park & Pool is a built-in weekend plan, and Brushy Creek Community Park, Cat Hollow Park, and Pepper Rock Park add variety when you want trails, playground time, or a longer outdoor afternoon. School access is a major plus: nearby Round Rock ISD campuses like Great Oaks EL and Cedar Valley Middle are both rated A and close enough to keep mornings smoother. The surrounding area also skews family-active, with 16.3% of residents under 18 and a median age of 36.8, so it’s common to see kids’ activities and sports weave into the neighborhood routine.

What is Highland Horizon known for?

Highland Horizon is known locally for being a park-centered pocket of 78717 where recreation is truly walk-out-the-door convenient. Highland Horizon Park & Pool gives the community a clear gathering point, and the surrounding network of green spaces—like The Woods Greenbelt and Liberty Walk Greenbelt & Disc Golf Course—adds to that outdoors-first identity. It also sits in a part of Brushy Creek where school conversations matter; having multiple nearby A-rated Round Rock ISD campuses, including Cedar Valley Middle and Round Rock H S, shapes the neighborhood’s reputation. The area’s mix of backgrounds is part of the cultural feel too, with a ZIP profile that includes 32.5% Asian and 17.2% Hispanic residents alongside long-established Central Texas households.

What are things to do near Highland Horizon?

Most weekends near Highland Horizon start outside: a morning at Highland Horizon Park & Pool, a longer walk or ride through Brushy Creek Community Park, or a quieter nature break at Beck Preserve. For casual food and coffee runs, residents rotate between nearby Starbucks locations, Lamppost Coffee, and Corner Bakery Cafe, and it’s easy to tack on groceries at H-E-B or Sprouts Farmers Market. Evenings can be low-key with live-music energy at Rocky’s Piano Bar or a meet-up at Round Rock Tavern, and if you want something more cultural, Sam Bass Community Theatre and the Centennial Plaza Amphitheater are close enough to feel like neighborhood options rather than a big night out.

What ZIP code is Highland Horizon in?

Highland Horizon is in ZIP code 78717. That ZIP’s profile—home values, rents, and demographics—closely reflects what buyers and renters experience in and around the neighborhood.

Interested in Highland Horizon?

If you’re considering Highland Horizon, I can help you compare streets, school options, and recent pricing in 78717 so you know exactly what you’re getting. Reach out for a local, no-pressure conversation and a short list of homes that match your day-to-day routines.