Probably the things you look for in a place to live for you and your family are the support of good neighbors; a safe, healthy environment; modern health care; affordable housing; a superior educational system; a trained workforce with a strong work ethic; and a thriving business and financial sector. Fredericksburg offers all of these.
First-time visitors to the Texas Hill Country are impressed with the large number and wide variety of trees, scenic hills, flowing rivers and green grazing pasture land. At over 1700′ above sea level, Fredericksburg (pop. 10,087) and Gillespie County (pop. 22,502) offer crisp, clear, low pollution skies and moderate temperatures and humidity. Gillespie County’s low crime rate, low taxes, and low utility costs, as well as proximity to metropolitan areas, makes it an ideal location to live in and do business.
The charm and heritage of Fredericksburg and the scenic hills of Gillespie County have turned this area into one of the top small-town tourism destinations in Texas. Visitors enjoy eating at over 60 restaurants, visiting more than 150 shops and stores and attending over 60 festivals and special events throughout the year. State parks, day spas, a municipal golf course, antique and art galleries, museums and historic sites, and over thirty wineries offer a variety of activities for all age groups.
Lodging options include over 1000 hotel/motel rooms, over 325 bed & breakfast/guesthouse locations and six RV parks.
Agriculture was the first business to locate in Gillespie County over 150 years ago and continues to be a thriving part of today’s prosperity. Food and fiber crops, livestock and all hunting account for annual cash receipts in excess of 50 million dollars. Nearly every crop can be grown in the rich soil of the Pedernales Valley in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. In addition to being the number one peach producing county in Texas, there are apples, pecans, puts, berries, and every conceivable table vegetable. There are numerous wineries in Gillespie County producing nationally and internationally acclaimed wines.
Gillespie County and Fredericksburg are home to a large number of talented craftspeople who produce a wide variety of popular items such as hand woven rugs, jewelry, blown glass, musical instruments and customized furniture. Many artists reside in Gillespie County including the nationally acclaimed G. Harvey, Mark Haworth, and John Austin Hanna.
Education is the cornerstone of any progressive community. Gillespie County schools take pride in producing the highest quality students as evidenced by the many national merit scholar winners and finalists. With a student enrollment of nearly 4,000, Fredericksburg, Harper, Stonewall and Doss schools offer a quality classroom education, gift, and talented classes as well as vocational and technical courses.
There are several private schools in the county offering alternative education options. Gillespie County boasts many state-certified childcare centers to accommodate the needs of working families.
The Hill Country University Center is an academic partnership among several schools offering several bachelors degrees as well as masters and two Ph.D. programs. The partners include Central College, Texas Tech University, Angelo State University, and Concordia University.
The health system includes the Hill Country Memorial Hospital, the Hill Country Memorial Community Services, a regional outreach designed to meet an extensive range of area health care needs including home care, hospice, regional clinics, WIC, the Community Health Center and Hill Country Memorial Wellness Center, a state-of-the-art facility providing healthy living with a complete spectrum of fitness equipment, group fitness classes, indoor heated pool, and warm-water therapy pool. After major medical procedures, patients use these facilities to restore function and work their way back to fitness and function.
Gillespie County is prepared to meet the needs of a growing community. Gillespie County has two staffed Emergency Medical Service unit serving Fredericksburg, Doss, Stonewall, and Harper around the clock.
