Four public school districts cover the county. Here is what each one is, where it serves, and what to know before you buy.
Largest district. Covers Bastrop, Cedar Creek, and most of the north-central county. Two high schools (Bastrop and Cedar Creek), several middle and elementary schools. Growing fast — new schools opened in the past five years and more are planned.
Covers Smithville and surrounding rural areas. One high school. Smaller, more traditional, very community-rooted. Long sports rivalries with Bastrop.
Covers Elgin and northern Bastrop County. One high school. Growing with the Highway 290 corridor — demographics and demands shifting alongside the population.
Tiny rural district covering McDade and the surrounding country. K-12 on one campus. Old-Texas small-school feel that people deliberately move for.
Bastrop County's school district lines do not always follow city limits or HOA boundaries. A house with a Bastrop mailing address can be in Smithville ISD or Elgin ISD. If schools matter to your purchase, confirm the actual zoning before you make an offer — not from the listing, not from the sign on the road, but from the district itself.
The county has a small set of private schools, mostly faith-based, plus a couple of charter campuses operated by Austin-area charter networks. Most private-school families end up commuting toward Austin. Homeschool co-ops are active and well-organized.
Austin Community College operates a campus in Elgin and outreach in Bastrop. The University of Texas, Texas State, and Huston-Tillotson are all within commuting distance from north Bastrop County.
The market report and the area guide on the main site break down which neighborhoods feed which campuses.
Area Guide →