We’re continuing our Destination Leander analysis in sharing the city’s vision and priority for Leander to be an employment destination and an education destination. 

Employment Destination

An employment study performed in 2015 showed 97% of Leander residents commute outside of the city for work. To change that, the city’s Destination Leander long-term plan intends to provide more local employment options to increase jobs for residents and increase the non-residential tax base. This will also reduce vehicle-miles-traveled and air pollution emissions while lowering costs for businesses and commuters, along with landowner public expenditures on facilities and services. 

In 2017, almost 10,000 people commuted into Leander for work while nearly 16,000 leave Leander. Only a few 1,800 live and work in Leander.

Compared to the 2015 report, there’s a 300% increase of people commuting to Leander and an 80% increase of citizens who live and work in Leander.

More people living and working in Leander naturally affects other industries, like hardware stores, grocery stores, restaurants, and sporting goods stores, too. Day-time population supports retail and commercial businesses, and without Destination Leander’s vision to inspire residents to live, shop, and work within the city, Leander stood to lose millions of sales in the retail and commercial sectors.

Educational Destination

Leander is known for its high-quality education and only plans to maximize it. In 2015, they planned for the Austin Community College to open in 2017 to continue learning in the community. 

Thanks to Austin Community College, the student population has increased exponentially since it also increased the housing rate. In the master plan, they predicted Austin Community College would bring in more than 2,000 students. The number is now more than 40,000 students. The Austin Community College in Central Texas has also increased the student: teacher ratio from 15:1 to 43:1. 

Convenient access to transit is instrumental in promoting Leander as an educational destination. The Red Line Rail service, along with CapMetro bus routes, currently serve as transit in the City of Leander. The primary routes include the 983-N US183 Express (connecting Leander with the University of Texas and Downtown Austin), 985-Leander/Lakeline Direct (connecting Leander with East Riverside / Travis Heights, Downtown Austin, the University of Texas, and Lakeline Mall, and 987-Leander/NW Express (connecting Leander with East Riverside / Travis Heights, the University of Texas, Downtown Austin, and Lakeline Mall. Destination Leander created a specific plan, called the Transit-Oriented Development (or TOD), to address transportation relative to development and to position Leander for growth.

If you’re considering making a move around the Central Texas region and have questions, contact us today. We’re knowledgeable in everything Leander, like what it’s like to live in Leander, its home prices, or how we help our clients settle in. We are always happy and excited to share our knowledge with you. Contact Cummings Team® by clicking here or call or email: 512-619-3186 | cummingsteam@purerealty.com.