Smithville, TX Properties

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Smithville is a small city in Bastrop County, Texas, positioned along State Highway 71 in the rolling, pine-dotted landscape of the Lost Pines region, roughly 40 miles southeast of Austin. With a population around 4,400, it retains the scale and pace of a historic Texas railroad town while sitting within commuting reach of the state capital and the larger Bastrop and Elgin communities nearby. The city grew up around the railroad, and its depot still stands as a reminder of that era, with freight trains passing through the community. Smithville's historic core is unusually intact: more than 200 properties are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, giving the downtown a turn-of-the-century character of brick storefronts, antiques shops, and locally owned businesses. That well-preserved setting has drawn filmmakers for decades, and scenes from Hope Floats, The Tree of Life, and Doonby were shot among its downtown and residential districts. Residential life centers on tree-lined streets, with a mix of homes dating from the 19th through mid-20th centuries, particularly in the historic districts north of Main Street. The community is served by Smithville Independent School District, a small rural district spanning pre-kindergarten through high school. For recreation, Buescher State Park lies just north of the city, offering a roughly 1,000-acre setting of lake fishing, camping, and hiking trails that connects to the broader Central Texas park network. The town also keeps a light community calendar, including the annual Smithville Jamboree, which reflects its small-town traditions. Together, these qualities make Smithville a fit for people seeking a historically rooted, quieter Central Texas setting with access to Austin.

Population 4,445

County Bastrop County

Active Listings 310

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is Smithville, Texas in?

Smithville is located in Bastrop County, Texas, in the Central Texas region southeast of Austin. Bastrop County also includes the cities of Bastrop and Elgin and anchors the surrounding Lost Pines area along the State Highway 71 corridor.

What school district serves Smithville?

Smithville is served by Smithville Independent School District, a small rural district based in the city. It spans pre-kindergarten through 12th grade across about five campuses and enrolls roughly 1,800 students, serving families throughout the Smithville area of Bastrop County.

How far is Smithville from Austin?

Smithville is roughly 40 miles southeast of downtown Austin, reached primarily via State Highway 71. The drive places the city within commuting distance of Austin and its employment centers while allowing residents to retain a small-town, historically rooted way of life.

What movies were filmed in Smithville?

Smithville's well-preserved historic downtown has served as a filming location for several productions, most notably the 1998 film Hope Floats, as well as The Tree of Life and Doonby. Many of the town's movie locations can be toured along its downtown and residential districts.

Is there a state park near Smithville?

Yes. Buescher State Park lies just north of Smithville and offers roughly 1,000 acres of Lost Pines woodland with a lake for fishing, camping loops, and hiking trails. Bastrop State Park is also nearby, connected by the surrounding Central Texas park network.

City Guide

About Smithville

Real Estate & Housing

Smithville's housing stock reflects its railroad-era origins. The historic residential districts north of Main Street are lined with homes built from the 19th century through the mid-20th century, including Victorian-era and early 20th-century styles set on shaded, tree-lined lots. The downtown's surviving commercial buildings are part of the same preservation story, with more than 200 properties on the National Register of Historic Places. Beyond the historic core, the city offers a mix of older single-family homes and more conventional subdivision lots, giving buyers a range between period character and everyday Central Texas housing. The overall character is that of an older, established small town rather than a large planned-development market.

Neighborhoods

The area north of Main Street holds Smithville's primary historic residential district, where tree-lined streets frame homes from the 19th and early 20th centuries, several of which have appeared in film productions. Main Street itself functions as the commercial heart, with brick storefronts housing antiques shops, restaurants, and local storefronts. Around the historic center, the city transitions into quieter residential blocks and the surrounding Bastrop County countryside. The railroad depot anchors the southern edge of downtown and remains a working part of the community's identity.

Lifestyle in Smithville

Smithville's lifestyle is shaped by its preserved Main Street and its role as a filming location. The downtown holds antiques shops, locally owned eateries, and small storefronts that keep a turn-of-the-century ambiance. Visitors and residents alike can follow the town's movie-location trail, which traces sites from Hope Floats and other productions. The Smithville Jamboree, held each spring, is a signature community event, and the local museum documents the city's railroad and film heritage. Day-to-day life is quiet and small-scale, with the larger amenities of Bastrop and Austin within driving distance.

Schools & Education

Public education in Smithville is provided by Smithville Independent School District, a rural Central Texas district based in the city and serving Bastrop County. The district spans pre-kindergarten through 12th grade across roughly five campuses and enrolls about 1,800 students, giving it the close-knit feel typical of a small-town system. Students are served from elementary through Smithville High School within the same district.

Getting Around

Smithville sits along State Highway 71, the main corridor connecting the city west toward Austin and east through the Bastrop area. Austin is roughly 40 miles away, making the capital and its employment centers reachable for commuters, while Bastrop lies a short drive west. Freight rail remains part of the town's fabric, with trains passing the historic depot. Regional airports and the broader Central Texas highway network are accessed via Highway 71 and connecting routes through Bastrop and Elgin.

Parks & Recreation

Buescher State Park, just north of Smithville, is the city's primary outdoor anchor. The roughly 1,000-acre park sits in the Lost Pines and offers a lake for fishing, camping loops, and wooded hiking trails, and it pairs naturally with nearby Bastrop State Park for a longer day trip. The park's hilly, forested terrain distinguishes it from the flatter prairie farther east. Within town, the historic downtown and depot area offer a walkable setting, and the city's small-town events calendar provides recurring community gatherings through the year.

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