PARAGON
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Pedernales and Blanco River country between Austin and Fredericksburg, with Johnson City as the county seat.
Blanco County sits in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, roughly 50 road miles west of downtown Austin. The Pedernales River crosses the north of the county and the Blanco River runs through the south, so river and creek frontage is a recurring feature of ranch listings here.
Land in the county ranges from small acreage near Johnson City, Blanco, and Round Mountain to larger recreational and cattle ranches. The terrain is rolling limestone hills with oak and juniper cover, which shapes everything from fencing and road costs to wildlife-management options.
The entire county is inside one groundwater conservation district, which sets well registration, spacing, and production rules.
Blanco-Pedernales Groundwater Conservation District
Covers the entire county
See how Blanco County compares with 15 other counties in the Central Texas Rural Land Rules Index. Surface water in Texas belongs to the state, so river or creek frontage does not by itself carry a right to divert water. Confirm any existing surface-water permits and well records as part of due diligence.
Texas open-space (1-d-1) valuation taxes qualifying land on its agricultural productivity instead of market value. In this county it is administered by the Blanco County appraisal district.
A buyer must apply in their own name, generally by April 30, to keep the valuation. Wildlife-management use requires land already under agricultural valuation and at least three of seven qualifying practices. Changing the land to a non-agricultural use triggers a rollback tax for the previous three years, according to the Texas Comptroller.
Blanco County does not have a county-wide habitat conservation plan. Federal endangered-species rules still apply to habitat on private land.
Blanco County is outside the TCEQ Edwards Aquifer Protection Program.
Hill Country ranches, working farms, and Texas acreage from Unlock MLS
Listings provided by Unlock MLS via IDX Broker. Paragon Realty Group, brokered by eXp Realty, LLC.
Yes. The entire county is inside the Blanco-Pedernales Groundwater Conservation District, which sets rules for well registration, spacing, and production. Before closing, confirm that existing wells are registered and ask the district about any permit conditions that would affect your plans for livestock, irrigation, or new homes.
Texas open-space (1-d-1) valuation taxes qualifying land on its agricultural productivity rather than market value. The Blanco County appraisal district administers it. A new owner must apply in their own name, generally by April 30, to keep it. Wildlife-management use requires land already under agricultural valuation and at least three of seven qualifying practices. If the land changes to a non-agricultural use, the Texas Comptroller describes a rollback tax for the previous three years.
Blanco County does not have a county-wide habitat conservation plan, but federal endangered-species rules still apply to habitat on private land. The county is outside the TCEQ Edwards Aquifer Protection Program. For wooded tracts, ask an environmental consultant whether protected habitat is present before planning clearing or construction.
Under TREC contracts effective July 1, 2026, including the Farm and Ranch Contract (Paragraph 7K), the seller provides TREC's Seller's Disclosure about Groundwater and Surface Water Rights unless the tract has no known well, pond or tank, no surface-water permit, no severed groundwater rights, and gets water only from a named public or private supplier. The form asks for the groundwater district and any well permit numbers, so compare its answers with the district's own records. If it is owed and never delivered, the buyer may terminate before closing.
Johnson City, the county seat, is about 48 road miles from downtown Austin. Drive times vary by route and traffic, and individual ranches can be well off the highway on county roads. Confirm road access and travel time to the specific property as part of your visit.
Information compiled from public agency sources and last reviewed 2026-10-16. District boundaries and rules change; confirm details with the agencies linked above. Paragon Realty Group, brokered by eXp Realty, LLC, does not provide legal, tax, survey, or environmental advice.