This Week in New Braunfels
Ride the Rio Expands Hours Starting Today
As of November 1, New Braunfels' microtransit service "Ride the Rio!" begins operating at 6 a.m. instead of 7 a.m., extending daily service to 6 a.m.–8 p.m., seven days a week. The service covers most of the New Braunfels city limits and parts of the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction, funded through Federal Transportation Administration and Texas Department of Transportation grants. For residents in car-dependent areas of the ETJ, this is a meaningful expansion in practical access to the broader city.
Cooper's BBQ Distances Itself After Paxton-Cruz Rally
Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que in New Braunfels issued a statement last week disavowing a campaign rally held at its location featuring U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton and Senator Ted Cruz. The restaurant attributed the unauthorized event to a "rogue employee," stating that it does not endorse political candidates and would address the matter internally. New Braunfels votes roughly 64% Republican, so the political backdrop isn't unusual — but Cooper's made clear the business itself had no part in organizing the stop.
Visitor Center Relocating; Archaeology Exhibits Open at Local Site
New Braunfels' visitor center is moving from its I-35 location to the Hinmann House, where it will feature a "Postcard Place" pen pal program with local retirement home residents and a New Braunfels-themed playscape for families. Separately, a local nonprofit unveiled three outdoor archaeology exhibits on September 30 showcasing more than 8,000 years of human history at the site, adding to its conservation and cultural education resources. Both moves reflect ongoing investment in how the city presents its history and identity to residents and visitors alike.
Local Business Landscape Continues to Shift
Several New Braunfels businesses have updated their names or locations in recent weeks: a local law firm is rebranding as Texas Asset Protection Law, a wine shop has relocated and renamed as Dog on the Hill New Braunfels Wine Place, and a local meat company merged with Ranch House Mesquite Smoked Meats to become 1845 Ranch House Smoked Meats. Jeremiah's Italian Ice also opened a New Braunfels location on October 6. The steady churn of openings and rebrands tracks with a community that has grown fast enough to support new businesses while still seeing established ones consolidate and reposition.
November Events Calendar Fills Out for the Holiday Lead-Up
The month opens with a range of community events: a Mid-Texas Symphony performance, the annual Comal Cops for Kids Gruene Turkey Trot 5K on Thanksgiving morning, a Wassail festival in Gruene, and a holiday market with roughly 100 vendors on November 21–22. An outdoor ice skating rink behind The Pomegranate in Gruene runs from November 20 through January 3. Downtown's holiday lighting celebration, including free photos with Santa, is also scheduled for later in the month.
Real Estate Market
New Braunfels sits at a cost-of-living index of 105 — 5% above the national average and 18% above the Texas state average — with a median home value of $315,100 and a median household income of $88,257. That income figure is 17% above the national median, which partially offsets the premium buyers pay to live here. Mortgage rates have held just below 6.5% this week, which isn't low by recent historical standards, but the relative stability is more useful to buyers than continued volatility. At least decisions can be modeled with some confidence right now.
On the supply side, New Braunfels has 1,862 construction and development projects on file totaling $4.79 billion, with 87 filed in the last six months alone. Active residential community filings include Harmony Haus Senior Living, The Klein Residences, and Parkside, among others. That level of construction activity keeps inventory from tightening the way it does in markets with less land or fewer permits — which is relevant context for sellers trying to price aggressively. New product is entering the market consistently, and buyers have options they didn't have two or three years ago.
Rental data tells a similar story of stability without momentum: average rents for houses in New Braunfels are flat month-over-month and unchanged year-over-year, with a median of roughly $1,536 per month. Residents are spending about 21% of household income on rent, which is within a reasonable range. For those weighing rent versus buy, the calculus depends heavily on how long they plan to stay — the gap between owning and renting narrows considerably when factored over a five-plus year horizon, particularly in a market where continued growth in jobs and population keeps long-term demand reasonably well-supported.