Set in the picturesque Texas Hill Country and strategically located in the heart of the Austin- San Antonio Corridor, San Marcos is ideal for companies and people who are looking to have the cachet of Austin without the cost. Ranked for three consecutive years as the nation’s fastest growing city by the U.S. Census Bureau (2013–2015), the city is one of the most affordable in Texas and is conveniently situated 30 minutes between Austin and San Antonio on Interstate 35. San Marcos is home to the state’s fourth-largest university, Texas State University, an Emerging Research University and Hispanic Serving Institute with nearly 39,000 students. The University’s STAR Park, a 58,000-square-foot advanced materials research center, fosters and houses innovative young technology companies performing cutting-edge research that are anchoring San Marcos as the center of the Innovation Corridor.

Companies have taken notice of the economic growth in San Marcos, most recently Urban Mining Company, which selected San Marcos for its headquarters and the continent’s only rare earth manufacturing facility; Amazon, which began operations in its new 855,000-square-foot fulfillment center in August 2016 and currently has over 3,000 full-time employees; and Best Buy, which has its first and only Texas e-commerce sales operation center in the city.

The city is poised for growth in several industries, including Aerospace, Aviation, Security & Defense; Business Services & Support; Materials Science; Information Technology; Life Sciences; Regional Distribution; and Destination Attractions.

WHAT MAKES SAN MARCOS STAND OUT?

• Abundant Talent: Employers can tap the diverse and talented workforce of 2.2 million within a 60-mile radius of San Marcos per ESRI Business Analyst.
• Affordability: San Marcos offers both high quality of life and low cost of living. San Marcos is the most affordable large city (50,000+) in the Austin MSA. In 2021, the median home sales price in San Marcos was 46% lower than in Austin.
• Accessibility: San Marcos has strong infrastructure with easy access to two major highways, I-35 and SH-130, two international airports, Austin-Bergstrom and San Antonio, and is home to San Marcos Regional Airport, a former air base.

Sources: Texas Comptroller for retail sales; Texas Workforce Commission for labor force, unemployment, businesses, employees, and salaries; Texas Education Agency for public school enrollment and graduates; ESRI for 2021 demographic estimates; and U.S. Census Bureau for all other data.