Ed Neuhaus 
Two Great Austin Suburbs, One Important Decision
If you’re house hunting in the western Austin corridor, there’s a good chance you’ve narrowed your search to two cities that keep coming up: Bee Cave and West Lake Hills. Both are small, affluent, well-schooled communities perched in the Hill Country west of downtown Austin. Both offer the kind of lifestyle that makes people willing to pay a premium. And both attract the same general buyer profile: families with school-age kids, professionals who work in Austin but want suburban space, and retirees who want quiet without isolation.
But the similarities mask some meaningful differences in cost, taxes, schools, commute, and community character. I’ve sold homes in both cities for over 15 years, and I live in Bee Cave, so I’ll be upfront about my bias. That said, I’ll give you the honest comparison because the right answer genuinely depends on what you prioritize. Lets break it down.
Location and Commute
West Lake Hills wins on proximity to downtown Austin. The city sits roughly 6 miles from Lady Bird Lake and the central business district, making the commute about 10 to 15 minutes outside of rush hour. If you work downtown, in South Austin, or anywhere along MoPac or Loop 360, West Lake Hills puts you close enough that the drive is a non-factor most days.
Bee Cave is further out at about 17 miles from downtown, translating to approximately 26 minutes in normal traffic and up to 40 minutes during peak rush hour. If your office is in the Domain, the Arboretum, or northwest Austin, the commute is similar to West Lake Hills via RR 620. But if you’re commuting to downtown five days a week, the extra 10 to 15 minutes each way adds up.
The commute calculus has shifted since 2020, though. A lot of Bee Cave residents work remotely full-time or go into an office two to three days a week. For that work pattern, the extra distance from downtown matters much less, and the space and value you get in Bee Cave more than compensates.
Home Prices
West Lake Hills is one of the most expensive real estate markets in the Austin metro. The median home price runs around $1.5 million to $2 million, and many properties exceed $3 million, particularly those with acreage, views, or proximity to the best school campuses. Lot sizes tend to be larger (half-acre to several acres is common), which contributes to the higher price points.
Bee Cave offers a much broader price range. You can find homes starting in the mid-$400s (townhomes and smaller floor plans in communities like Sweetwater) and scaling up past $5 million in Spanish Oaks. The median home price in Bee Cave is roughly $700,000 to $800,000, which gives families significantly more purchasing power compared to West Lake Hills. For the same budget, you’ll get more square footage, more lot, and in many cases newer construction in Bee Cave. See our Bee Cave market report for current data.
Property Taxes
This is where the comparison gets interesting. Bee Cave’s city property tax rate is $0.02 per $100 of assessed value. West Lake Hills charges $0.03 per $100. Both are dramatically lower than Austin ($0.44+), so compared to the big city, either suburb is a tax advantage.
But the school district tax rates differ. Bee Cave is in Lake Travis ISD, and West Lake Hills is in Eanes ISD. Both districts levy roughly comparable school tax rates in the $1.00 to $1.10 per $100 range, though the exact rates fluctuate with budget cycles and voter-approved bond elections.
Where taxes start to diverge more meaningfully is in the total effective rate when you factor in everything: county, school, city, healthcare district, and any MUD assessments. Because West Lake Hills homes tend to be appraised higher (larger lots, higher per-square-foot values), the absolute dollar amount of the tax bill is usually higher even if the rates are similar. On a $2 million West Lake Hills home, you’re paying county and school district taxes on that full appraised value. On a $900,000 Bee Cave home with comparable living space, the absolute tax bill is significantly lower.
Schools: LTISD vs Eanes ISD
This is the category where West Lake Hills has a legitimate claim to superiority. Eanes ISD is consistently ranked the #1 school district in the Austin metro (and often in all of Texas) by Niche, SchoolDigger, and other ranking services. Westlake High School in particular is nationally recognized for academics, athletics, and extracurriculars. The AP program is extensive, college placement rates are exceptional, and the facilities are outstanding.
Lake Travis ISD is ranked 3rd in the Austin metro and receives an A-minus from Niche. Lake Travis High School has strong AP participation, above-average graduation rates, and legendary athletic programs (the football program alone draws attention statewide). The gap between LTISD and Eanes is real but narrow, and for many families the difference doesn’t justify the price premium of West Lake Hills.
Our Bee Cave schools guide covers every LTISD campus serving Bee Cave in detail. Both districts are excellent. The question is whether the marginal difference in school ranking is worth the significantly higher cost of entry in West Lake Hills.
Community Character and Lifestyle
West Lake Hills has an established, old-money feel. The community has been affluent for decades, the homes reflect that history (mid-century ranches alongside new custom builds), and the vibe is understated luxury. There’s less commercial development within the city limits, which means residents drive to Austin, Bee Cave, or Lakeway for most shopping and dining. The community is tight-knit but quiet, with less organized community programming than master-planned suburban developments.
Bee Cave has a newer, more dynamic energy. The Hill Country Galleria gives the city a genuine town center with restaurants, shopping, entertainment, and 150+ events per year. The neighborhoods range from brand-new master-planned communities like Provence to established enclaves like The Homestead. There’s more commercial infrastructure within the city, which means less driving for everyday errands.
If you prefer a quieter, more established community where the prestige is implied rather than stated, West Lake Hills fits. If you want a growing community with visible amenities, dining options, and community events within walking or short driving distance, Bee Cave is the better match.
Lot Sizes and Home Styles
West Lake Hills is known for larger lots, often half-acre to several acres. This gives the area a more spread-out, estate-like feel but also means higher price points per home. The architecture is diverse, ranging from original mid-century homes to recent tear-down-and-rebuild projects that can top $5 million or more.
Bee Cave’s lot sizes vary significantly by neighborhood. The Homestead offers 1 to 9 acre lots. Spanish Oaks has half-acre to 3-acre estate lots. But the family-oriented neighborhoods like Lake Pointe and Sweetwater have more conventional suburban lot sizes (quarter to third of an acre), which makes them more accessible at lower price points.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Bottom Line
Here’s how I frame it for clients. Choose West Lake Hills if your top priorities are proximity to downtown, the absolute best school district ranking, and an established prestigious address. Be prepared to pay a significant premium for those advantages.
Choose Bee Cave if you want excellent schools (top 3 in the metro), dramatically lower total cost of ownership, more home for the money, a growing community with strong commercial amenities, and the lowest city property tax rate in the area. You’ll give up some commute convenience and one notch in school rankings.
For most families I work with, especially those who work remotely or commute to northwest Austin rather than downtown, Bee Cave is the stronger value proposition. But both cities are excellent, and either choice means your family is landing in one of the best communities in Central Texas.
For more context on Bee Cave, start with our ultimate guide to living in Bee Cave. And if you want to compare Bee Cave to even more cities, see our Bee Cave vs Lakeway vs Dripping Springs comparison. Ready to explore homes? Browse Bee Cave listings or contact me directly.
