Restored Victorian gingerbread homes with wraparound porches on a brick sidewalk, typical of historic Waxahachie, Texas

2026 Waxahachie community guide · Ellis County

Living in Waxahachie, TX

Victorian homes, a landmark courthouse square and the Scarborough Renaissance Festival, with new neighborhoods growing along I-35E and US-287.

Homes for sale in Waxahachie
Population
50,090Census estimate, July 2025
County
EllisCounty seat
School district
Waxahachie ISDDistrict C (76) in 2025
Typical home value
$368,399Zillow, Sep 2026
Est. total tax rate
≈2.05%City + Waxahachie ISD + county
To downtown Dallas
~30 miAbout 40 min on I-35E

For sale now

Homes for sale in Waxahachie, TX

From restored Victorians near the courthouse to new homes in North Grove and acreage across Ellis County, here are the latest Waxahachie listings and the searches our buyers run most.

All Waxahachie listings
Jump to a section
  1. Is Waxahachie a good place to live?
  2. Pros & cons
  3. Neighborhoods
  4. Real estate market
  5. Cost of living & taxes
  6. Schools
  7. Commute & location
  8. Things to do
  9. Jobs & everyday life
  10. FAQ

01Overview

Is Waxahachie, Texas a good place to live?

For many buyers, yes. Waxahachie pairs a historic county seat, with its 1895 courthouse and Victorian neighborhoods, with new subdivisions, a typical home value near $368,000 and about a 40-minute drive to downtown Dallas on I-35E. The trade-offs are a longer commute, a school district rated C (76) in 2025 that is building a new high school, and fewer big-city amenities close to home.

Waxahachie was founded in August 1850 as the seat of the new Ellis County, on land donated by settler Emory W. Rogers, and incorporated in 1871. The name likely comes from a Native American word, possibly meaning “cow” or “buffalo.”

Cotton made the town. In the early 1900s Ellis County was the nation’s largest cotton-producing county, and that wealth built the 1895 Ellis County Courthouse and the Victorian and “gingerbread” homes that give Waxahachie its nickname, the Gingerbread City. Films including Tender Mercies and Places in the Heart were shot here.

Today Waxahachie is growing quickly, from about 41,100 residents in 2020 to 50,090 in July 2025 by Census estimates; the city put its own estimate near 53,000 by mid-2026. New neighborhoods such as North Grove and Sunrise at Garden Valley sit alongside historic districts, farmland and acreage.

Local tip from Shayla

Tax setups vary between new Waxahachie communities. North Grove has a public improvement district (some homesites are excluded), while Sunrise at Garden Valley advertises no MUD or PID. Ask for the tax certificate and any PID assessment schedule before you compare prices.

What locals love about Waxahachie

  • The 1895 Ellis County Courthouse and downtown square
  • Victorian homes on the Gingerbread Trail tour
  • The Scarborough Renaissance Festival every spring
  • Waxahachie Global High School, rated A (97) by TEA in 2025
  • Lake Waxahachie for camping and fishing

02Honest take

Pros and cons of living in Waxahachie

What we tell our own clients before they make a move.

Pros

  • Historic characterVictorian homes, a landmark courthouse and the “Crape Myrtle Capital of Texas” downtown.
  • ValueA typical home value near $368,000, well below Midlothian’s.
  • New homesProduction homes from about $375,000 in North Grove.
  • Local healthcare & jobsBaylor Scott & White, the city’s largest employer, runs a hospital in town.
  • Two highwaysI-35E to Dallas and US-287 to Midlothian and Fort Worth.

Cons

  • Longer commuteAbout 30 miles to downtown Dallas and 42 miles to downtown Fort Worth.
  • School ratingsWaxahachie ISD earned a C (76) in 2025, and Waxahachie High a C (77).
  • Growing painsRoads, sewer capacity and schools are being expanded to keep up with growth.
  • PIDs in some new areasCheck for assessments before you buy new construction.
  • Fewer big-city amenitiesMajor shopping, pro sports and the airport mean a drive north.

03Where to live

Best neighborhoods in Waxahachie

Waxahachie offers historic homes near the square, new master-planned neighborhoods and country acreage. These are the areas our buyers ask about most.

Historic Victorian neighborhoods

Historic

Victorian and gingerbread-style homes near downtown and the courthouse, several now bed-and-breakfasts, showcased on the annual Gingerbread Trail home tour.

Schools
Waxahachie ISD
Homes near Historic Victorian neighborhoods

North Grove

Master-planned

A community off US-287 and US-77 with a community center, pool, splash park, pavilion, basketball court and trails. It has a public improvement district, though some homesites are excluded.

Typical price
About $375K–$560K
Schools
Waxahachie ISD
Builders
Bloomfield Homes
Homes near North Grove

Sunrise at Garden Valley

New construction

Homes of about 2,450 to 4,240 square feet with a tree-lined boulevard trail, a lake-view trail, pavilions and a sports field, near the Waxahachie Sports Complex. The builder advertises no MUD or PID and a $2.05 tax rate.

Typical price
About $440K–$722K
Schools
Waxahachie ISD
Builders
Bloomfield Homes
Homes near Sunrise at Garden Valley

Haven Ranch

Newer neighborhood

A neighborhood near the site of Waxahachie ISD’s new high school, where the city is extending sewer service along the old MKT rail line.

Homes near Haven Ranch

Country acreage

Acreage

Homes on acreage, farms and ranch land around Waxahachie in unincorporated Ellis County, often with well, septic or rural water service.

Homes near Country acreage
Good to know

Bloomfield is also selling The Retreat and The Oasis sections of North Grove. Ask us which Waxahachie subdivisions carry a PID and which homes are inside city limits.

New construction & builders in Waxahachie

Community Builders What to expect
North Grove (incl. The Retreat) Bloomfield Homes About 2,030–3,700 sq ft; from about $375K; PID on some homesites
Sunrise at Garden Valley Bloomfield Homes About 2,450–4,240 sq ft; about $440K–$722K; no MUD or PID

Builders and incentives change often. Bring us to your first model-home visit and we’ll represent you, not the builder. How we help new-build buyers →

04Market

Waxahachie real estate market

Zillow’s typical Waxahachie home value was about $368,400 in September 2026, down about 1% from a year earlier. In ZIP 75165, Realtor.com counted 248 active listings (down about 6% year over year) at a median list price of $435,000, with a median of 64 days on market. In neighboring ZIP 75167, the median list price was about $634,000 across 95 listings.

List prices run above typical values because new construction and acreage make up a large share of listings. With homes taking two months or more to sell, buyers can negotiate, and sellers do best when they price against new builds nearby.

Waxahachie homes today: live MLS numbers

489
Homes For Sale
$477,900
Median List Price
98
Average Days on Site
$412,995
Median Sold Price
142
Homes Sold

Live from the NTREIS MLS for homes in Waxahachie (houses, townhomes and condos). Sold figures cover the last 60 days.

Monthly Waxahachie market report with trends   Compare Waxahachie with nearby towns

Types of homes you’ll find

  • Historic homesVictorian and gingerbread-style houses near downtown.
  • New constructionNorth Grove and Sunrise at Garden Valley.
  • Established neighborhoodsOlder and newer homes across town.
  • Acreage & farmsCountry homes and land across Ellis County.

Thinking of selling in Waxahachie?

Get a free, local Comparative Market Analysis — not an automated guess.

What’s my home worth?

05Budget

Cost of living & property taxes in Waxahachie

Inside city limits, Waxahachie’s 2025 combined rate is about $2.05 per $100: the city ($0.61, unchanged from the year before), Waxahachie ISD ($1.1681) and Ellis County ($0.273992). There is no community-college line on a typical bill.

For 2026, Waxahachie ISD lowered its rate to $1.1545. Homes outside city limits skip the city rate but may pay an emergency services district instead.

Taxing unit Rate per $100 of value
City of Waxahachie (2025) $0.610000
Waxahachie ISD (2025–26) $1.168100
Ellis County (2025) $0.273992
Typical total (in city, no MUD) ≈ $2.05
PID, if applicable Varies by subdivision

At about 2.05% before exemptions, a $370,000 home in city limits would owe roughly $7,600 a year. The $140,000 school homestead exemption lowers that noticeably.

Ask about MUDs & PIDs

PID assessments are often set per lot rather than as a rate, so they don’t always show up in a quick tax estimate. We request the assessment schedule for any home in a PID.

Utilities

Service Provider
Electricity Oncor delivery area in most of the city (choose a retail provider); co-ops serve some rural areas
Water & sewer City of Waxahachie; rural water suppliers outside the city
Trash & recycling Waste Connections, under contract with the city
Natural gas Atmos Energy

Tax rates are the adopted 2025 rates and change every year. Verify any address with the Ellis Appraisal District before you buy. Estimate your payment →

06Education

Schools in Waxahachie

Waxahachie ISD serves almost all of the city, with about 11,100 students on 18 campuses in 2025–26. TEA rated the district C (76) in 2025. Waxahachie High School earned a C (77), while Waxahachie Global High School, an early-college T-STEM campus opened in 2007, earned an A (97).

The district is building a new high school, and the city is rebuilding Old Italy Road as a four-lane road to serve it.

School district What to know
Waxahachie ISD Almost all of the city; C (76) in 2025; Global High A (97), Waxahachie High C (77).
Neighboring districts Some county addresses around town. Confirm by address.

High schools

Waxahachie High SchoolWaxahachie Global High School

Colleges nearby

  • Navarro College Waxahachie campus
  • Nelson University (formerly Southwestern Assemblies of God University)
  • Navarro College Midlothian campus
Always verify zoning

School boundaries change as districts grow. We confirm the assigned campuses for every home before you make an offer.

07Location

Commute & getting around Waxahachie

I-35E bypasses the west side of Waxahachie on its way to Dallas, US-287 runs along the north side toward Midlothian and Fort Worth, and US-77 is the main street through downtown. Mid-Way Regional Airport, shared with Midlothian, serves general aviation; there is no commuter rail.

Destination Distance Typical drive
Midlothian ~11 mi About 20 min
Downtown Dallas ~30 mi About 40 min
Dallas Love Field ~35 mi 45–50 min
AT&T Stadium, Arlington ~36 mi About 50 min
Downtown Fort Worth ~42 mi About 55 min
DFW Airport ~49 mi About 1 hr

Drive times are typical off-peak estimates. Allow more time at rush hour.

08Lifestyle

Things to do in Waxahachie

Ellis County Courthouse & downtown

The 1895 Richardsonian Romanesque courthouse anchors a square with shops, restaurants, the Texas Theater and the historic Rogers Hotel.

Gingerbread Trail

A festival and tour of Waxahachie’s Victorian and gingerbread-style homes.

Scarborough Renaissance Festival

A renaissance fair each April and May since 1981, just southwest of town.

Crossroads of Texas Festival

A downtown festival on the last Saturday in October.

Lake Waxahachie

Camping and fishing close to town.

Getzendaner Park

A historic park that is home to the 1902 Chautauqua Auditorium.

09Everyday life

Jobs, shopping & healthcare near Waxahachie

As the county seat, Waxahachie mixes government, healthcare and education jobs with a manufacturing and distribution base along I-35E and US-287.

What’s being built in Waxahachie

  • Waxahachie ISD’s new high school and the Old Italy Road rebuild that will serve it
  • Expansion of the Lower Mustang Creek lift station from 8 to 12 million gallons a day
  • New water and sewer mains along FM 664 (Ovilla Road)
  • City Hall renovation and Railyard Park improvements
  • New neighborhoods including North Grove and Sunrise at Garden Valley

Major employers nearby

  • Baylor Scott & White Health (about 1,750)
  • Waxahachie ISD (about 1,700)
  • Walgreens Distribution (about 850)
  • Dart Container (about 750)
  • Owens Corning, Cardinal IG and Lippert Components

Hospitals & healthcare

  • Baylor Scott & White Medical Center–Waxahachie (about 6 min)
  • Methodist Midlothian Medical Center (about 15 min)

10Quick answers

Waxahachie, TX FAQ

Is Waxahachie, TX a good place to live?

Waxahachie (about 50,100 residents in 2025) offers historic character, new subdivisions and a typical home value near $368,000, about 40 minutes from downtown Dallas. The trade-offs are a longer commute and a school district rated C (76) in 2025 that is building a new high school.

What county is Waxahachie in?

Ellis County. Waxahachie has been the county seat since it was founded in 1850.

Why is Waxahachie called the Gingerbread City?

For its many Victorian and gingerbread-style homes, several now bed-and-breakfasts, which are celebrated on the annual Gingerbread Trail.

What is the property tax rate in Waxahachie?

About $2.05 per $100 in city limits for 2025: city $0.61, Waxahachie ISD $1.1681 and Ellis County $0.273992.

What school district is Waxahachie in?

Waxahachie ISD, rated C (76) in 2025. Waxahachie Global High earned an A (97) and Waxahachie High a C (77), and the district is building a new high school.

How much are homes in Waxahachie?

Zillow’s typical value was about $368,000 in September 2026, down about 1% from a year earlier. New homes in North Grove start around $375,000.

How far is Waxahachie from Dallas?

About 30 miles to downtown Dallas, roughly 40 minutes on I-35E off-peak, and about 49 miles to DFW Airport.

When is the Scarborough Renaissance Festival?

Each April and May, on grounds just southwest of Waxahachie. It has run since 1981.

Who is the largest employer in Waxahachie?

Baylor Scott & White Health, with about 1,750 employees, followed by Waxahachie ISD with about 1,700, according to the city.

Is Waxahachie, TX safe?

Crime statistics are published by the Waxahachie Police Department. We encourage every buyer to review the data for the specific area they are considering and to visit at different times of day. As agents, we share data sources rather than opinions about which neighborhoods are “safe.”

Shayla Eadler, broker and owner of Ten Twenty Realty, in a teal top at a white oak kitchen island

Your Waxahachie expert

Talk to Shayla about Waxahachie

Shayla is the broker and owner of Ten Twenty Realty, with a focus on residential, land and farm-and-ranch sales. Her team helps Waxahachie buyers weigh historic homes, new construction and acreage, including PIDs, utilities and ag valuations.

  • Neighborhood and school-zone answers for specific addresses
  • Early access to Coming Soon and off-market homes
  • Builder, MUD/PID and tax-rate comparisons before you commit

Ask Shayla about Waxahachie

Goes directly to Shayla. We typically respond within the hour during business hours.