West is a small Central Texas city offering rural living with access to Waco and the broader DFW corridor. Local kolache bakeries and Westfest give West an outsized Czech heritage identity compared to its population size. Modest in-town homes, small farms, and large acreage tracts make West attractive to buyers seeking space, lower costs, and room for hobbies within commuting distance of larger job centers.
West sits on I-35 about 20 miles north of Waco, a small Czech-heritage city with its own downtown, city water and sewer and West ISD. Homes run from older houses on the town grid to new builds and country acreage. Here are six areas, with recent price evidence.
In-town lots around 6,500 sq ft
The original town grid around the Oak Street business district, along streets such as Main, Reagan and Mills. West was laid out in the 1880s and incorporated in 1892.
Older single-family homes on small lots, a short walk to the kolache bakeries. Condition varies widely, so price each home on its own comparables.
Recent listings about $140K–$425K
A mix of older homes, updated farmhouse-style houses and new construction, including a new three-bedroom listed near $350,000 and a 2,300-square-foot home on an oversized lot near $425,000.
This side of town was heavily damaged in the April 2013 fertilizer plant explosion, and parts of it have been rebuilt since. The Fallen Heroes Memorial stands at Parker’s Park.
A 1960 home listed near $220K
Homes around the West High School campus on Jerry Mashek Drive, mostly ranch-style single-family houses on lots that can run to about four-tenths of an acre.
Larger lots than the downtown grid. Confirm city-limits status by parcel, since some addresses along the drive may sit outside the city.
Lots about $55K–$65K · custom home near $680K
Newer streets with building lots from about a third of an acre to 1.24 acres, plus larger custom homes, one listed near $680,000.
A route to buying a lot and building close to town. Builders, HOA rules and whether water comes from the city or a water corporation were not confirmed.
Priced by lot
A newer lot subdivision with a West address, with several lots offered for sale in 2026.
Location relative to city limits, lot sizes and deed restrictions were not confirmed. Ask for the plat and restrictions before you offer.
Land from about $85K · homes about $390K–$425K
Two-acre lot splits, small acreage and 12- to 29-acre tracts along roads such as Bugtussle Lane, Bluhm Road, Cemetery Road and Heritage Parkway, with site-built and manufactured homes.
These carry West mailing addresses but no city tax. Expect a water supply corporation or well plus septic, and confirm each parcel.
Swipe or drag sideways to see them all.
Only a handful of homes sell in West each month, so medians swing hard. In fall 2026, sites showed a median list price near $340K and a 12-month median sale price near $210K. Both are true; they measure different things.
Homes often take about 80 to 150+ days to sell. Pricing to true comparables matters more here than in a fast suburb.
The City of West provides water, sewer and trash service. Residential sewer is billed on your winter average water use, reset each March.
Electricity is not a city utility. West is in Oncor’s delivery area, so you choose your own retail electric provider.
The 76691 ZIP code reaches well beyond city limits. Homes outside the city pay no city tax but usually rely on a water corporation or well and septic.
The quick check: if “City of West” appears on the property’s McLennan County tax bill, it’s inside the city.
Inside the city, the 2026 rate is about $1.95 per $100 before exemptions: City of West $0.63, West ISD $0.80, county about $0.37 and MCC about $0.14. West ISD offers the state’s $140,000 homestead exemption.
West ISD earned a B (89) in 2026, after an A (91) in 2025. The city counted 2,531 residents in 2020.
West is an incorporated city in McLennan County. Area names follow street, subdivision and listing usage; boundaries are approximate, and city-limits status was not confirmed for any area except the downtown grid. Price figures are drawn from individual 2025–2026 listings, not neighborhood medians, and are directional only. Market figures are from Movoto (median list price, September 2026) and Homes.com (12-month median sale price); sources disagree because few homes sell, so ask for a current comparative market analysis. Builders, HOAs and water providers outside the downtown grid were not confirmed. Utility details are from the City of West; electric delivery is from Oncor service-area listings. Tax rates: City of West and West ISD are 2026 rates from McLennan County’s tax table; the 2026 county rate was listed at $0.374805 while a hearing notice proposed $0.394805, and the MCC figure is approximate. Exemptions vary by taxing unit. School ratings are TEA district-level ratings as reported by KWTX and West ISD. Population is the 2020 census count. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
West is a kolache stop known up and down I-35, with bakeries downtown on Oak Street and at Exit 353. Add a Czech-American lunch spot, a small museum and the city’s essentials. Here’s a 2026-checked list.
113 E Oak St
The downtown bakery that dates to 1952 and is often credited with the sausage kolache. It closed in 2019 and reopened under new owners on May 23, 2026.
Expect apricot, poppy seed, prune and cream cheese kolaches, plus coffee from the Ready Brew counter. Hours are shorter on Sundays.
I-35 frontage at Exit 353
The famous highway stop, sharing a site with a gas station, with fruit and sausage kolaches, strudels, breads and sandwiches. Open early until late.
511 W Oak St
A family bakery, formerly Nors Bakery, known for kolaches, pecan rolls and cinnamon rolls.
214 Melodie Dr, at I-35
A big I-35 stop with brisket and jalapeño sausage kolaches, a sausage and deli counter, barbecue at the Kissing Pigs Café and a gift shop.
220 N Main St
A downtown restaurant serving Czech-American plates, open for lunch on weekdays and later on Fridays.
Oak St, across from the Village Bakery
A clothing boutique run by the Village Bakery’s owners, an easy stop on a downtown kolache walk.
102 E Pine St
The in-town grocery for everyday needs. Call ahead to confirm hours.
110 N Reagan St · 254-826-5351
Where you start city water, sewer and trash service, pull permits and pay the municipal court. City Council meets the first Tuesday of each month.
209 Tokio Rd
The city library, with free help researching Czech family roots. Hours are limited, so check before you go.
112 E Oak St
A small downtown museum on West’s Czech settlers, the railroad town and its businesses, open Thursday through Saturday.
Parker’s Park, north side
A quiet memorial with a reflecting pool, honoring the 12 first responders and three residents who died in the April 2013 explosion. It was designed by a former West resident and paid for largely by donations.
Playdium Dr area · 254-826-5773
West’s summer swimming pool, which typically opens around Memorial Day. Call ahead for hours and fees.
406 N Frontage Rd, Lorena
A full-line grocery south on I-35, past Waco. Most West residents also shop in Waco or Hillsboro.
Waco, about 25 minutes south
Waco’s big riverside park, with trails, overlooks and the Cameron Park Zoo next door.
Food, Shops and Things To Do are inside West, mostly along Oak Street downtown and the I-35 frontage at Exit 353. Places farther away are under Just Outside.
Two things worth saying plainly. Bakery hours change with the season and some sell out early, so go in the morning. And small-town businesses turn over, so call ahead before a special trip.
What stands out is the kolaches: four bakeries in one small city, including the 1952 Village Bakery, back open in 2026.
Compiled October 2026. Business listings were checked against 2026 news coverage (KWBU, USA Today Network), business websites and review listings; call ahead to confirm hours and that a business is still open. Village Bakery history and reopening date are from KWBU; reports differ on when the current owners bought it. Czech Stop is listed at both 105 N College Ave and 104 S George Kacir Dr, and its hours are listed differently by different sources. Some directories list Gerik’s at 509 W Oak St. City Hall’s address is from the city’s contact page; 111 S Reagan St is the West Volunteer Fire Department. West Food Mart’s 2026 hours were not confirmed. Playdium Pool is listed at both 418 Cottonwood Rd and 200 Playdium Dr, and its operator was not confirmed. Memorial details are from the Office of the Governor and the Associated Press. Nors Sausage & Burger House and Nemecek Bros. Meat Market are not listed because they are reported closed. National chains are not featured. Businesses listed are for general local reference and are not endorsements; I receive no compensation from any business named. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
From Bold Springs and a Katy Railroad Townsite to the Czech Heritage Capital of Texas
Farm and ranch families settled around a freshwater spring known as Bold Springs in northern McLennan County.
Sources date a Bold Springs post office to 1852, opened in the cabin of settler Carey Boulds, which also served as a gathering place and a stop where stagecoaches changed horses. Isaac “Doc” Cauble had built a cabin near the springs in 1850.
Bold Springs Missionary Baptist Church, founded in 1858, was the first church in northeastern McLennan County. The 1860 census counted 311 people, putting the population near 300 by 1860 and making Bold Springs the county’s second-largest town.
Thomas M. West ran a stagecoach stop, dry goods store and post office on the old Dallas Road.
He had come to the area around 1859, and the town would carry his name. The state marker says his stage stop, store and post office stood on a section of the “Dallas Road” leading to his ranch property.
Early Anglo-American settlers were drawn to the area by its plentiful water and rich, wooded blackland prairie. County commissioners laid out roads through Bold Springs linking Waco and Hillsboro. The Handbook of Texas describes West as a prominent businessman, landowner and postmaster.
The Missouri, Kansas & Texas (“Katy”) Railroad was built through West’s land, and a townsite was platted on a quarter section he owned.
The state historical marker dates the depot to 1880. In 1882 “West’s Station” became simply West. As the new railroad town grew, settlement shifted away from the old Bold Springs community nearby.
The railroad and the rise of cotton farming in the 1880s drew Czech and German immigrants to the area. Early newspapers soon followed, including the West Times, first edited by William Baldridge in 1888, the West Crescent and the West News, which began in 1891.
West was organized as a town on June 11, 1892. The same year, Bohemian and Moravian Catholic families built a wooden church, dedicated to the Assumption in 1893.
Thomas West added a general store (1883), the West Hotel (1889) and West Bank (1893). The Bold Springs Cemetery Association also formed in 1892 to care for the old settlement’s burial ground.
The Catholic congregation had been part of the church at Martinville, now Tours. The Rev. John Geleissner served as first pastor, and Bishop N. A. Gallagher dedicated the wooden Gothic-style church in spring 1893. Masses were said in Latin, with Czech also used in services.
On Sept. 15, 1896, the Katy staged a head-on locomotive collision as a publicity stunt at a temporary site called Crush, about three miles south of West.
Tens of thousands came to watch, and the exploding boilers killed at least two people. Katy passenger agent William G. Crush conceived the idea, and the site was named for him. The railroad sold two-dollar round-trip excursion tickets from anywhere in Texas.
Workers built grandstands, a telegraph office and a restaurant in a circus tent. Ragtime composer Scott Joplin published his march “Great Crush Collision” weeks later. A state marker stands on the I-35 frontage road.
By 1900 West had cotton gins, a cotton mill, a bank, a fire department and an interurban rail stop.
West became a center of the Czech-language press in Texas, home to papers such as Hospodář and the SPJST weekly Věstník. The farm monthly Hospodář, founded in Omaha in 1890, moved its operations to West in 1961.
By 1900 the town had a hotel, schools, churches and a weekly newspaper, and its population was estimated as high as 2,000. The Texas Electric Traction Railway made West a station. Nemecek Brothers Meat Market, opened in 1896, became known statewide for Czech hams and sausages.
Fire destroyed the wooden Assumption church on March 16, 1903.
The parish history says the blaze destroyed the church and all of its furnishings. A brick replacement followed quickly, and Bishop N. A. Gallagher blessed it on August 2, 1903. It served the parish for more than 50 years.
Fr. Joseph Pelnar, pastor from 1900 until his death in 1940, then served about 250 families. The parish was declared “irremovable” in 1907, and by the 1940s it served about 700 families across two counties.
The Montgomery family opened the Village Bakery on Oak Street and turned the family kolache into a business.
Georgia, Wendel and “Honey” Montgomery founded the bakery, which bills itself as the first Czech bakery in Texas. It credits itself with the meat-filled klobasnek, made by adding meat to its kolache dough, and also sold Moravian spice cookies and cinnamon rolls.
Gerik’s followed, and in 1983 the Czech Stop opened on I-35. By 1989 the Handbook of Texas noted that West was known for its Czech and German restaurants and bakeries.
The present brick Church of the Assumption at 301 S. Harrison St. was dedicated July 29, 1956.
Ground was broken on December 8, 1954, under Fr. E. J. Polcak, pastor since 1941, who died in December 1955 before the church was finished. Bishop Louis J. Reicher dedicated it, and the 1903 church was razed after the new one opened.
The new church was built with year-round climate control. A pipe organ honoring Fr. Polcak was dedicated in December 1957, and stained glass windows from Germany were installed under Msgr. I. J. Valenta (1957–1965).
Westfest began in 1976 as a community fundraiser for youth athletics, seniors, a community center and the library.
Organizers say the festival has raised more than $1 million for the community. Early goals included athletic facilities for youth groups, senior activities, a community center and a library.
Held each Labor Day weekend, Westfest celebrates Czech heritage with music, dance, costumes and food. The Handbook of Texas puts attendance at about 50,000 visitors. The 1992 state marker for West noted that the festival had been held every year since 1976.
A resolution of the Texas Legislature (H.C.R. 185) named West the “Czech heritage capital” of Texas.
The same resolution made West home of the official kolache of the Texas Legislature. The 75th Legislature adopted it in April 1997, the House on April 2 and the Senate on April 8.
The resolution praised Westfest for teaching visitors about Czech culture and cited the town’s kolaches, sausage, polka music and Czech dancers. It closed with a Czech saying, “Zivot ve Westu je pozehanim od Boha,” translated as “to live in West is to be blessed by God.”
On April 17, 2013, a fire at the West Fertilizer Co. led to an explosion that took 15 lives, including 12 first responders, and damaged schools, homes and a nursing home.
The Handbook of Texas reports about 160 people injured and more than 150 buildings damaged. For about three years, classes met in portable buildings while the district rebuilt.
West ISD opened a new middle and high school campus in 2016, and the Fallen Heroes Memorial was dedicated on April 13, 2019. It stands near Parker’s Park and was planned by a committee chaired by the father of a fallen West firefighter.
The 2020 census counted 2,531 residents. The Village Bakery reopened on May 23, 2026, after closing in 2019.
Labor Day weekend 2026 brought the 50th annual Westfest. The bakery had closed in 2019 after the death of baker Mimi Montgomery.
Longtime residents Shelly and Darrell Miller, owners of the neighboring Village Shoppe since 2018, bought the bakery in October 2024 and planned to reopen with the original family recipes and former staff. The Handbook of Texas estimated West’s population at 2,557 in 2021.
Compiled from the Texas State Historical Association Handbook of Texas, the Texas Historical Commission marker text (via the Historical Marker Database), the Church of the Assumption parish history, the Texas Legislature, the Portal to Texas History, the U.S. Census Bureau, Westfest, KWTX, KWBU, KCEN, FOX 44, NPR and the Waco Tribune-Herald. Where sources conflict, the widget follows the Handbook of Texas and the state marker. Settlement dates vary by source: the 1840s, 1852 for the Bold Springs post office, 1859 for Thomas West’s arrival and the late 1860s for his stage stop. The Katy depot is dated 1880 on the state marker and 1881 by the Handbook. The June 11, 1892 organization date is from the marker and secondary sources and was not confirmed in a city charter. Crash at Crush crowd and casualty figures differ by source. Village Bakery’s founding is also given as 1951. The 2013 explosion summary reflects official findings only: in May 2016 the ATF ruled the fire intentionally set, and the case remains open with no arrests. Some sources say the high school reopened in 2015. No property in West is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Westfest on Labor Day Weekend, the Assumption Feast Day Dinner and the April 17 Remembrance
West’s Czech heritage festival, held since 1976: polka bands, kolaches, a Saturday morning parade through downtown, a Polka Mass, a carnival and a Kolache 5K. 2026 marked its 50th year.
Tournaments for horseshoes, washers, 42 dominoes and taroky fill the weekend, along with the Miss Westfest pageant. Weekend day tickets have run about $20 for adults and $5 for ages 6 to 12, with parking extra and cash only.
The grounds are at 1110 S. Main St., about a mile south of downtown. Westfest is run by a volunteer nonprofit, and proceeds go back into the community.
The Church of the Assumption’s chicken and sausage dinner, dine-in or to go, held near the Aug. 15 feast day at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Jerry Mashek Drive. Plates have run about $10 to $15.
A quiet community observance honoring the 15 people, including 12 first responders, who died in the 2013 explosion. Larger ceremonies have marked milestone anniversaries.
A free concert and fireworks by McLane Stadium.
Pro rodeo, concerts, a livestock show and the carnival at the Extraco Events Center.
Magnolia’s free anniversary festival, with a vendor fair and live music.
Downtown Waco’s holiday festival, with a tree lighting, fireworks, a parade and a snow tube hill.
West’s year builds to Labor Day weekend, when Westfest fills the fairgrounds. Through the rest of the year, the Assumption parish dinner and the April remembrance are the town’s steady traditions.
The West Fair & Rodeo marked its 80th year in August 2026, but we couldn’t confirm dates for another recent year, so it isn’t listed yet. We also didn’t find a recurring Christmas parade, Fourth of July event or farmers market in West.
For current dates, check westfest.com, the Church of the Assumption and the City of West.
Timing shown is the usual pattern for each event; exact dates, times, prices and locations change from year to year and should be confirmed with organizers. West event patterns are drawn from Westfest, the Church of the Assumption, KWTX, KXXV, FOX 44 and CBS Texas; each West event listed was confirmed in at least two years. Westfest was held Aug. 29–31 in 2025 and Sept. 4–6 in 2026. Westfest ticket prices are 2026 prices. The Assumption festival was held Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026; the parish lists Aug. 8 for 2027. Remembrance programs have been organized by local churches and the City of West. Waco event patterns are from the Heart O’ Texas Fair, Magnolia, Destination Waco and the City of Waco. Events under “Next Door in Waco” are held in Waco, not in West. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
What to know about West schools:
The ratings: West ISD earned an A (91) in 2025 and a B (89) in 2026 (preliminary). Review the full results at TXschools.gov.
Nearby: McLennan Community College, Baylor University and TSTC Waco are south on I-35; Hill College is north in Hillsboro.
Want the full breakdown? Read our complete West schools guide →
Every public school student in West attends West ISD, a three-campus district where every building is less than ten years old. It rated an A (91) in 2025 and a B (89) in 2026, preliminary. District lines, not ZIP codes, decide the school.
Administration: 406 W Shook St
The district for the City of West and the surrounding farm communities of Leroy, Tours, Gerald and Ross, about 127 square miles that reach into a small part of Hill County.
District rating: B (89) in 2026 (preliminary), after an A (91) in 2025.
Federal data show about 13 students per teacher. Registration requires living inside district boundaries; ask about transfers.
West High: 1008 Jerry Mashek Dr
Three campuses: West Elementary for pre-K through fifth grade, and West Middle and West High sharing a grades 6–12 campus.
Both buildings are new. The 6–12 campus opened in August 2016, rebuilt after the 2013 explosion, and the new elementary opened in August 2022.
District-wide
After a 2018 bond failed by 61 votes, voters approved a $21.5 million elementary bond in November 2019 with about 59 percent of the vote.
No later bond or tax rate election was found. The 2026–27 school rate is $0.799650 per $100, down from $0.847520. School started Thursday, August 13, 2026.
West High School
The district highlights academics, agriculture, the arts and athletics: an active FFA and livestock judging program, the Pride of West Marching Band and jazz band, and dual credit courses.
The Trojans, in red and black, field football, volleyball, basketball, softball, track, tennis, golf, cross country and powerlifting. West ISD also runs an after-school care program.
Nearby districts
The 76691 ZIP and district lines don’t match. Nearby districts earned these 2026 preliminary ratings. Whether each serves any 76691 address wasn’t confirmed.
Use TEA’s School District Locator for every address outside the city.
301 S Harrison St · 254-826-3705
A Catholic school for pre-K4 through eighth grade, run by St. Mary’s Church of the Assumption in the Diocese of Austin.
Confirm tuition, grades and enrollment directly with the school.
Waco to the south, Hillsboro to the north
McLennan Community College, Baylor University and TSTC Waco are a short I-35 drive south. Hill College is north in Hillsboro.
Distances vary by campus; check a live map.
West ISD covers about 127 square miles, including a sliver of Hill County, and the ZIP code may cross into neighboring districts.
Check TEA’s School District Locator and the appraisal district record before you fall for a house.
Inside city limits a West home carries about $1.95 per $100 for 2026: city $0.63, school $0.80, county $0.37 and MCC $0.14.
On a $300,000 homestead, the school share drops from about $2,400 to $1,280 after the $140,000 exemption.
West ISD earned an A (91) in 2025 and a B (89) in 2026, a two-point change across a letter line. The 2026 rating is preliminary.
Ratings change year to year, so review the full results at TXschools.gov.
The 6–12 campus was rebuilt after 2013, and the 2019 bond built the new elementary for about 750 students.
The school tax rate fell for 2026, to about $0.80 per $100.
Accountability ratings are shown at the district level only; campus ratings are intentionally not shown. Ratings change every year; use TXschools.gov for current ratings. The 2026 West ISD rating (released 14 August 2026) is preliminary, as reported by KWTX, and subject to TEA’s appeals process; the 2025 rating is also from KWTX. Earlier ratings and the district’s 2025–26 financial (FIRST) rating were not confirmed; KXXV reported a 2024–25 FIRST rating of B. Enrollment is from the Texas Tribune (2026); the student-teacher ratio is from the National Center for Education Statistics (2024–25). Campus grades, attendance area, programs and calendar are from West ISD. Sources differ on whether the rebuilt high school opened in 2015 or 2016; the district’s date is used. Bond results are from the Waco Tribune-Herald (May 2018 and November 2019). The district’s dual-credit partner and specific career pathways were not confirmed. UIL classification is 3A per published sources; confirm current alignment with the UIL. Neighboring-district ratings are 2026 preliminary ratings as reported by KWTX; Bynum and Bruceville-Eddy ISD ratings were not found, and which districts serve addresses in 76691 was not confirmed. St. Mary’s School details are from the parish. College distances were not measured. Tax figures use the City of West’s 0.63, West ISD’s 0.79965, McLennan County’s 0.3748 and McLennan Community College’s 0.140715 and are illustrations, not quotes; parcels outside city limits pay no City of West tax. The state school homestead exemption is $140,000, with an additional $60,000 for owners aged 65 or older or disabled. School district assignment is determined by address and must be confirmed with the district. School information is provided for general reference only and is not a recommendation regarding any school, district, neighborhood or property. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Median Sales Price
What West homes actually sold for each month. With older homes on the town grid, new builds on the north side and acreage outside town trading side by side, the mix of what sold moves this line more than the market does.
Redfin put West’s median sale price near $228,000 in August 2026, while Zillow’s typical value sat near $300,000 and the typical 76691 listing asked about $314,000. With so few sales, one acreage home can move the median by tens of thousands.
An older home on the downtown grid, a new build on North Main and acreage off Bugtussle Lane can all land on this one line. The chart is not your comp. Your comps match your lot, utilities and whether you’re inside city limits.
Texas is a non-disclosure state, so portal prices are models. This is MLS. Ask for the actual comparable sales, including lot size, city water and sewer or a water corporation and septic, and the city-limits status.
Listing sites show West homes marketing for roughly 80 to 150+ days. Days on market describes how buyers behaved, which holds up better than a median in a small market.
The first two weeks bring the most traffic a listing will ever get. If they pass without an offer, that is pricing information. Acting in week three beats acting in week ten.
Long marketing times mean room to negotiate on price, repairs and closing costs. A listing that has waited a while is usually where the negotiating room is.
Under 10 showings means buyers are deciding quickly. Rising counts mean people are walking through and walking away, which is a different problem from nobody looking at all.
This separates a pricing problem from a presentation problem. Plenty of showings and no offer usually means something specific is putting people off, and that is fixable without dropping the price.
High showings-to-pending means you can be selective without losing homes. Read it against days on market: low on both is a hot market, high on both means the leverage is yours.
West closes only about 20 homes in a typical month across the 76691 ZIP, and fewer inside city limits. When the bars are short, one unusual sale moves every other number on this page.
Your competition includes new construction on the north side and homes up and down I-35 from Hillsboro to Waco. Price against true comparables, and have utility, septic and survey documents ready before you list.
Inventory runs from older in-town homes to country acreage. Confirm city-limits status, the water provider and sewer or septic early, because they affect cost more than the price chart does.
Charts supplied by NTREIS via 10K Research and Marketing and update automatically. Data reflects residential activity reported to the MLS and may be revised as late-reported sales come in. West records relatively few closings, and its homes range from older in-town houses to new construction and acreage, so monthly medians can swing sharply. The 76691 ZIP covers a much larger area than the City of West, so these charts may not match the city boundary. Narrative figures are from Redfin (August 2026), Zillow (August 2026) and listing sites; sources measure different periods and differ. These charts do not separate lot size, utilities, new construction or resale. Market statistics describe the area as a whole and are not a substitute for a comparative market analysis on a specific property. Texas is a non-disclosure state, so publicly available sale prices elsewhere are estimates rather than recorded figures. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Pick a purchase year and the price fills in. If you own here, type over it with what you actually paid. This calculator runs on the McLennan County index, the federal repeat-sales measure for West’s county. It’s up about 129 percent since 2009, with the biggest jump between 2020 and 2022.
Bought here? Tap the number and enter what you paid.
Federal house price index growth, indexed to the purchase year, where the purchase year equals 100.
The county index rose about 37 percent from 2020 to 2022. Since 2023 it has grown only about 1 to 2 percent a year.
In West itself, Zillow’s typical value moved between about −0.4 and +2.1 percent year over year in 2026. Flat, not falling.
Zillow put the typical home value in the City of West at about $300,000 in August 2026. It’s a smoothed estimate across all homes, so it swings less than monthly sale medians.
With only about 20 sales a month, medians bounce from about $230,000 to $325,000 depending on the source. Read that as the typical band.
The index is county-wide, built from repeat sales of mortgaged homes, and blends West with Waco and every nearby town.
West runs from older homes on the town grid to new builds and acreage, so value any specific property from true comparables, not from this chart.
Inside city limits the 2026 rate is about $1.95 per $100, or roughly $4,400 a year on a $300,000 homestead. Outside the city there’s no city tax, which brings that to about $2,500.
The county and MCC exempt 20 percent of a homestead and the state school exemption is $140,000. The city lists no homestead exemption. Homesteads are capped at a 10 percent rise in taxable value a year.
Growth rates are the FHFA All-Transactions House Price Index, annual values 2009 through 2025: McLennan County, Texas (FRED series ATNHPIUS48309A, base 2000 equals 100, last updated 31 March 2026), the State of Texas (TXSTHPI) and the United States (USSTHPI). State and national figures are annual averages of published quarters. The McLennan County series recorded 139.10 in 2009, 155.07 in 2015, 214.19 in 2020, 293.32 in 2022, 308.63 in 2023, 314.67 in 2024 and 318.43 in 2025: a rise of about 129 percent since 2009 and about 1.2 percent in 2025. No 2026 county value has been published. FHFA describes county indices as developmental and subject to revision. The prefilled dollar figures are derived and illustrative, not published: they apply the McLennan County index to a $300,000 anchor set from Zillow’s Home Value Index for the City of West ($300,245, 31 August 2026). Other current measures include Redfin’s West median sale price ($228,349, August 2026), Redfin’s 76691 median sale price ($275,000, July 2026, 22 sales), RealtyTrac’s 76691 median sold price ($296,300, March 2026) and Zillow’s median list price ($375,817, August 2026). The index is built from conforming loans and excludes jumbo lending and all-cash purchases. The 2026 FHA one-unit limit for McLennan County is the national floor, $541,287; the 2026 conforming limit is $832,750. Equity figures assume a 30-year fixed mortgage at that year’s Freddie Mac annual average rate (2025 approximately 6.60 percent), held to today, with no refinancing, no extra principal and no additional borrowing; Freddie Mac’s weekly 30-year average was 7.03 percent on 24 September 2026. They exclude closing costs, property taxes, insurance, maintenance, improvements and selling costs. The in-city rate combines the City of West’s 0.630000, West ISD’s 0.799650, McLennan County’s 0.3748 (adopted 25 August 2026, as reported by KWTX) and McLennan Community College’s 0.140715 (a published notice lists 0.140772); no hospital or emergency services district was found. Worked examples apply the $140,000 school exemption and 20 percent county and college exemptions and are illustrations, not quotes. The homestead appraisal cap limits increases in a homestead’s taxable appraised value to 10 percent a year and ends on sale. Owners aged 65 or older or disabled receive an additional $60,000 school exemption and a school tax freeze; MCC offers an additional over-65 exemption. Confirm taxing units, exemptions and protest deadlines with the McLennan Central Appraisal District (254-752-9864). This is an illustration for general reference, not an appraisal, a comparative market analysis, a valuation or investment advice. Past appreciation does not predict future appreciation. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
West is an incorporated city of about 2,531 people with its own water, sewer and trash service, its own school district and a downtown named the Czech heritage capital of Texas by the Legislature. It sits right on I-35, about 20 miles north of Waco.
Estimated Off-Peak Drive Time from Downtown West
Around Town and Beyond
Estimated minutes off-peak from Oak Street downtown. I-35 traffic and construction can add time, especially through Waco, so check a live map before relying on any of them.
The Legislature named West the “Czech heritage capital” of Texas in 1997. Oak Street still has kolache bakeries, a history museum and a boutique, and the 1952 Village Bakery reopened in May 2026.
Westfest fills Labor Day weekend, and 2026 marked its 50th year.
Inside city limits, the City of West provides water, sewer and trash. Electricity runs on Oncor’s lines, so you choose your own retail provider.
Trash is picked up every Wednesday through the city’s franchise hauler, and residents average a commute of about 23 minutes.
West ISD’s grades 6–12 campus opened in 2016 and its new elementary in 2022, so every campus is less than ten years old.
The district rated an A (91) in 2025 and a B (89) in 2026, preliminary. St. Mary’s School offers a Catholic pre-K4 through eighth grade option in town.
Zillow put West’s typical home value near $300,000 in August 2026, a little above the McLennan County figure of about $263,000 and below the Texas median sale price of about $339,000.
Inside the city, the 2026 tax rate is about $1.95 per $100 before exemptions.
West is small. Two pharmacies sit on North Main, but big grocery runs, hospitals and most retail mean a drive to Waco or Hillsboro. With few sales each month, homes often take 80 to 150+ days to sell.
Price against true comparables, and plan for a longer timeline if you sell.
The 76691 ZIP reaches well beyond city limits. Outside them there’s no city tax, but usually a water corporation or well and septic.
If “City of West” appears on the McLennan County tax bill, the home is inside the city.
Drive times are estimates from downtown West along typical routes via I-35; they were not drawn from a mapping or live traffic source and should be checked against a live map before you rely on them. The “Czech heritage capital” designation is from H.C.R. 185, 75th Texas Legislature (1997). Village Bakery’s reopening is from KWBU and KWTX; Westfest details are from Westfest and FOX 44. Utility details are from the City of West; electric delivery is from Oncor service-area listings. School details are from West ISD, KWTX and the St. Mary’s parish; the 2026 rating is preliminary. Home values are Zillow Home Value Index figures for the City of West and McLennan County (31 August 2026); the Texas figure is the July 2026 statewide median sale price from the Texas A&M Real Estate Research Center. Different measures are not directly comparable. Days on market are from Movoto, Homes.com and Redfin. Commute is the Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 American Community Survey mean travel time (22.9 minutes). Pharmacies are Old Corner Drug and West Drug on North Main Street. Tax rates are 2026 rates for the City of West, West ISD, McLennan County and McLennan Community College. Population is the 2020 census count. No crime, fire rating or flood zone claims are made; flood risk is parcel-specific. This information is provided for general reference and is not a representation about any specific property, commute or future development outcome. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Answered with verified specifics, from city limits, West ISD and 2026 tax rates to sewer billing, electric choice, Westfest and the kolache bakeries.
West is its own incorporated city, organized as a town on June 11, 1892, and it isn’t part of Waco. The 2020 census counted 2,531 residents.
The city runs its own water, sewer and trash service, a municipal court, permits and a public library, and its City Council meets the first Tuesday of each month. Schools are run separately by West ISD.
West sits on I-35 in northern McLennan County, about 20 miles north of Waco, near the Hill County line. Many surrounding farm addresses share West’s 76691 ZIP code but sit outside the city limits, so the mailing address alone doesn’t tell you which services or taxes apply.
Look at the taxing units on the property’s McLennan Central Appraisal District record or tax statement. If “City of West” is listed, the home is inside the city and pays the city’s $0.63 per $100 rate.
The 76691 ZIP code covers a large rural area around town, including roads such as Bugtussle Lane, Bluhm Road and Heritage Parkway. Those addresses read “West, TX” but usually pay no city tax and rely on a water corporation or well and a septic system.
Check this before you write an offer. It decides your tax bill, who picks up the trash, which permits apply and whether city water and sewer are available at the lot.
West ISD serves the City of West and the surrounding communities of Leroy, Tours, Gerald and Ross, about 127 square miles that reach into a small part of Hill County. The administration office is at 406 W. Shook Street, (254) 981-2000.
The district has about 1,340 students on three campuses: West Elementary (pre-K through 5), West Middle (6–8) and West High (9–12). It rated an A (91) in 2025 and a B (89) in 2026, preliminary.
Rural 76691 addresses may fall in a neighboring district, so confirm every address with TEA’s School District Locator and the district before you buy.
Inside city limits, the 2026 rate is about $1.95 per $100 before exemptions: City of West $0.63, West ISD $0.79965, McLennan County $0.3748 and McLennan Community College $0.140715.
On a $300,000 homestead, that works out to roughly $4,400 a year after the $140,000 school exemption and the 20 percent county and college exemptions. The city doesn’t list a homestead exemption of its own.
Outside city limits there’s no city tax, which brings the same home closer to $2,500. West ISD’s rate fell for 2026, from $0.847520. These are illustrations, not quotes; confirm taxing units and exemptions with the appraisal district.
Inside city limits, the City of West provides water, sewer and trash service. Apply at City Hall, 110 N. Reagan St., (254) 826-5351; a deposit is due when you open the account. The 111 S. Reagan address belongs to the West Volunteer Fire Department.
Trash is collected by Frontier Waste Solutions under a city franchise, with residential pickup every Wednesday. For after-hours water and sewer emergencies, the city lists a public works line at (254) 366-1504.
Outside the city, water typically comes from a water supply corporation or a private well, and homes rely on septic. Ask the seller for recent utility bills so you know which providers serve the property, and ask the city clerk for the current deposit amount.
West bills residential sewer on a winter average of your water use in November, January and February. The new average takes effect March 1 each year, so heavy summer lawn watering doesn’t raise your sewer charge.
The city caps residential sewer at a 4,500-gallon winter average, which comes to $59.74 a month on the 2024 rate sheet. A 3,900-gallon average comes to $55.83.
New accounts without a winter history are billed at 4,500 gallons or actual use, whichever is lower. If you move in during spring or summer, keep winter water use in mind; it sets the next year’s sewer bill. Rates can change, so confirm current figures with the utility clerk.
In most of West, yes. The city doesn’t run an electric utility. Power is delivered over Oncor Electric Delivery’s lines in the deregulated ERCOT market, so you pick a retail electric provider and plan.
Oncor maintains the poles and wires and handles outages no matter which retailer you choose. Compare plans on the state’s Power to Choose site, read the fine print on usage tiers, and line up service a few days before closing.
Some rural tracts outside town may be served by an electric cooperative instead, where retail choice doesn’t apply. A recent bill from the seller is the quickest way to confirm the provider for a specific address.
Zillow’s typical home value for the City of West was about $300,000 in August 2026, up about 2 percent from a year earlier. That’s a smoothed estimate across all homes.
Other measures land between about $230,000 and $325,000, and list prices run higher. West records only around 20 sales a month, so a few large or small sales can swing a monthly median sharply.
Recent listings show the spread: an older three-bedroom on North Reagan near $140,000, a new three-bedroom on North Main near $350,000, and a larger custom home near $680,000. Ask for a current comparative market analysis built on true comparables before you set a price.
Longer than in a fast suburb. Listing sites showed about 80 to 150+ days on market in 2025 and 2026, and one site reported a median above 200 days. Redfin showed about 62 days for the 76691 ZIP in July 2026, with homes selling near 96 percent of list price.
The reason is volume. West is a small market, so buyers have fewer options and sellers have fewer recent sales to price against.
For sellers, pricing to true comparables from the start matters more than usual, along with good photos and a realistic timeline. For buyers, a longer market can mean more room to negotiate repairs or closing costs.
Yes. In 2026, lots were listed on newer streets such as Vitava Drive, from about a third of an acre to 1.24 acres, at roughly $55,000 to $65,000. Outside town, two-acre tracts on Bugtussle Lane listed near $115,000, and larger acreage was available too.
Before you buy, confirm city-limits status, water source and deed restrictions for the exact parcel. Inside the city you may tie into city water and sewer; outside it, plan for a water corporation or well and a septic system.
Septic permits in McLennan County run through the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, with a $510 base permit for a single-family system.
Kolaches and Czech heritage. Czech and Moravian families settled here in the 1880s and 1890s, and in 1997 the Texas Legislature named West the “Czech heritage capital” of Texas and home of the Legislature’s official kolache.
Travelers know it from the Czech Stop at I-35 Exit 353, and locals know the downtown bakeries on Oak Street, the Church of the Assumption and Labor Day weekend’s Westfest.
West also holds a quirky railroad footnote: in 1896 the Katy staged the “Crash at Crush”, a head-on locomotive collision a few miles south of town, as a publicity stunt. A state historical marker stands on the I-35 frontage road.
There are four main stops. The Village Bakery at 113 E. Oak St. opened in 1952, closed in 2019 and reopened on May 23, 2026 under new owners; it’s known for fruit kolaches and the sausage-filled klobasnek.
Gerik’s Ole Czech Bakery at 511 W. Oak St. is the other downtown bakery. Out on the highway, the Czech Stop and Little Czech Bakery at Exit 353 has served travelers since 1983, and Slovacek’s on Melodie Drive adds brisket kolaches, sausage and barbecue.
Downtown bakeries keep shorter hours, some close early on Sundays, and popular flavors sell out, so go in the morning and call ahead before a special trip.
Westfest runs Labor Day weekend, Friday through Sunday, at the West Fair & Rodeo Grounds, 1110 S. Main St., about a mile south of downtown. The 2025 festival ran August 29–31, and the 50th annual Westfest ran September 4–6, 2026.
Expect polka bands, Czech food and kolaches, a Saturday morning parade through downtown, a Polka Mass, a carnival, a Kolache 5K and tournaments for horseshoes, washers, 42 and taroky.
In 2026, weekend day tickets were $20 for adults and $5 for ages 6 to 12, and parking was $10, cash only. Westfest started in 1976 as a community fundraiser and is run by a volunteer nonprofit.
On April 17, 2013, a fire at the West Fertilizer Co. led to an explosion that took 15 lives, including 12 first responders, and damaged schools, homes, an apartment complex and a nursing home on the north side of town.
West rebuilt. West ISD opened a new grades 6–12 campus in 2016 and, after voters approved a 2019 bond, a new elementary in 2022. Parts of the north side were rebuilt, and new construction continues there.
The Fallen Heroes Memorial at Parker’s Park was dedicated on April 13, 2019, and the community holds a remembrance each April. In 2016 the ATF ruled the fire intentionally set; the case remains open with no arrests.
In town, West Food Mart at 102 E. Pine St. is listed as the local grocery; call ahead to confirm its current hours. Gas-station markets and the bakeries and delis at Exit 353 cover quick stops.
For a full weekly shop, most residents drive to Waco or Hillsboro. The nearest Brookshire Brothers found is in Lorena, south of Waco on I-35.
Plan for a bigger stock-up trip once a week or so, and note that the Czech Stop and Slovacek’s both sell sausage, breads and deli items to take home. Many residents combine grocery runs with errands or appointments in Waco.
Yes. St. Mary’s School, at 301 S. Harrison St., is a Catholic school for pre-K4 through eighth grade, run by St. Mary’s Church of the Assumption in the Diocese of Austin. Its phone number is (254) 826-3705.
The parish’s roots go back to 1892, when Czech Catholic families built the first church in West. The present brick church was dedicated in 1956.
Students who finish eighth grade at St. Mary’s typically move on to West High or to schools in Waco. Ask the school directly about tuition, enrollment, transportation and before- and after-care, since those details change from year to year.
File with the McLennan Central Appraisal District once the home is your primary residence, using the state’s residence homestead application with a copy of your Texas driver’s license showing the property address. The usual deadline is April 30 of the year you’re applying for.
The exemption takes $140,000 off your West ISD taxable value, and McLennan County and MCC each exempt 20 percent. The City of West doesn’t list a homestead exemption.
Owners 65 or older or disabled get an extra $60,000 school exemption and a school tax freeze. A homestead also caps increases in taxable value at 10 percent a year. Call MCAD at 254-752-9864 with questions.
On September 15, 1896, the Missouri, Kansas & Texas (Katy) Railroad staged a head-on collision of two locomotives as a publicity stunt at a temporary site called Crush, about three miles south of West.
Tens of thousands of people came by special trains to watch. When the boilers exploded on impact, debris flew into the crowd and at least two people were killed; sources differ on the exact crowd size and toll.
The event is part of why West’s history is tied so closely to the Katy, which had platted the townsite in 1881. A Texas historical marker stands on the I-35 northbound frontage road south of town.
West sits right on I-35, about 20 miles north of Waco. Estimated off-peak drives run about 20 to 25 minutes to downtown Waco and Baylor, about 15 minutes north to Hillsboro and about an hour south to Temple.
Going north, plan for roughly 75 minutes to downtown Fort Worth and 80 minutes to downtown Dallas, depending on which branch of I-35 you take.
I-35 traffic and construction, especially through Waco, can add time, so test the drive at your real commute hours before you buy. Waco Regional Airport is the closest commercial airport, with DFW and Austin-Bergstrom for most flights.
Yes. The West Public Library is at 209 Tokio Road, (254) 826-3070. It offers books, programs and free help with Czech genealogy, which fits a town where many families trace their roots to Moravia and Bohemia.
Hours are limited and vary by day, with afternoon hours early in the week, a midday Wednesday and a Saturday morning, so check the library’s website before you go.
For more local history, the History of West Museum at 112 E. Oak St. is open Thursday through Saturday, and the Portal to Texas History hosts digitized issues of West’s Czech-language newspapers.
Answers were verified as of October 2026 from the City of West, McLennan County, the McLennan Central Appraisal District, West ISD, the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Legislature, the Texas State Historical Association, Westfest, the Church of the Assumption, the West Public Library, Zillow, Redfin, Movoto, Homes.com, KWTX, KWBU, KXXV, FOX 44, NPR and the Waco Tribune-Herald. Rates, fees, providers and business hours change; verify anything you intend to rely on. Utility deposit amounts were not published. West ISD’s 2026 rating is preliminary. The county’s 2026 rate is reported as adopted at $0.3748; MCC’s rate is listed as $0.140715 on the county schedule and $0.140772 in a published notice. West Food Mart’s current hours were not confirmed. Drive times are estimates and were not drawn from a mapping source. Combined tax figures are illustrations, not quotes. Crash at Crush figures differ by source. This is general information, not legal, tax, lending, insurance, environmental or engineering advice. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
West runs its own City Hall, police, volunteer fire department, water, sewer and trash, while appraisal, septic permits and courts run through McLennan County. Start by learning whether an address is inside city limits, then work down the list. Start with the green first-week cards; county offices are in blue, and anything outside town is in purple.
The 76691 ZIP reaches far past town. If “City of West” (unit 82) appears on the tax record, the home is inside the city. That decides city tax (about $1,890 a year on a $300,000 home), water, sewer, trash and permits. Outside town, expect a water corporation and septic.
MCAD 254-752-9864 Check the taxing units on the appraisal recordStart water, sewer and trash service, ask permit and code questions, and pay utility bills online through the city’s payment portal. A deposit is due when you apply, held without interest and refunded less any balance. Ask the clerk for the current amount.
254-826-5351 · [email protected] 110 N Reagan St · PO Box 97, West 76691In-town homes are generally on Oncor’s lines with retail choice through Power to Choose. Some rural tracts are served by a co-op such as HILCO, where you can’t shop providers. Ask the seller for a recent bill to confirm.
HILCO Co-op 254-687-2331 Varies by addressFile your homestead exemption free with the CAD, online or by mail, generally by April 30. Skip paid filing services. The tax office also runs a part-time West substation; call the main office before you go.
CAD 254-752-9864 · Tax office 254-757-5130 CAD: 315 S 26th St · Tax office: 215 N 5th St, Suite 118, WacoOne, city limits. Two, the water provider and any membership transfer. Three, sewer or septic and the permit file. Four, the electric provider. Five, the FEMA flood map. Six, zoning, especially for a manufactured home.
About thirty minutesHandles city citations and fines. The city asks you to allow 10 working days before calling about a citation.
254-826-4607 · [email protected] Mail: PO Box 97, West 76691The city’s own police department, based at City Hall. For emergencies, call 911.
Non-emergency 254-826-5311 110 N Reagan StWest’s volunteer fire department, just down Reagan Street from City Hall. For emergencies, call 911. Ask your insurer which station and fire protection class it uses for a specific address.
254-826-5110 111 S Reagan StOpen Mon–Tue 3–7, Wed 10–3, Thu 3–7 and Sat 9–noon; closed Friday and Sunday. Offers free help with Czech family genealogy.
254-826-3070 · westpl.org 209 Tokio RdListed hours are weekdays 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. and Saturday 8–10 a.m. Confirm on usps.com.
254-826-5731 301 W Columbus StBook the West Community Center through City Hall; City Council meets there the first Tuesday of each month. Playdium Pool is a seasonal, spring-fed swimming pool. Check its Facebook page for summer hours.
City Hall 254-826-5351 · Pool 254-902-2030 Pool: 200 Playdium DrSewer is billed on your winter average water use, reset each March, so summer watering doesn’t raise it. New accounts are billed at 4,500 gallons or actual use, whichever is lower, until an average is set.
254-826-5351 110 N Reagan StThe city’s exclusive trash hauler. Residential pickup is every Wednesday; have carts out by 7 a.m.
888-580-8705 City of West franchise haulerRural West addresses are served by member-owned water corporations, including Hilltop, Bold Springs and Ross. Find the holder on the PUC CCN map, budget for membership and transfer fees, and read the provider’s water quality report before closing.
Hilltop 254-826-3455 · Bold Springs 254-826-3947 · Ross 254-829-1289 Hilltop: PO Box 543, West · Bold Springs: 232 Old Tokio Rd · Ross: PO Box 202, RossAtmos Energy serves natural gas in town. Outside the city, septic permits run through the Health District, about $510 for a standard single-family system. Check the FCC broadband map by address, since sources disagree on fiber, and call 811 before you dig.
Septic 254-299-2405 Septic: Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, 225 W Waco Dr, WacoA volunteer nonprofit ambulance service covering West and surrounding parts of McLennan County. For any emergency, call 911.
Emergencies: 911 · office 254-826-3779 411 Meadow DrWest has no hospital; the nearest ERs are north in Hillsboro and south in Waco. In town, Old Corner Drug (200 N Main) and West Drug (206 N Main) fill prescriptions. Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222.
Hill Regional 254-580-8500 · Hillcrest 254-202-2000 · Providence 254-751-4000 Hill Regional: 101 Circle Dr, Hillsboro · Hillcrest: 100 Hillcrest Medical Blvd, Waco · Providence: 6901 Medical Pkwy, WacoThe county’s JP court for this precinct sits in West, handling small claims, evictions and county citations.
254-826-3341 201 N Reagan St, WestThe county’s main switchboard. The County Clerk keeps deeds, plats and deed restrictions; ask for them before you buy land.
254-757-5000 501 Washington Ave, WacoVerified October 2026 against the City of West (contact, municipal court, sewer and trash pages and code of ordinances), the West Public Library, McLennan County, the McLennan Central Appraisal District, the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, the Public Utility Commission of Texas, the Railroad Commission of Texas, Hilltop WSC, Bold Springs WSC, HILCO Electric Cooperative, West EMS, Playdium Pool, Baylor Scott & White, Ascension, Hill Regional Hospital, KWTX and KXXV. Phone numbers, addresses, hours, fees and providers change; confirm anything you intend to rely on. City Hall and municipal court hours are not published, and the court publishes no street address. Post office hours are from a directory listing. Playdium Pool is also listed at 418 Cottonwood Rd and 254-826-5773; its operator was not confirmed. The tax office’s West substation address and the JP court’s address and phone are from third-party listings. Electric providers vary by address; Oncor service inside the city was not confirmed from a primary source. Utility deposit amounts were not published. Listings are for general local reference and are not endorsements; I receive no compensation from any organization named. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
West sits on I-35 about 20 miles north of Waco, under an hour south of my Waxahachie office, with older homes on the town grid, new builds and country acreage. Buying here is about city limits, water providers, sewer or septic and a patient market. I sort out the details that matter here, and the awkward parts are named.
On a $300,000 homestead, 2026 taxes run about $4,407 a year inside West and $2,517 just outside, a gap of roughly $158 a month. In town you get city water, sewer and trash; outside, a water corporation and septic. I check the taxing units on every address.
Redfin’s August 2026 median sale price was about $228,000, while the typical 76691 listing asked about $314,000 and Zillow’s typical value sat near $300,000. With so few sales, I comp downtown homes, new builds and acreage separately.
Homes here often take 80 to 150+ days to sell. For buyers, that’s negotiating room on price, repairs and closing costs. For sellers, it means pricing right on day one and marketing the downtown, kolache-town identity people come here for.
West bills sewer on your winter water average, and a deposit is due when you start service. Rural addresses rely on Hilltop, Bold Springs or Ross water. I get the provider, fees and transfer steps in writing before you close.
The city has separate zoning for manufactured homes, so I check it before you buy land. Outside town I pull the septic permit file (about $510 for a new standard system) and the FEMA flood map for the exact parcel.
West is small. There’s no hospital or full-line supermarket in town, resale can take months, and some rural water systems have had compliance notices. If any of that is a dealbreaker, you will hear it from me first.
Confirm city limits on the appraisal record. Second, confirm the water provider and any membership transfer. Third, sewer or septic, with the permit file. Fourth, the electric provider, Oncor or a co-op. Fifth, pull the flood map. And sixth, file your homestead exemption free with the appraisal district.
West-specific things to raise with all four. Freddie Mac’s 30-year average was 7.03 percent on September 24, 2026, the highest of the year, so ask about rate locks and buydowns. McLennan County’s 2026 FHA limit is the national floor, $541,287. West’s size suggests many addresses may be USDA-eligible; confirm each one on USDA’s map. Ask about TSAHC and TDHCA down payment programs, and how septic or a water corporation affects FHA, VA and USDA appraisals. I recommend these lenders based on their expertise and service. I do not receive compensation for referrals.
Either is fine. I answer my own phone, and you will never be routed to a call center or handed to a junior agent. Send me an address and I will tell you whether it’s inside West city limits, who supplies the water and power, whether it’s near a floodplain, and what the tax bill looks like.
Bobby Franklin, REALTOR® · Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team · 214-228-0003 · northtexasmarketinsider.com
Information on this page is provided for general reference and is not legal, tax, insurance, environmental or lending advice. Tax figures use 2026 rates from McLennan County’s rate table: City of West 0.630000 (no homestead or over-65 exemption), West ISD 0.799650, McLennan County 0.374805 and McLennan Community College 0.140715; the worked example applies the $140,000 school exemption and 20 percent county and college exemptions and is an illustration, not a quote. Whether the city offers an over-65 tax ceiling was not confirmed. Market figures are Redfin’s West median sale price (August 2026) and typical 76691 list price, and Zillow’s Home Value Index (August 2026); days on market are from several listing sites and vary widely because few homes sell. Septic fees are from the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District’s schedule updated January 2026. Manufactured home zoning is from the City of West code of ordinances. The mortgage rate is Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey for 24 September 2026. USDA eligibility is determined by address and household income and was not confirmed for any address. The FHA figure is HUD’s 2026 national floor. All real estate services are provided through Legacy Realty Group. Equal Housing Opportunity.
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