How a Remote Town in Texas Became One of America’s Fastest-Growing Cities

Known for its German roots and its world-famous water park, New Braunfels, Texas, in the thriving corridor between San Antonio and Austin, grew 56 percent over the past decade.

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas — In the not-too-distant past, motorists driving along a stretch of Interstate 35 just northeast of San Antonio were met with vast fields of wildflowers and grazing cows in grassy pastures. Today, the cattle are gone, replaced with clusters of sleek apartments, gated communities and big-box stores. And New Braunfels, the third-fastest-growing city in America, tucked in one of the fastest-growing regions, finds itself at a crossroads. “People have found New Braunfels — the word is out,” said the city’s mayor, Rusty Brockman. “And I think we are going to continue to deal with this growth for a long time.”