Among the newest of U.S. towns · #618 of 642 in Texas. What drives it
Most of West Lake Hills was built recently: 0.0% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1992. Below: maps from 1932 on and the census since 1960.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, West Lake Hills is among the newest of U.S. towns, #618 of 642 in Texas. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
D−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of West Lake Hills’ overall grade.
Few Texas towns list much on the Register (a typical Texas town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so West Lake Hills’ 0.0 sits below most of its state (34% of Texas towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikipedia alone; no second source gives 1953.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D− to D. The pre-1940 share (±1.1 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about West Lake Hills’ past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
West Lake Hills was founded by Emmett Shelton and incorporated in 1953. Shelton played a significant role as a land planner for the city. The Emmett Shelton Bridge, named in his honor, is an important infrastructure that connects West Lake Hills with Austin.
The community developed rapidly in the 1970s and 1980s, especially on the south side of the Colorado River.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of West Lake Hills. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1932Mt Bonnell sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of West Lake Hills.
People over time
West Lake Hills, census by census
Grew from 714 people in 1960 to 3,444 in 2020, 4 times over.
7 censuses, 1960–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on West Lake Hills’ Wikipedia page.
Famous people
Famous people close to West Lake Hills
Nobody well known was born in West Lake Hills itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
In 1953, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1960 counted 714 people here.
How does West Lake Hills rank for history?
West Lake Hills is among the newest of U.S. towns, #618 of 642 in Texas. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
How old are the homes in West Lake Hills?
0.0% of West Lake Hills’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.1 points), against a typical 1.6% for a Texas town; the median home was built in 1992.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
