Tami Price is a U.S. Air Force veteran and Broker Owner of Tami Price Properties, helping military families across San Antonio and Joint Base San Antonio.
More about TamiNeighborhood Guide · I-35 corridor
River town culture with a strong residential housing market. New Braunfels sits along I-35 northeast of San Antonio, where the Guadalupe and Comal rivers run through town. It is the county seat of Comal County, has a well developed food scene, a strong supply of newer residential development, and a tourism economy built around the rivers, Schlitterbahn, and the Gruene Historic District.
Updated September 11, 2026.
The drive into San Antonio runs roughly 31 to 34 miles and about 33 to 41 minutes on I-35 in normal traffic. It is best for households whose work or assignment allows a commute from the northeast, and Randolph is the closest JBSA installation, roughly 15 to 20 minutes away in normal traffic via I-35 and FM 78.
Commute times are approximate and change with traffic, construction, gate access, and time of day.
Newer subdivisions make up much of the recent stock, alongside established neighborhoods near the rivers and town center. Homes range from historic houses near downtown to large master-planned communities on the edges of the city and in unincorporated Comal County.
I-35
The main corridor connecting New Braunfels to San Antonio, Schertz, and points north toward Austin.
TX 46
The Hill Country route running west toward Bulverde, Fair Oaks Ranch, and Boerne.
FM 306
The route northwest toward Canyon Lake and the surrounding Hill Country communities.
Loop 337
The city loop that rings New Braunfels and distributes traffic around downtown and the retail corridors.
Distances are point to point by major roads in normal traffic and are approximations. Drive times change with traffic, construction, gate access, and time of day.
Downtown New Braunfels to Downtown San Antonio: roughly 31 to 34 miles, about 33 to 41 minutes on I-35 in normal traffic
Downtown New Braunfels to JBSA-Randolph main gate: roughly 15 to 18 miles, about 20 to 25 minutes in normal traffic
Downtown New Braunfels to Canyon Lake: roughly 15 to 20 miles, about 25 to 30 minutes via FM 306 in normal traffic
I-35 between New Braunfels and San Antonio backs up during weekday peaks, and the drive is longest on Friday afternoons and holiday weekends.
Summer event traffic around Schlitterbahn, the Comal and Guadalupe rivers, and Gruene adds congestion on weekends and holidays, mostly along the river roads and Loop 337.
The city's Wurstfest season each November brings additional event traffic.
Joint Base San Antonio spans the west side, north central, northeast, and northwest parts of the metro. Compare the drive to each installation, and use the Relocation Guide to fit the commute decision into the PCS timeline.
Late 1800s to 1940s
Historic German-style houses, limestone and brick homes near downtown and the rivers.
1950s to 1990s
Ranch neighborhoods and mid-century subdivisions between downtown and the loop.
1990s to today
Master-planned communities along I-35, FM 306, and the SH 46 corridor, with ongoing new construction and builder competition.
Both resale and new construction are active. New home communities compete along the I-35 corridor and the outer edges of the city, and resale inventory spans historic downtown properties to young suburban homes.
New Braunfels listings appear in the San Antonio area MLS, and the metro-level August 2026 figures (median sales price $299,275, 3,104 closed sales, 82 average days on market, 92.8 percent sale to original list price, SABOR MLS Summary Report) are the reference point.
Comal and Guadalupe county specifics differ from the metro number; Tami pulls current local data on request.
New Braunfels is the county seat of Comal County, and the city limits cross into Guadalupe County in places.
Property tax rates reflect the county, city, and special districts at each address, so effective rates differ by which side of the city the home is on.
The city provides municipal services inside the limits; unincorporated areas are served by the county, which affects utility and permitting details.
Current public figures for the area, pulled from county and district sources and market data. Rates and prices change, so treat these as a starting point and confirm the exact numbers for the address you are considering.
School district
New Braunfels ISD
New Braunfels ISD serves the city; portions of the surrounding area fall in Comal ISD.
Property tax rate
About $1.79 per $100
Combined Comal County, City of New Braunfels, and Comal ISD rates for tax year 2025, before exemptions.
Typical HOA dues
Roughly $70 to $200 per month
Typical for single family homes and townhomes; amenity rich master planned communities run higher.
Median home price
About $347,000
Median sale price, Redfin, 2026. Figures vary by source and time frame.
Figures reflect the most recent verifiable public data available at the time of writing and vary by source, lot, and address. Property tax rates are combined totals before exemptions, and HOA dues and median prices vary by community.
Dining
The town's German and craft dining anchors, plus the restaurant scene in the Gruene Historic District.
Comal River, Guadalupe River, Schlitterbahn, and Gruene Hall
Recreation
The rivers run through town, Schlitterbahn operates seasonally on the Comal, and Gruene Hall is one of the oldest dance halls in Texas.
Medical
A full-service hospital at 600 N Union Ave serving the city and surrounding Comal County.
Medical
A full-service hospital at 555 Creekside Crossing on the west side of the city.
Tourism, healthcare, and the I-35 corridor
Employment
Tourism and hospitality around the rivers, the hospital systems, the city and county governments, and manufacturing and distribution along I-35 anchor the local economy, with many residents commuting to San Antonio.
Historic German biergarten and dining
Burgers and local beer in the center of town
German-Austrian restaurant on Seguin Avenue
Every move starts with the same questions: when, where, and at what budget. Tell Tami your timeline and she will walk you through how New Braunfels compares with the rest of the market.
Tami Price is a U.S. Air Force veteran and Broker Owner of Tami Price Properties, helping military families across San Antonio and Joint Base San Antonio.
More about Tami