San Antonio Neighborhoods Guide (2026): Where to Buy, Compared

By Chris Dudley, San Antonio REALTOR® and founder of Legacy Realty Group, brokered by Real Broker, LLC (TREC #731381). Updated October 2026.

Buyers often ask me which part of San Antonio they should buy in. The honest answer depends on budget, commute, school district and whether you want a city address or the Hill Country. This guide puts the areas I work in side by side with current median prices and days on market from Redfin, plus county and school-district facts. Each area links to a full guide.

Quick comparison

Prices and days on market: Redfin housing-market pages for each ZIP or city, month shown. Redfin figures move every month and a median is not a price for any one home. *School district lines do not follow ZIP codes or city limits. Always confirm the district and campus for a specific address with the district.

Northwest San Antonio: Alamo Ranch, 78254 and 78245

Alamo Ranch is a master-planned area just outside Loop 1604 on the far west side, roughly between Culebra Road to the north and Potranco Road to the south. Much of it is unincorporated Bexar County, which changes the tax picture compared with a city address. 78254 runs along the Loop 1604 and Culebra corridor, and 78245 sits along Potranco Road and SH 151 near JBSA-Lackland. Medians here run from about $290,000 to $340,000. See the Alamo Ranch guide, the Northwest San Antonio guide and my Alamo Ranch REALTOR page.

North Central: Stone Oak

Stone Oak is a large master-planned area on the far north side along US 281 and north of Loop 1604, mostly inside San Antonio city limits. Its 78258 ZIP was one of the fastest-moving in this guide (38 days in July 2026), and medians run from about $433,000 to $553,000 across its three ZIPs. Read the Stone Oak guide or visit my Stone Oak REALTOR page.

Close-in north: Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills

Alamo Heights is a small independent city surrounded by San Antonio just north of downtown. Terrell Hills, incorporated in 1939, is 1.61 square miles between Alamo Heights and JBSA-Fort Sam Houston. These are the highest medians in this guide, and Alamo Heights ISD serves most homes inside both cities. See the Alamo Heights guide, the Terrell Hills guide and my Alamo Heights REALTOR page.

Medical Center and UTSA

The South Texas Medical Center covers about 900 acres on the northwest side, bordered by I-10 and Loop 410, with UTSA's main campus farther out near I-10 and Loop 1604. This corridor has some of the lowest medians in the guide, from about $192,000 in 78229 to $315,000 in 78249. Read the Medical Center and UTSA guide or my Medical Center REALTOR page.

Northeast: Cibolo, Schertz, Converse, Live Oak, Windcrest and Universal City

These are separate cities on the northeast side, several of them next to JBSA-Randolph. Converse, Live Oak and Universal City had medians under $250,000 in mid-2026. Windcrest, about 2.15 square miles and bordered by San Antonio on three sides, was the fastest-selling city here at 35 days in August 2026. Cibolo and Schertz sit higher, near $335,000 to $380,000, and Schertz spans three counties. Compare them in Cibolo vs. Schertz vs. Converse, or open the Cibolo, Schertz, Converse, Live Oak, Windcrest and Universal City guides.

Hill Country: Boerne, New Braunfels and Canyon Lake

Boerne, the Kendall County seat, is about 30 miles northwest of downtown along I-10, with an August 2026 median of $499,500. New Braunfels sits on I-35 between San Antonio and Austin along the Comal and Guadalupe rivers, at about $330,000. Canyon Lake is unincorporated, with no city government or city tax, around an 8,300-acre reservoir about 40 miles from downtown; homes there took 93 days to sell in August 2026. See the Boerne guide, the New Braunfels guide and my Canyon Lake REALTOR page.

How to narrow it down

1. Set your budget first. A pre-approval tells you which of these medians fit.
2. Map your commute. Loop 1604, Loop 410, I-10, I-35 and US 281 shape drive times more than distance does.
3. Check the tax picture. City, unincorporated county, MUD or PID addresses carry different rates. See my FAQ for the basics.
4. Confirm schools by address with the district, not by ZIP code.
5. Tour two or three areas back to back so you can compare in person.

FAQ

What is the most affordable area in this guide?

By Redfin median sale price, the Medical Center ZIP 78229 ($192,457, July 2026), Converse ($244,946, July 2026), Universal City ($245,333, Sept 2026) and Live Oak ($248,336, Aug 2026) were lowest.

Where do homes sell fastest?

Windcrest (35 days, Aug 2026) and Stone Oak's 78258 (38 days, July 2026) had the shortest median days on market among these areas.

Which areas are outside San Antonio city limits?

Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills, Windcrest, Live Oak, Universal City, Converse, Cibolo, Schertz, Boerne and New Braunfels are their own cities. Much of Alamo Ranch is unincorporated Bexar County, and Canyon Lake is unincorporated Comal County.

Who can help me compare these areas?

Chris Dudley, a San Antonio REALTOR® and founder of Legacy Realty Group, brokered by Real Broker, LLC, works with buyers and sellers in every area above. Call (210) 838-6099.

Talk it through

If you are deciding between two or three of these areas, call or text me at (210) 838-6099. I'll pull current sales for the streets you are considering. More about me on the About page.

Chris Dudley, REALTOR® | Founder, Legacy Realty Group | Brokered by Real Broker, LLC | TREC #731381 | 8626 Tesoro Dr, Suite 208, San Antonio, TX 78217.