Retiring in Granbury, Texas

Retiring in Granbury: overview

Granbury is in Hood County, Texas, within the Fort Worth & Western Metroplex region.

Granbury is a city in Hood County and the town most closely associated with Lake Granbury, the Brazos River reservoir that the Brazos River Authority operates southwest of Fort Worth. It anchors the lake-and-golf cluster described in Fort Worth & Western Metroplex. The City of Granbury's own pages show a downtown square at Bridge and Crockett streets, City Hall at 116 W. Bridge Street, a city-owned airport, and city departments for parks and recreation, water treatment and wastewater. Two gated communities in the area, Pecan Plantation and DeCordova Bend Estates, account for much of the lake-and-golf retirement appeal that people associate with the Granbury address.

The case for Granbury is a lake, a town square and a community hospital in a place that is still within reach of the Fort Worth hospital systems and DFW International Airport, in a state with no personal income tax on retirement income (see Texas retirement taxes). The Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2019-2023 estimates that 31.0 percent of Granbury residents are 65 or older, which is roughly three times the share in the city of Fort Worth. The case against is equally concrete: a reservoir whose water supply is managed under published drought rules, hot summers, hail and severe-storm exposure typical of North Texas, a hospital that is smaller than the systems in Fort Worth, a major highway project on US 377, and property taxes that stack several local units. The sections below set out what public records say, with the year of each figure.

Cost of living in Granbury

The Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2019-2023 five-year profile estimates that Granbury city had 11,665 residents, a median age of 50.1 years, and 3,621 residents aged 65 and over, which is 31.0 percent of the population. The same survey's economic profile estimates a median household income of $68,839 and a mean household income of $102,783. These are survey estimates with margins of error, and a five-year window lags current conditions, so treat them as a sketch of who lives here rather than a quote on any one home.

The housing profile estimates 5,812 housing units in Granbury city, with 59.2 percent of occupied units owner-occupied. It estimates a median value of $278,700 for owner-occupied homes, median monthly owner costs of $1,747 for homes with a mortgage, and a median gross rent of $1,387. Two nearby places that matter to lake and golf buyers look different. The survey estimates a median home value of $386,200 for the Pecan Plantation census-designated place and $300,800 for the city of DeCordova, so the gated lake-and-golf communities sit above the citywide Granbury median in these estimates. Current asking prices can differ substantially from any survey median, particularly for waterfront lots and new construction.

Texas has no state personal income tax, which affects retirement income but not property taxes, sales taxes, utility bills or insurance. For a retiree on a fixed income, the larger recurring costs in Granbury are usually property tax, homeowners and wind-and-hail insurance, and, in a gated community, association dues and optional club charges. Each is address-specific, and the sections below explain how to check them.

Property taxes in Granbury

Texas property tax is levied by each local taxing unit on the value the appraisal district assigns. In Granbury, Hood Central Appraisal District (hoodcad.net) sets values and posts the adopted rates for the units that tax Hood County property. For the tax year headed 2026 on its Adopted Tax Rates page, the district lists Hood County in total at 0.29425 per $100 of taxable value (made up of a general fund, a lateral road levy and a library levy), Granbury ISD at 0.8781, the City of Granbury at 0.485, and the Hood County hospital levy at 0.025. The same page shows the prior years: Granbury ISD at 0.9296 for 2025 and 0.9319 for 2024, and the City of Granbury at 0.42 for 2025 and 0.385 for 2024. Rates change every budget year and units can adopt different rates for different tax years, so confirm the current rate with Hood CAD or the unit before relying on any figure.

As an illustration of the arithmetic only, an address inside the city limits and the school district with a taxable value of $300,000 would owe about $5,047.05 at the sum of those four 2026 rates (1.68235 per $100) before any exemption. A lot outside the city limits would not owe the city levy, and a lot with a different school district or a special district would owe different amounts. For how appraisal districts and taxing units fit together, see property taxes and appraisal districts.

Exemptions reduce taxable value; they are not cash payments. The Texas Comptroller states that Tax Code Section 11.13(b) requires school districts to provide a $140,000 residence homestead exemption and that Section 11.13(c) requires an additional $60,000 exemption for homeowners age 65 or older or disabled. Hood CAD's rate table for 2026 shows 140,000 and 60,000 on the Granbury ISD row, consistent with those state amounts. The table also shows a 20,000 amount on the City of Granbury row, but its text layer does not reliably separate the exemption columns, so the Granbury city over-65 amount should be confirmed with Hood CAD or the city rather than assumed from the table.

The same table has a column headed Recognize Tax Ceiling, and for 2026 it marks Hood County, Granbury ISD and the City of Granbury as yes. A local ceiling on a unit's tax on a qualifying homestead is an optional, unit-by-unit rule, not a statewide freeze on all property taxes at age 65, and the school-tax ceiling has its own conditions described in the guide to homestead and age-65 exemptions. Confirm with Hood CAD when the homestead and age-65 exemptions begin and how to apply.

Two address-specific wrinkles matter. First, the lake-and-golf communities near Granbury are not all in the city: Pecan Plantation is described by its developer as being in unincorporated Hood County, and the City of DeCordova, which contains DeCordova Bend Estates, is a separate incorporated city, so a mailing address that says Granbury does not tell you which city, if any, taxes the parcel. Second, a small part of the Pecan Plantation area lies in Johnson County, whose appraisal district handles Johnson County parcels. Check the tax statement and the seller's disclosures for any utility district or assessment that applies to a particular property.

Insurance and risk in Granbury

Hail is the weather hazard most closely tied to home insurance across the Fort Worth area. The Texas Department of Insurance advises homeowners with wind and hail coverage to file a claim as soon as they can after hail or strong winds, to take pictures and video of the damage, to prevent further damage, and to avoid contractors who offer to waive a deductible, which it says is illegal under state law for homeowners deductibles. It also explains that some policies pay replacement cost on a roof while others pay actual cash value, that the deductible for wind and hail can differ from other deductibles, and that an insurer may charge more or decline to insure based on a roof's condition at application. Roof age and material are therefore worth examining before buying a Granbury home. Premiums are not quoted here; they vary by insurer, roof, claims history and address.

Flood risk is address-specific and is insured separately. FEMA states that any place with a 1 percent or higher chance of flooding each year is considered high risk, that those areas have at least a one-in-four chance of flooding during a 30-year mortgage, and that floods do not follow city limits or property lines. Under the National Flood Insurance Program, most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, a separate policy is required, and homes in high-risk flood areas with mortgages from government-backed lenders must carry it. Lakefront, canal-side and river-adjacent lots should be checked on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center before an offer, and the Brazos River Authority notes that runoff regularly pushes debris against docks and seawalls, which is a maintenance issue distinct from flood insurance.

Wildfire exposure on the wooded and grassy edges of the lake country is tracked by Texas A&M Forest Service, which is the lead agency for wildfire response in Texas and publishes a statewide risk assessment portal and burn-ban information. Drought raises that exposure, and the National Weather Service's Fort Worth/Dallas office, whose forecast area includes this part of North Texas, issues the severe-thunderstorm, tornado and flash-flood warnings for the area and maintains local drought information. Residents of Hood County communities can register for county emergency notifications; one community association says Hood County uses the Everbridge app for this purpose.

Healthcare access in Granbury

Granbury has a hospital in town. Lake Granbury Medical Center, at 1310 Paluxy Road, describes itself as a 73-bed facility providing medical care and advanced surgical procedures to Hood, Somervell and Erath County residents, accredited by the Joint Commission, with an accredited Chest Pain Center, a sleep lab and a radiology program. Its service lines listed on its website include emergency services, heart care, orthopedic services, stroke care, surgical services, rehabilitation services and primary care.

The hospital also operates Lake Granbury ER Fall Creek, a facility at 5309 E Highway 377 at the corner of Highway 377 and Fall Creek Highway, and its Lakeside Physicians Express Care at 3801 E Hwy 377 lists daily hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth describes its service area as Fort Worth, Benbrook, Crowley, Aledo and Granbury, which gives an idea of where Granbury patients are referred for care that a community hospital does not offer. Retirees who expect to need cardiology, oncology, neurology or complex surgery should ask their physicians which hospital systems they use and whether those systems are in their Medicare plan's network, because a larger system may be a long drive from a lakeside address. This site does not publish drive times.

For emergencies, call 911. The Granbury Volunteer Fire Department is listed among the city's departments, and one association in the area says emergency medical response is usually under 10 minutes depending on location; that is an association statement, not a guarantee.

Climate in Granbury

Granbury is in North Central Texas and shares the hot-summer, mild-winter climate of the Fort Worth area. The nearest published federal climate normals in this site's source set are for the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport station, which is a regional indicator rather than a Granbury measurement. For 1991-2020 the monthly normal average high there is 95.6 degrees Fahrenheit in July and 95.8 in August, and the normal average low in January is 36.1. NOAA's normals also show an average of 7.4 days in July and 9.7 days in August with a high of 100 degrees or more at that station.

A lake does not cool a house, and summer cooling bills are a real part of the cost of living here. The same normals list days with a freezing minimum in the winter months, so winter is mild rather than frost-free. The Tarrant Regional Water District's July 2026 lake-level report, which covers neighboring reservoirs, noted June average temperatures about 2 degrees above normal at DFW and said that El Niño conditions were present. That report is a regional context for drought and rainfall, not a Lake Granbury forecast, and the lake's own status is discussed below.

Lifestyle and recreation in Granbury

Granbury's identity is its lake and its square. The Brazos River Authority says Lake Granbury offers six lakeside parks for camping and picnicking and six boat ramps along 121 miles of shoreline, and that it supplies water for much of Hood and Johnson Counties and the Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant. The City of Granbury lists Visit Granbury, the Lake Granbury Conference Center and a parks and recreation department among its offices. The Brazos River Authority also publishes lake rules, boating information and lake-office contacts for residents.

Golf is concentrated in the gated communities rather than the city proper. Pecan Plantation describes a country club with golf courses and two airstrips, and DeCordova Bend Estates describes an 18-hole course and a nine-hole par-3 course that are open only to residents and their guests. Both are all-age communities, not 55-plus communities. Retirees looking specifically for an age-restricted 55-plus product will find those on the Fort Worth side of the region, such as Ladera at The Reserve in Mansfield.

Housing in Granbury

Housing around Granbury ranges from homes near the square to subdivisions on lake canals, gated golf communities, and acreage. Lakefront ownership comes with rules. The Brazos River Authority's resident FAQ says it requires no annual fee for docks on Lake Granbury but charges a one-time permit and inspection fee of $75 for installing a new dock, adding to an existing dock, or transferring title when a home with a dock is purchased, and that residential docks may not exceed 2,000 square feet. It says erosion can be controlled with a retaining wall at the 693-foot mean-sea-level line, and that a property without a dock must be checked with a lake inspector to learn whether it is eligible for one. The land beneath subdivision canals is privately owned, so the subdivision's homeowners association, not the authority, maintains canals and retaining walls. Septic systems are licensed and inspected by the county where they sit.

Utilities also vary by address. The City of Granbury says that, depending on the address, it may provide water, sewer collection, trash and recycling, and electric service, and it publishes a map of service areas. Parts of the area around the south end of the lake, including Pecan Plantation and DeCordova Bend Estates, are served instead by Acton Municipal Utility District for water and, in places, sewer. A buyer should find out who provides each utility before closing, and should treat canal and cove frontage with the extra diligence the Brazos River Authority itself recommends, since it says canals and coves are areas known to contain elevated bacteria levels.

Lake Granbury, water supply and drought rules

Lake Granbury is a water-supply reservoir first. The Brazos River Authority owns the water right for the lake, and its FAQ gives the elevation at capacity as 693 feet above mean sea level, with the authority considering the reservoir full at 692.7 feet. The authority publishes its own lake levels, and a buyer who plans a dock or a lakefront home should look at the history of the lake in the drought of record, not only today's level.

The authority's Drought Contingency Plan, dated May 20, 2024, manages Lake Possum Kingdom, Lake Granbury and Lake Whitney as one subsystem and sets stage triggers using the combined conservation storage of those lakes rather than the elevation of a single lake. The plan lists the combined storage at the top of conservation as 729,287 acre-feet, and sets the Stage 1 Drought Watch trigger at 570,002 acre-feet, Stage 2 Drought Warning at 432,438, Stage 3 Drought Emergency at 294,874 and Stage 4 Pro-rata Curtailment at 150,069 acre-feet. Because the lakes are operated together, the plan notes that individual lake elevations are a poorer drought indicator than combined storage.

Local suppliers have their own rules. The city and the Acton Municipal Utility District each publish their own drought stage and irrigation schedule. The Brazos River Authority also states that golden algae is present in Lake Granbury year-round and that fish kills occur only when a bloom turns toxic, and that there is no way to treat it without significant damage to the environment and the water supply. These are conditions of living on a managed reservoir, not defects, but they are worth weighing against the appeal of lake views.

US 377, the airport and getting around

US Highway 377 runs through Granbury and is a TxDOT road, not a city road. The City of Granbury's FAQ page traces the project's milestones, including a February 2026 council meeting at which the city manager said the city had been approved for a $16.8 million loan, at 3.99 percent, to fund utility relocations and aesthetic improvements tied to the TxDOT project, with a 2027 groundbreaking targeted. Construction will affect travel through town for some time, so check the TxDOT project page and the city page for current schedules.

Granbury Regional Airport is owned by the City of Granbury according to the FAA records that AirNav republishes. It has one concrete runway, 5201 by 75 feet, no control tower, and fuel including 100LL and Jet A. It is open to the public. For airline travel, the large commercial airport serving the region is DFW International Airport; this site does not publish drive times, so test the trip at the hours you expect to travel. Pecan Plantation also has two airstrips of its own for resident pilots (see its community page).

Who may prefer another market

Retirees who want a large hospital campus within a few minutes, a dense choice of specialists, or a short route to an international airport may prefer the Fort Worth side of the region or the north Dallas suburbs described in Dallas north suburbs. Those who want an age-restricted 55-plus product with built-in programming will find more of it in Mansfield and Fort Worth. Those who prioritize low drought exposure for a lakefront home, or who are not comfortable with a smaller community hospital, should think carefully about the lake's drought-stage rules above. For a broader look at the larger cities, see the Fort Worth place page.

Retirement communities in and near Granbury

• DeCordova Bend EstatesA gated golf and marina community on Lake Granbury, platted in 1969 and incorporated as the City of DeCordova in the early 2000s, open to buyers of all ages, with an 18-hole championship course and a median age of 54.5 in the Census estimate.
• Pecan PlantationA gated golf, marina and airpark community of about 3,000 acres south of Granbury, open to buyers of all ages, with a mostly Hood County location, an owners association and, by the Census estimate, a population in which nearly half are 65 or older.

Comparisons with Granbury

• Marble Falls vs Granbury: retirement compared

Places near Granbury

• Fort WorthFort Worth is the large city anchoring the west side of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, mostly in Tarrant County, with a hospital district, major medical centers and two airports of its own. It is better understood as a set of very different neighborhoods than as one retirement market.
• BenbrookBenbrook is a small Tarrant County city on Benbrook Lake with a higher older-adult share than most Metroplex suburbs, a $30,000 city over-65 exemption with a senior tax freeze, and a hospital named for its area that is in Fort Worth.

Guides relevant to Granbury

• 55-plus communities versus all-age master plans in Texas
• Golf and Texas retirement markets: what is included, what costs extra and who can play
• HOA, condo, club and special assessments for Texas retirees: what the charges are and what to ask
• Is Texas a good place to retire? An honest look at the benefits, the costs and the risks
• Texas healthcare geography and Medicare network considerations

See all 8 guides