Living in Live Oak
Texas Real Estate Sales Agent #454749, AXEN Realty LLC · Senior Loan Officer, NMLS ID #877741, NEXA Mortgage, LLC
Local Guide & Real Estate
Live Oak is an incorporated city in northeast Bexar County, centered on I-35 and Loop 1604 and incorporated in 1960. It is one city, but not every address is the same: Live Oak is split between Judson ISD and North East ISD, and between Live Oak municipal water and SAWS, depending on the exact property. This guide explains what buyers actually need to verify here: school district, taxes, water provider, HOA, flood and drainage, and the I-35 NEX and Loop 1604 construction that currently runs through the corridor.
Guide reviewed and updated September 18, 2026. Boundaries, rates, construction schedules and builder inventory change; recheck current official sources for the exact property.
Patrick's Quick Answer
Live Oak in one paragraph
Live Oak is a compact, incorporated city in northeast Bexar County that grew up along I-35 and Loop 1604, incorporated in 1960 and home to about 16,426 people per the U.S. Census Bureau's July 1, 2025 estimate. The single most important thing to understand is that Live Oak is not one uniform jurisdiction: roughly two-thirds of the city is served by Live Oak municipal water and about one-third by SAWS, and the city is split between Judson ISD and North East ISD depending on the exact address. The school split changes the campus assignment dramatically, though at the most recently verified rates the tax difference between the two districts was only a few dollars a year. Drainage follows three creek systems, I-35 NEX Central and the final Loop 1604 phase are under construction through the corridor, and both established resale and active infill new construction sit inside the city limits. Here's where the address really matters: two homes a few streets apart can still be in different school districts, on different water systems, and carry different ownership details.
City status: Own incorporated city in Bexar County since 1960, part of the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro, not a San Antonio neighborhood.
Schools: Split between Judson ISD and North East ISD; the district and campus are set by the exact address.
Water: About two-thirds of the city on Live Oak municipal water, roughly one-third on SAWS, by address.
Construction: TxDOT's I-35 NEX Central project and the final Loop 1604 North Expansion phase are both under way through the corridor.
At a Glance
Live Oak Quick Facts
1960
Incorporated
4.76 sq mi
Land Area
16,426
Population, July 1, 2025 Census est. (15,781 in 2020)
Judson ISD + NEISD
Schools, assignment by address
Live Oak or SAWS
Water provider, by address
Under construction
I-35 NEX Central + Loop 1604 phase
Location + Access
Where is Live Oak, and is it part of San Antonio?
Live Oak is an incorporated city in northeast Bexar County in the northeast San Antonio corridor. It is a separate municipality from San Antonio, part of the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro, and its boundaries center on the I-35 and Loop 1604 interchange area. The city was incorporated in 1960 and covers roughly 4.76 square miles of land. The U.S. Census counted 15,781 residents in 2020, and the Census Bureau's July 1, 2025 estimate is 16,426.
The roads that define Live Oak are I-35, Loop 1604, Pat Booker Road, Toepperwein Road, Judson Road, O'Connor Road and Lookout Road. I-35 is the spine of the city: it carries traffic southwest into San Antonio and northeast toward Schertz, New Braunfels and Austin. Loop 1604 crosses the corridor east-west, and the city's commercial activity concentrates around that interchange plus Pat Booker and Toepperwein.
ZIP codes do not equal city limits. Forms of both 78233 and 78148 appear for Live Oak addresses, and a ZIP is a postal delivery area that can cross municipal lines. Verify with the City of Live Oak, the U.S. Postal Service and the Bexar Appraisal District whether a specific address is actually inside Live Oak city limits; do not define the city by its postal ZIP.
On commute claims: I will not publish fixed drive times, because I-35 and Loop 1604 behave completely differently at rush hour than mid-morning, and construction changes travel every few months. The honest instruction for a Live Oak buyer is to drive the actual route from the property at the time of day you expect to drive it, and time it yourself.
The Most Important Live Oak Fact
Live Oak is one city, but not every address has the same school district or water provider
Two homes can be a few streets apart in Live Oak and still have different ownership details: a different school district, a different water utility, a different tax bill and different HOA rules. The three variables below change with the parcel, not with the city name.
School district
Live Oak is split between Judson ISD and North East ISD. The district determines the campus assignment and the school-district line of the tax bill. Verify the exact address through the official Judson ISD and NEISD address lookups; the city name, the subdivision name and the ZIP will not tell you.
Water provider
The City of Live Oak's municipal water system serves about two-thirds of the city's population, and the majority of the remaining third is served by SAWS. A Live Oak address does not automatically mean Live Oak water, and it does not automatically mean SAWS. Confirm the account type, the sewer billing and the actual rates for the exact address.
Taxes
There is no single Live Oak property tax rate. The bill is assembled parcel by parcel from the City of Live Oak, Bexar County, the school district, University Health, Alamo Colleges, the San Antonio River Authority, Road and Flood, and your exemptions. Pull the exact parcel jurisdictions from the Bexar Appraisal District before estimating a payment.
The exact-address rule
Because school district, water provider and tax jurisdictions all vary within the city, never estimate any of them from the word "Live Oak" alone. Verify the exact property address, every time. That is why the rest of this guide is built around per-address checks rather than citywide averages.
Housing + Development Eras
Live Oak is not one product and not one era
The City of Live Oak's planning record supports a wider product mix than most guides acknowledge: detached single-family, two-family, townhomes, multifamily and manufactured housing all appear in historical land-use records, alongside older established resale, newer subdivision and infill, and current builder inventory. Do not describe the whole city as one era of ranch homes; the housing stock genuinely spans several generations.
Early and legacy Live Oak: incorporation-era and early suburban development from the city's first decades. Older systems on these homes matter: roof, HVAC, electrical, plumbing and any additions deserve a closer look, and not every older parcel has the same utility setup.
Later established subdivisions: neighborhood-scale development such as Woodcrest, Auburn Hills and Retama Hollow, built as the corridor grew along I-35 and Loop 1604.
Current infill and new construction: live and recent builder communities inside the city limits, including Vista Ridge and Skybrooke, with statuses that change as phases close out.
One needed piece of context: the decennial census shows Live Oak grew from 2,779 residents in 1970 to 8,183 in 1980, roughly a 194.5% increase across that decade. That is context for why a substantial portion of the housing stock may date from older suburban development periods, not proof that most Live Oak homes were built in the 1970s. The actual age distribution of any home comes from its own records, not the city's growth curve.
Subdivisions + Product Types
A small, verified set of Live Oak communities
These subdivisions illustrate the range of products inside city limits. Statuses, builders, HOA rules and school districts change, so verify every one of these details for the exact property at build time, and never treat a neighborhood name as a shortcut for school, tax or HOA answers.
Live Oak Estates
Older development history and established resale. Homes here represent the long-standing suburban fabric of the city; review system ages and permit history on the individual property.
Woodcrest / Auburn Hills of Woodcrest
Established residential areas with a local park and drainage relationship (see the flood section). Woodcrest Nature Park was created through a reinvestment zone tied to the Auburn Hills of Woodcrest development, so water and drainage context is bundled into the neighborhood's design.
Retama Hollow
A verified recorded homeowners association (Retama Hollow Association, Inc.) exists here, which means separate ownership and governance considerations: dues, restrictions and transfer fees apply to the exact property and must be verified.
Vista Ridge
Infill new construction on the I-35 and O'Connor side of Live Oak, built inside city limits and identified as NEISD, which is key evidence that the old "Live Oak equals Judson ISD" claim was wrong. Status during research: final-stage inventory. Verify the current builder inventory, city limits, school district and HOA.
Skybrooke
Active new construction at 7305 Walkers Loop, Live Oak 78233, by View Homes, associated with NEISD access. Status during research: active and selling. Verify the current status, inventory and incentives directly with the builder; this guide does not publish prices, incentives or rate buydowns.
Trumbal Townhomes (pending, not available)
Research during this guide's update found a September 2026 public hearing on a proposed zoning and PUD change for a Trumbal townhomes project. A public hearing is not an approval. Verify the final City action at build time; until then, do not treat this as available housing or active inventory.
The honest rule: this list is orientation, not a substitute for verification. Fees, school assignments, lot sizes, lot premiums and price ranges are not published here on purpose, because every one of those changes with the specific parcel, the current phase and the current builder offer.
Current Market
The Live Oak market, clearly labeled and dated
A warning before the numbers: 39 sales is a small sample. The snapshot below came from secondary Redfin data through August 2026, and it measures a small, mixed market where subdivision, housing era, condition, HOA, new construction, attached versus detached product, school district, lot and drainage all move the individual sale. There is no single number that describes "how much a Live Oak home costs."
Redfin, city of Live Oak, August 2026 (secondary data, small sample)
- Median sale price around $248,336, about 4.1% lower than a year earlier.
- Approximately 39 homes sold in the measured window, which is a small sample.
- About 53 median days on market.
- Around 96.7% sale-to-list ratio.
- Around 49.5% of listings carried price reductions during the window.
How to read these numbers: this is a dated secondary snapshot from public market trackers using their own geography and methodology, not an official MLS figure, and not a forecast. Do not turn it into "homes cost $248K, so this home is worth $248K"; pricing varies by subdivision, housing era, condition, HOA, new construction, attached versus detached product, school district, lot and drainage and flood factors. When we work together I pull current listing and sales data for the exact area and price band you are shopping, so ask for the freshest number.
Don't use a citywide median to price the individual house
The right comparables for a specific Live Oak property are other properties like it: same subdivision, same era, similar condition, same utility setup and same school district, adjusting for the things that actually differ. That is the difference between a useful estimate and a guess.
Schools
Live Oak schools: Judson ISD and NEISD, verified by address
This is the biggest mistake generic Live Oak pages make, and the old quick-fact on this page used to get it wrong: Live Oak is not one district. The city is split between Judson ISD and North East ISD, and the assignment is set by the exact property address.
"Judson ISD is not all of Live Oak"
Judson ISD is headquartered in Live Oak at 8012 Shin Oak Drive and serves a portion of the city, which is why the name dominates local search. But the NEISD portion of Live Oak is real too: the NEISD side is currently zoned to the Roosevelt cluster, with Royal Ridge Elementary, White Middle and Roosevelt High. The exact district and campus are set by the property address, not by the city name, neighborhood or ZIP.
The NEISD side, dated and address-specific: as verified during this guide's update, the NEISD portion of Live Oak is zoned to Royal Ridge Elementary School, White Middle School and Roosevelt High School (the Roosevelt cluster). Reverify through the current NEISD address lookup at build time, because this guide does not assume those campuses serve every NEISD Live Oak property forever; boundaries change as the district grows.
The Judson side: the Judson ISD side is assigned through Judson ISD's current boundary and address lookup, and this guide deliberately does not publish one universal three-campus chain for it, because the research did not resolve a single Judson feeder pattern for the Live Oak portion. Verify the exact campus with the district before relying on any listing. Never use a builder-provided school list as authority.
Evidence the old claim was wrong: new construction inside Live Oak city limits, including Vista Ridge, has been identified as NEISD. A city that was "all Judson ISD" would not have that. The split is the accurate picture, and the split is why the school answer for Live Oak always begins with the address. How school boundaries work for buyers is explained in plain language in the Ask Patrick library.
This guide intentionally does not publish school ratings, grades, rankings or "best schools" language. Ratings change yearly, and the honest answer for a buyer is the current district and campus assignment for the exact address, verified through official district sources. The tax lesson below is the important follow-up: the district split changes campus assignment, not the size of the school tax bill.
Property Taxes + Payment
There is no single total Live Oak tax rate
Do not search for the "Live Oak property tax rate." The actual stack depends on the City of Live Oak, Bexar County, the school district (Judson or NEISD), University Health, Alamo Colleges, the San Antonio River Authority, Road and Flood, the exact taxable value, your exemptions and any parcel-specific district. Two similarly priced Live Oak homes can carry different bills.
The city's own rate, dated: the City of Live Oak lists an adopted property tax rate of $0.386734 per $100 of taxable value for FY 2025-26 (billed by the Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector). That is one line of the bill, and it is the last complete official tax year on record: as of this guide's September 18, 2026 update, 2026 rates for several taxing units were still in adoption or posting, so this page uses the complete FY 2025-26 comparison and dates it prominently instead of mixing tax years.
Approximate combined stacks before exemptions (FY 2025-26 research inputs): the Judson-side combination sits near 2.11% of taxable value, and the NEISD-side combination near 2.1126%, before exemptions. These are research inputs from the most recently verified tax year, not adopted 2026 rates. Recheck the current adopted rates for City of Live Oak, Bexar County, Road and Flood, University Health, Alamo Colleges, SARA, Judson ISD and NEISD at build time before you rely on either figure.
The school district difference, stated accurately: it changes campus assignment a lot, but at the most recently verified 2025 rates it barely moved the tax bill. Judson ISD's total was about 0.979600 per $100 and NEISD's about 0.982200 per $100 at the verified comparison, a difference of 0.0026; on about $240,000 of taxable value, that is only about $6 per year before exemptions. Do not let anyone tell you the district choice costs meaningfully more in this specific pair; verify both districts' current adopted rates at the time you buy, because rates change annually.
The payment connection, as an illustration: every additional $0.01 per $100 on $300,000 of taxable value equals roughly $30 per year, or about $2.50 per month, before exemptions. The lesson for two similar-priced Live Oak homes: monthly payments can still differ meaningfully because of school district tax, exact taxes, homeowners insurance, flood insurance, HOA and utility providers, never just the sticker price. Compare the whole payment, not just the purchase price. How the Texas homestead exemption works covers the exemption side.
My tax CTA to you
Send me the address and I can help you identify the correct school district, tax jurisdictions and exemptions before we estimate the payment. It is one of the highest-value checks a Live Oak buyer can do before making an offer, and it takes one message.
Utilities
Water, sewer and electric all vary by exact address
The highest-value differentiator on Live Oak pages: the water system is split, and the street address alone will not tell you which provider serves a home.
Water: the Live Oak municipal water system serves roughly two-thirds of the city's population, and the majority of the other third is served by SAWS, per the City's own "How Do I" and rates pages, which also show separate rate-increase notices for Live Oak customers versus SAWS customers effective April 1, 2025. Reverify the current split through the City at build time. A Live Oak address does not automatically mean Live Oak water, and it does not automatically mean SAWS; verify by exact address.
Useful questions to ask on any Live Oak property: who provides potable water, who bills sewer, is the account with City of Live Oak or SAWS, are there utility-rate differences between the two, and what did the seller actually pay out of pocket last year. The last question answers more than the first four.
Electric and gas: city material identifies CPS Energy for both electric and natural gas in Live Oak. Freshly verify at build time, including whether a specific property has an active natural-gas connection; do not promise every property has one.
Sewer and septic: Live Oak is incorporated suburban territory with municipal utility systems, so this guide deliberately does not import a septic and well template and does not claim every Live Oak home has identical sewer service. For any unusual older parcel or redevelopment property, verify the actual sewer configuration for the exact address.
HOA + Restrictions
No citywide HOA, and no generic "no HOA" claim either
There is no citywide Live Oak HOA, but that is not the same as "Live Oak has no HOA." Research verified at least Retama Hollow Association, Inc. as a recorded Live Oak homeowners association, and other communities may have associations of their own. Whether the exact property sits in HOA or POA territory depends on the subdivision.
For an actual property, verify: the title commitment, declaration, restrictive covenants, management certificate, current assessment, transfer or resale fee, any special assessment, architectural controls, and whether the property answers to a master association, a sub-association or both. This guide publishes no generic HOA dues range on purpose, because any specific number varies by subdivision and by year.
The practical effect on a purchase: financing, resale, fencing, colors, parking, solar and outbuildings all touch these documents. Order them before you make an offer. How HOA rules affect a Texas home purchase is answered in plain language in the Ask Patrick library.
Flood + Drainage
Flood and drainage review, property by property
I will not tell you "Live Oak floods," "Live Oak is flood-prone," or "Live Oak doesn't flood." All three are false as blanket statements. Flood and drainage in Live Oak is property-specific, and the review starts with the parcel, not the city.
The City of Live Oak's official storm-water material identifies three local drainage systems: West Salitrillo Creek, East Salitrillo Creek, and a tributary of Cibolo Creek. Cibolo Creek itself is the regional stream that tributary feeds. Reverify the official naming and current information from the City at build time; this guide qualified the names to the City's own material and does not go beyond it.
The honest buyer checks for any Live Oak property: current FEMA flood map, floodway versus floodplain, the City's drainage map, creek proximity, street drainage, culverts, grading, retaining walls, any prior water intrusion on the property, and an insurance determination from a licensed provider. Flood insurance requirements follow the mapped zone and the lender's guidelines, so a property in or near a mapped zone triggers a different review than one on high ground. How flood zones work for Texas buyers explains the framework in plain language.
Woodcrest Nature Park and drainage infrastructure
Woodcrest Nature Park exists on the City's own parks and maps pages, with walking and jogging trails, a large climbing rock, a playground, sit-and-spin rides and elevated shade platforms. The park was created through a reinvestment zone that included the Auburn Hills of Woodcrest development, and the City's parks system generally includes flood-control infrastructure, with the City describing Main City Park in Live Oak as a major flood-control project. The correct lesson, never an inference that "Woodcrest homes are in a flood zone": local development in Live Oak incorporates drainage and flood-control infrastructure, so buyers should review the actual parcel and current FEMA and City maps rather than assuming anything from a park's existence.
I-35 NEX + Loop 1604
Live Oak sits at the meeting point of two major projects
The real 2026 traffic story for Live Oak is construction, not a commute math problem. TxDOT's I-35 NEX Central project runs directly through the Live Oak corridor: roughly 9.5 miles from I-410 North to FM 3009, about $1.5 billion in design-build cost, construction begun June 2022, and an estimated completion around late 2027 per TxDOT. It features elevated non-tolled lanes, one HOV plus two general purpose lanes in each direction, with interchange and ramp work throughout the corridor.
Loop 1604 is the second front: the final Loop 1604 North Expansion phase, from Judson Road to I-35, broke ground July 29, 2026 at approximately $182 million, completing the loop's connection to the I-35 NEX work at the interchange in the Live Oak and Universal City area. Verify the current TxDOT scope, cost and status at build time before relying on either time line, because construction milestones move.
The practical instruction: use factual access references, I-35, Loop 1604, Pat Booker, Toepperwein, Judson, O'Connor and Lookout, then test the route from the actual property at the time of day you expect to drive it. Fixed drive times do not exist on a corridor under construction.
New Construction vs Resale
Live Oak has active infill new construction, and it changes how resale competes
Live Oak has verified active new construction inside city limits: Vista Ridge, built by Ashton Woods as infill on the I-35 and O'Connor side (NEISD), and Skybrooke, by View Homes at 7305 Walkers Loop (NEISD), both in late or final phases during research. Verify current status, inventory, builder, city limits, school district and HOA at build time. This guide does not hard-code inventory counts, prices, incentives or rate buydowns, because those change weekly.
A resale seller may compete with new finishes, builder warranty, closing-cost incentives, rate buydowns and inventory discounts. This guide publishes no current incentive amounts unless freshly verified and deliberately dated; check the builder's current offer separately when you shop.
The honest comparison lines up both sides: resale condition, system age, renovations, lot, established neighborhood and seller concessions versus new build HOA, tax setup, lot premium, build and completion timing, warranty, inspection stages, builder financing and outside lender comparison. Compare the resale home and the builder offer using the actual monthly payment, not the sticker price; a builder buydown or closing-cost credit can make a higher sticker price cheaper per month, and an established resale with a larger lot or mature trees can be the better long-term value even when the payment is higher. New construction across the San Antonio area and rate buydowns explained cover the builder-side mechanics in detail.
Buyer Due Diligence
The Live Oak buyer's 27-point pre-offer checklist
Before buying in Live Oak, work this list for the exact property. It is longer than most communities need because Live Oak genuinely has more moving parts, and it should dwarf any lifestyle content on this page.
- Confirm the property is inside Live Oak city limits
- Do not rely only on the ZIP code
- Determine Judson ISD vs NEISD for the address
- Use the official district address lookup (Judson ISD, NEISD)
- Pull the exact parcel tax jurisdictions (BCAD)
- Verify Live Oak water vs SAWS by address
- Verify sewer provider and sewer billing
- Confirm HOA or POA or deed restrictions
- Obtain a resale certificate where applicable
- Check the current FEMA flood map for the parcel
- Determine floodway vs floodplain
- Identify nearby Salitrillo and Cibolo drainage features, from the City
- Inspect street drainage and gutter flow
- Check culverts and ditches around the lot
- Inspect grading and retaining walls
- Review prior water intrusion and seller disclosure history
- Review survey, survey easements and boundaries
- For older housing, review permits and additions
- Review roof, HVAC, electrical and plumbing based on actual age
- Check current I-35 NEX effects on your route and schedule
- Check current Loop 1604 effects on your route
- Test the actual commute at the time you will drive it
- Compare builder competition in your price band
- Verify current builder incentives separately
- Obtain a homeowners insurance quote for the exact property
- Obtain a flood-insurance quote if required or relevant
- Compare the total monthly payment, not just the price
That is a lot to verify, which is exactly the point: the word "Live Oak" on a listing tells you far less here than it does in most cities. Send me the address and I can help you verify the school district, taxes, water provider, HOA, flood considerations and estimated monthly payment before you make an offer; it is one message and it answers most of this list.
For Sellers
Selling in Live Oak: price the submarket, not the citywide median
Do not price from the citywide median alone. Actual competition depends on subdivision, housing era, condition, renovation, detached versus attached product, HOA, school district, utility setup, drainage and flood position, and active builder inventory in the same price band.
New-construction competition deserves its own section: a Live Oak resale seller may compete against builders offering new finishes, warranties, closing-cost incentives, rate buydowns and inventory discounts. Before setting your price, answer the question every smart buyer will ask: what can a buyer get from the builder for similar money today, and from the actual builder in the same school district, at the same time as your listing.
Documentation for older resale: roof, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, permitted additions, major remodels and the survey, ready before negotiations start. Nothing replaces the actual records in hand.
For HOA properties: resale certificate, dues amount, restrictions, violations and architectural approvals, so the buyer's financing and closing side is not surprised. For flood or drainage-sensitive locations: factual map and documentation ready, not vague reassurance.
The seller next step: the pricing-your-home guide and the complete seller guide walk through the mechanics, and I compare the property against the right submarket rather than a citywide average.
Own a Live Oak home?
I can compare it against the right subdivision, school district, utility setup and current resale and new-construction competition instead of relying on a citywide median, so you get honest positioning and a real strategy.
Financing
Financing options, stated accurately for a split-suburb property
Conventional, FHA, VA, FHA renovation and Texas down payment assistance can all fit a Live Oak purchase, depending on the borrower and the property. I will not publish a "Live Oak mortgage product" because none exists; borrower qualification and property eligibility always matter, and the school district and water provider do not change the loan math.
Conventional and FHA: conventional and FHA apply normally. Renovation financing is relevant to older resale, and down payment assistance is borrower, program and property specific, never a blanket answer.
VA: VA financing is relevant for eligible borrowers, and Live Oak is near JBSA-Randolph and the northeast military corridor, but "near a base" is not "most Live Oak homes qualify for VA." Verify eligibility and property qualification on the actual case. The VA financing side does not depend on whether the property is Judson or NEISD ISD; it depends on the borrower and the property appraisal.
New construction, buydowns and concessions: new construction is very relevant while builder inventory remains active in Live Oak. Rate buydowns are useful against builder financing, and seller concessions are a useful resale comparison tool.
Jumbo, USDA and flood are all address or amount specific: jumbo is based on loan amount, not home price; USDA is address and program specific and never automatic; flood insurance is property, flood-map and lender specific. None of these get a one-line citywide answer in this guide.
The strongest financing connection: get pre-approved before you write an offer, then compare the whole payment, school district, water bill, HOA dues and insurance side together. The mortgage financing guide and the first-time roadmap cover the full process.
Pre-offer financing check
Send me the address and I can model the estimated monthly payment with the right tax stack, insurance, HOA and financing assumptions before you compare offers, resale or new build.
Everyday Life
A short note on everyday life here (six items, and six only)
A few practical, low-key examples of everyday life in Live Oak, not a tourism guide. Businesses, hours, park rules and event dates change, so treat these as starting points and confirm current details before you rely on them.
Coffee
Black Rifle Coffee Company
3000 IKEA-RBFCU Parkway, Suite 100, Live Oak 78233. One coffee example, verified operating through its official location page and grand-opening coverage from January 2023; confirm current weekly hours before you go.
Everyday dining
Sukhumvit 77
8214 Pat Booker Road, Live Oak 78233. One local dining example, verified operating through its official site sukhumvit77.com; confirm current hours before you go.
Outdoors
Main City Park
18001 Park Drive, Live Oak 78233. The single outdoor example, approximately 75 acres per the City's official parks page, with a football field, basketball court, skate spot, three baseball fields, multiple playscapes, picnic areas, disc golf and trails. The City requires leash restraint for pets under its rules; verify current pet and leash rules at build time; this is not a dog park nor an off-leash park.
Kid and family
Live Oak City Pool
7901 Shin Oak Drive. The single kid and family objective facility: a municipal six-lane pool with a shallow and wading pool, operated seasonally by the City. Verify the exact facility name, current status and seasonal operation at build time before planning around it.
Local tradition
Shindig on Shin Oak
One recurring event and one only: the City's annual Shindig, verified recurring from the City's official calendar, October 24, 2026 from 4-10 p.m. at the 8001 Shin Oak Drive area, with live music, carnival games and rides, food trucks, petting zoo and pony rides. A 2025 edition ran October 11, 2025, and 2024 was also held; confirm each year's date before planning around it.
Everyday note
One note about life here
Live Oak is geographically compact, with much of its commercial activity concentrated around I-35, Loop 1604, Pat Booker and Toepperwein, while established neighborhoods and municipal parks sit just off those corridors. The same regional access means residents are currently living with major I-35 and 1604 construction, so actual travel can vary substantially by time and route.
FAQ
Live Oak, Texas: common questions, straight answers
No. Live Oak is its own incorporated city in Bexar County, incorporated in 1960 and part of the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro. It has its own municipal government and services; it is not a San Antonio neighborhood, even though much of its commercial life and commuting connects to the larger metro.
Yes. Live Oak is an incorporated Texas city in northeast Bexar County, incorporated in 1960, covering roughly 4.76 square miles of land. The U.S. Census counted 15,781 residents in 2020, and the Census Bureau's July 1, 2025 estimate puts the population at 16,426.
Two of them, depending on the address. Live Oak is split between Judson ISD and North East ISD. Never assume one district from the city name or ZIP; verify the exact property through each district's official address lookup.
It depends on the address. A portion of Live Oak is in Judson ISD and a portion is in North East ISD. On the NEISD side, current zoning points to the Roosevelt cluster with Royal Ridge Elementary, White Middle and Roosevelt High. The Judson side is assigned through Judson ISD's current boundary lookup. Boundaries change, so verify by address.
No. The City of Live Oak's municipal water system serves about two-thirds of the city's population, and most of the remaining third is served by SAWS. A Live Oak address does not by itself reveal the provider; verify by exact address and check how sewer is billed.
There is no citywide Live Oak HOA, but some neighborhoods do have associations, including the recorded Retama Hollow Association, Inc. Whether a specific property has HOA or POA rules, dues and restrictions depends on the subdivision, so verify the exact property's title commitment and declarations.
There is no single Live Oak tax rate. The bill is assembled per parcel from the City of Live Oak (adopted rate of $0.386734 per $100 for FY 2025-26), Bexar County, the school district (Judson or NEISD), University Health, Alamo Colleges, the San Antonio River Authority, Road and Flood, plus any parcel-specific districts, applied to the exact taxable value with exemptions. Rates are set each year; 2026 rates were still being adopted when this guide was updated, so recheck the current adopted rates for the parcel.
Flood and drainage conditions are property-specific. The City of Live Oak's official floodplain material identifies West Salitrillo Creek, East Salitrillo Creek and a tributary of Cibolo Creek as the drainage sources that affect the city. Review the current FEMA flood map, the City's drainage mapping and the specific property's grading and history; never rely on a citywide yes or no.
The City of Live Oak identifies three drainage sources in its official floodplain material: West Salitrillo Creek, East Salitrillo Creek, and a named tributary of Cibolo Creek. How any particular property relates to them depends on its exact location, so check the parcel against the current City and FEMA maps.
Yes, inside the city limits. Recent examples include Vista Ridge (Ashton Woods, infill on the I-35 and O'Connor side, NEISD) and Skybrooke (View Homes, 7305 Walkers Loop, NEISD), both in late or final phases during research. Verify current builder inventory, city limits and school district for any community you are comparing. A September 2026 public hearing on the proposed Trumbal townhomes is not an approval; check the final City action.
TxDOT's I-35 NEX Central project runs directly through the Live Oak corridor: roughly 9.5 miles from I-410 North to FM 3009, about $1.5 billion, under construction since June 2022 with completion estimated around late 2027, adding elevated non-tolled lanes and interchange work. The final Loop 1604 North Expansion phase (Judson Road to I-35) broke ground July 29, 2026 at about $182 million. Live Oak sits at the meeting point of both projects.
No. JBSA-Randolph is not inside Live Oak; Universal City lies between Live Oak and the base. Live Oak is near JBSA-Randolph and the northeast military corridor, which is why base-related commutes and VA financing come up, but the base itself sits in a different jurisdiction.
Work the 27-item checklist on this page: city limits, ZIP versus city boundaries, Judson ISD or NEISD, official district address lookups, exact tax jurisdictions, Live Oak water versus SAWS, sewer billing, HOA or deed restrictions, resale certificate, current FEMA and City flood maps, Salitrillo and Cibolo drainage proximity, street drainage, culverts, grading, prior water intrusion, survey and easements, permits and additions, system ages, I-35 NEX and Loop 1604 effects, the real commute, builder competition and incentives, insurance quotes, and the total monthly payment, not just the price.
Nearby Areas
Compare Live Oak with nearby northeast metro communities
A note on the comparison: Live Oak and Universal City sit next to each other but are materially different jurisdictions. Live Oak is the city split between Judson ISD and NEISD and between Live Oak water and SAWS, threaded by Salitrillo and Cibolo drainage, and active I-35 and 1604 construction with infill new construction. Universal City is a separate incorporated city with its own government, mostly its own ISD story and its own utility and tax story; they must not be compared by swapping names, and each address needs its own verification.
Universal City
Separate city, separate ISD and tax story
Selma
I-35 retail-corridor comparison
Schertz
I-35 and new-construction comparison to the northeast
Converse
Nearby northeast Bexar market
San Antonio
The parent metro Live Oak is part of
North San Antonio
Wider metro-side comparison against Live Oak
Ready to evaluate a Live Oak property?
If you are buying
Looking at a Live Oak home? Send me the address and I can help you verify the school district, taxes, water provider, HOA, flood considerations and estimated monthly payment before you make an offer. It is one message, and it answers the questions this page raises.
If you are selling
Own a Live Oak home? I can compare it against the right subdivision, school district, utility setup and current resale and new-construction competition instead of relying on a citywide average, and help you put the documentation in order.
Comparing a new build
Comparing a Live Oak resale with a new build? Send me both listings and I can help you compare taxes, incentives, financing, HOA and total monthly payment side by side, including builder financing versus outside lending.
Pre-offer questions
Unsure where to start on a specific address, school district or water setup? Send the address and I will tell you what to check and when, in the right order.
Patrick Kevin Fagan | Loan Officer and Realtor | 210-317-6514 | pfagan@nexalending.com | TX Sales Agent License 454749
NEXA Lending and AXEN Realty LLC. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Guide last reviewed and updated September 2026. Verify current official sources for rates, boundaries, construction schedules and builder status.
For Sellers
Selling in Live Oak, Texas
Pricing a Live Oak home starts with the specific property: the block, the school district for the exact address, the utility answer, and what comparable northeast Bexar County sales actually closed for.
What I review before pricing a Live Oak home
- Recent closed sales in the same subdivision or micro-area, never the whole ZIP
- Active and pending competition: what buyers can buy instead of your home
- Lot size, usable acreage, views, and topography
- Age, condition, renovations, and permit history
- HOA, city jurisdiction, and taxing districts for the exact parcel
- Judson ISD versus NEISD assignments by exact address
- Live Oak water versus SAWS, plus flood zone status
Current market snapshot: Live Oak
| Median closed price | Data being compiled |
| Closed sales | Data being compiled |
| Median days on market | Data being compiled |
| Active listings | Data being compiled |
Snapshot figures for Live Oak are currently being compiled from closed and active MLS records and will be dated and sourced when published. Prices are never quoted from a ZIP-level estimate. Ask Patrick for the latest Live Oak numbers in your price band.
What buyers compare in Live Oak
- School district by exact address
- Utility provider and monthly cost
- Commute to Randolph and downtown San Antonio
- Established price points that fit first-time buyers
Price it like a real Live Oak seller
The price starts with the specific property: the exact subdivision or tract, its condition, and what buyers can actually buy right now. I build that analysis property by property, then show you the seller net sheet so you know what you walk away with. No automated ZIP estimate and no pressure.
About Patrick Kevin Fagan, REALTOR®
Patrick Kevin Fagan is a Texas Real Estate Sales Agent (#454749) with AXEN Realty LLC and a Senior Loan Officer (NMLS ID #877741) with NEXA Mortgage, LLC (NMLS #1660690). He brings 23+ years in mortgage lending and 19 years in real estate, serving homebuyers, homeowners, and sellers across Greater San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country.
