Leander, Texas
City in the United States in Williamson County
About Leander
Leander ( lee-AN-dər) is a city in Williamson and Travis Counties, Texas, United States. Its population was 59,202 at the 2020 census and 91,132 at the 2025 census estimate. A suburb just north of Austin, and part of the Greater Austin metropolitan area, it was the fastest-growing city in the United States between 2018 and 2019.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How Leander is governed
Form of government not yet listed.
1 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.
Residents of Leander
Registered voters elect the officials below.
-
Mayor
Executive
The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.
-
City Manager / Administrator
Executive
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).
-
Police Chief
Administration & departments
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
Leads the police department.
-
Fire Chief
Administration & departments
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
Leads the fire and emergency services department.
-
Public Works Director
Administration & departments
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.
-
Finance Director
Administration & departments
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
The budget, taxes, and city accounts.
-
Planning & Zoning Director
Administration & departments
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
Land use, zoning, building permits.
-
Parks & Recreation Director
Administration & departments
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
Parks, programs, and public facilities.
-
-
-
City Council
Legislative
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.
-
City Clerk
Administration & departments
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.
-
City Attorney
Administration & departments
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.
-
Boards & Commissions
Legislative
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.
-
-
Municipal Court
Judicial
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.
-
Municipal Judge
Judicial
Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this
Presides over the municipal court.
-
- Website
- ci.leander.tx.us
Looking for your county, state and federal representatives too? See who represents 78641 or everyone in Texas.
Population over time
From 26,521 in 2010 to 59,202 in 2020 (+123.2%).
Show the numbers
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 59,202 |
| 2010 | 26,521 |
History
Leander was established in 1882 on land sold by the Austin and Northwestern Railroad Co. to prospective citizens. The town was named in honor of Leander "Catfish" Brown, one of the railroad officials responsible for the completion of the line.
Tumlinson Fort, the first Anglo-American settlement in Williamson County, was established in early January 1836 at the headwaters of Brushy Creek, four miles south of present-day Leander. With the purpose of protecting settlers from attacks by the Comanche, a company of Texas Rangers occupied the post until late February, when the invasion of Santa Anna made abandoning the post necessary, soon after which it was burned by the Comanche.
The Webster Massacre occurred just east of present-day Leander in October, 1839, when a party of 16 settlers traveling westward through the area was attacked by a band of Comanche, and all but three were killed. A 1936 Texas Centennial marker marks the location where the dead were buried in a mass grave, now located inside the Davis Cemetery east of Leander. The marker incorrectly lists thirty of the Webster party were killed. Dolly Webster's account, the only first hand description written by an adult survivor, lists by name a party of sixteen, which included her husband, herself, and her two children, the only survivors. Webster says about fifteen or more Comanche were killed that day or died soon after from wounds. Dolly Webster's account says it occurred at dawn, October 13, though "October 13" appears to be a misprint, the actual date being October 1 based on the travel itinerary she provided.
Near Leander, the Leanderthal Lady, a skeleton dating back 10,000 to 13,000 years, was discovered; the site was one of the earliest intact burials found in the United States.
In August and September 2011, destructive wildfires swept through two central Leander neighborhoods, burning a total of 330 acres (130 ha) and destroying 26 homes.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.