Looking at the I-35 cities.

[Desert kid]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

Eww. Nasty little town. Very few job opportunities and lots of crime/drug issues. Low performing schools, which makes good people and families stay away...

What about other smaller exurbs of Dallas?

The idea of New Braunfels looked pretty interesting.

[Danbo1957]

OP, there are dozens of Texas towns that match your basic criteria-- but there are huge differences in costs of living and culture between them, pick an area first...

[gguerra]

Commuting sucks big time and is only getting worse. This is especially true in the SA/Austin area. DFW area is not much better. Move close to where you will work if at all possible.

[leorah]

I agree with JoninATX, Round Rock and Georgetown are good options. Especially if job opportunities are important to you. Georgetown is the fastest growing city in the US with a population over 50,000. There are good jobs and a good quality of life without the hassle of Austin traffic but close enough to the city to visit for cultural and recreational stuff.

Smaller area towns like Hutto, Jarrell and Liberty Hill are more rural biutnalso growing communities.

[texasdiver]

Find jobs first and the rest will fall into place.

Lots of tech jobs along I-35 from San Antonio to the north Dallas suburbs.

Once you land jobs you can figure out which nearby communities bet suit your lifestyle without giving you a massive commuting headache.

You are doing it backwards if you try to settle on a community first then look for work. The nicer suburban areas in Texas where most of the tech jobs are are frankly not that different. Same builders, same restaurant chains, same shopping, etc. Obviously there are differences but not enough to make one compromise professionally.