Lakehills is a census-designated place (CDP) in Bandera County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,295 at the 2020 census, making it the most populous place in Bandera County. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Lakehills was originally known as Upper Medina Lake, until a post office substation was established in the area in the early 1960s. Two toll roads served the area until the late 1940s–early 1950s.
As the town is on Medina Lake, its prosperity is tied to that of the lake. During the 2010–13 Southern United States drought, lake levels dropped to below 5% capacity and Lakehills was described as a ghost town. Heavy rainfalls throughout 2015 and 2016 brought Medina Lake back up to 100% and remained at or near full capacity for the next few years; however, the last time the lake was recorded at full capacity was on July 7, 2019. Due to a series of severe droughts throughout the early 2020s, lake levels once again plummeted with the capacity dropping down to 2.3% in March 2025. As a result, Lakehills and the surrounding areas have experienced economic hardships due to a decrease in tourism along with a decrease in home values and a rise in homelessness.
Geography
Lakehills is located southeast of Bandera and west of Boerne, Texas.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and (11.87%) is water.
Demographics
Lakehills first appeared as a census designated place in the 1990 U.S. census.
!Pop 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |Pop 2020
!% 2000
!% 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020
|-
|White alone (NH)
|3,949
|4,130
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,941
|84.60%
|80.19%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |74.43%
|-
|Black or African American alone (NH)
|18
|27
|style='background: #ffffe6; |38
|0.39%
|0.52%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.72%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)
|24
|16
|style='background: #ffffe6; |36
|0.51%
|0.31%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.68%
|-
|Asian alone (NH)
|12
|12
|style='background: #ffffe6; |33
|0.26%
|0.23%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.62%
|-
|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)
|2
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4
|0.04%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.08%
|-
|Other race alone (NH)
|9
|5
|style='background: #ffffe6; |14
|0.19%
|0.10%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.26%
|-
|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)
|52
|52
|style='background: #ffffe6; |193
|1.11%
|1.01%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.64%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|602
|908
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,036
|12.90%
|17.63%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |19.57%
|-
|Total
|4,668
|5,150
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5,295
|100.00%
|100.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%
|}
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,295 people, 2,179 households, and 1,275 families residing in the CDP.
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 5,150 people and 1,961 households. There were 3,143 housing units. The racial makeup of the CDP was 93.6% White, 0.7% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.3% Asian, less than 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino were 17.6% of the population.
The median household income was $54,754. About 14% of the population were below the poverty line.
2000 census
At the 2000 census there were 4,668 people, 1,874 households, and 1,330 families in the CDP. The population density was . There were 2,807 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 93.04% White, 0.43% African American, 0.75% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 3.58% from other races, and 1.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.90%.