A railroad town on the high plains.
Twelve miles northwest of Lubbock on US 84, Shallowater is a small incorporated city with its own government, its own school district, and a history that runs back to the Santa Fe rail line in 1913. In-town lots, acreage on the county roads, and a straight shot into Lubbock.
Its own city, up US 84.
Shallowater began in 1909 as a railroad townsite — named to draw farmers to the high plains — and took shape around the Santa Fe line that arrived in 1913 and still runs through town as BNSF today. Cotton farming followed in the 1920s, and the community incorporated as a city in 1955. About twelve miles northwest of Lubbock on US 84, it runs on its own terms, with its own city hall, school district, and tax structure.
- It's its own city. A General Law city with its own mayor and aldermen, its own police, fire, and utilities — not a Lubbock suburb or neighborhood.
- Shallowater ISD. A small district headquartered in town that also reaches into a section of Lubbock — so the school assignment depends on the exact address.
- In-town and acreage. Housing runs from established in-town lots to newer subdivisions and larger acreage parcels on the surrounding county roads — different kinds of purchase, with different utility and tax pictures.
Home of the Mustangs.
For a town its size, Shallowater is defined in large part by its school district — small, well-regarded, and right in the center of community life.
Shallowater ISD serves around 1,700 students across campuses in town, reporting a high graduation rate and recent A-level state accountability.
Shallowater High School competes as the Mustangs and Fillies in red and black — a Friday-night anchor for the whole community.
The district covers the city of Shallowater plus a section of Lubbock, so the campus for any address should be confirmed with the district, never assumed.
A park, a rail line, and room to spread out.
What day-to-day life touches in Shallowater — the facts worth knowing before you look.
Young City Park & community
The city's Young City Park on Avenue Q has a playground, a reservable pavilion, two off-leash dog areas, a walking trail, a veterans memorial, and a seasonal summer splash pad. The Shallowater Lions Club Harvest Festival each October — parade, community lunch, and more — is the town's signature annual event.
Day-to-day essentials — a pharmacy, clinic, a few restaurants and shops — are along the US 84 and 12th Street corridors, with the full range of Lubbock retail and dining about twelve miles southeast.
Getting around & services
US 84 is Shallowater's main line into Lubbock — roughly fifteen minutes to downtown and about fifteen to twenty to Texas Tech, the medical district, and the airport. A future segment of Loop 88 is planned to reach the Shallowater area eventually, but it is not yet built and has no effect on the commute today.
The city runs its own water, sewer, and garbage service (buying its water from Lubbock), with electricity, natural gas, and internet through regional providers. The BNSF rail line still runs the original 1913 alignment along the east side of town.
Taxes, homes, and what to confirm.
Taxes: a city rate in the stack
A Shallowater home is taxed by several entities together — the City of Shallowater, Shallowater ISD, Lubbock County, the Lubbock County Hospital District, and the High Plains Underground Water District. Because it includes a municipal city rate that unincorporated county property doesn't carry, the combined rate generally runs higher than a comparable home outside a city. That's a factual cost to budget for, not a knock on the town.
Rates are reset every year, so we don't quote a fixed figure — we confirm the current rates with the City and the Lubbock Central Appraisal District and pull a property-specific tax certificate before you offer. Acreage parcels on the county roads also bring water, septic, and access questions we check up front.
Homes & new construction
Shallowater's housing runs from established in-town homes to newer subdivisions and larger acreage builds. Active developments include the Highland Heights and Highland Trails subdivisions near the high school and the Trails at Stone Hill acreage community south of town — with several local builders working the area, and other builders also active.
Confirm the school assignment and check campus ratings for any address here:
Search Shallowater Listings
Filter by price, bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, and map area. Want a neighborhood-specific map? Open a guide above.
Listings update as status and pricing change. Want a short list matching your commute and must-haves? We can set instant alerts for new listings, price changes, and status updates.
Shallowater Homes — newest first
$535,000
Active
11921 F M 1294 Shallowater, Texas
4 Beds 4 Baths 2,474 SqFt 3.481 Acres
$799,000
Active
516 Avenue R Shallowater, Texas
4 Beds 3 Baths 4,174 SqFt 0.43 Acres
$515,000
Pending
9313 F M 1294 Shallowater, Texas
4 Beds 3 Baths 2,462 SqFt 10.01 Acres
$490,000
Pending
9315 F M 1294 Shallowater, Texas
4 Beds 3 Baths 2,338 SqFt 10.01 Acres
$74,000
Active
902 9th Street Shallowater, Texas
2 Beds 1 Baths 885 SqFt 0.14 Acres
$525,000
Active
13525 N F M 2378 Shallowater, Texas
4 Beds 2 Baths 1,891 SqFt 10.01 Acres
$330,000
Active
6899 PR Prairie S Shallowater, Texas
3 Beds 2 Baths 2,224 SqFt 2 Acres
$260,000
Active Under Contract
1408 5th Street Shallowater, Texas
3 Beds 2 Baths 1,698 SqFt 0.18 Acres
$1,800,000
Active
4812 N County Road 1450 Shallowater, Texas
5 Beds 4 Baths 5,293 SqFt 1 Acres
$152,000
Active
7510 N Venita Avenue Shallowater, Texas
4 Beds 2 Baths 2,128 SqFt 0.34 Acres
$195,000
Pending
1316 6th Street Shallowater, Texas
3 Beds 2 Baths 1,438 SqFt 0.17 Acres
$135,000
Pending
6885 PR Shallowater, Texas
3 Beds 2 Baths 1,191 SqFt 1 Acres
Frequently Asked
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Whether you want an in-town home near the schools, a newer subdivision build, or acreage on the county roads, we'll tell you what we know — the school assignment, the full tax picture, what to check on a county parcel, and which builders are active. No pressure, just a straight conversation.
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