Lockhart Junior High

Lockhart is a small city about 30 miles south of Austin that's held onto its small-town character even as the surrounding region has grown — known locally as the "BBQ Capital of Texas," it's the kind of place where Friday night football still matters and neighbors know each other by name. Lockhart Junior High sits in the middle of that community, and while its academic scores are a work in progress — math showing the most promise relative to English and science — families here tend to be deeply rooted in the area and invested in the school's improvement. Families drawn to a tight-knit, unpretentious community rather than the suburban hustle closer to Austin may find Lockhart's pace and genuine small-town feel worth the trade-offs.