For many homebuyers, finding the right location means looking beyond the neighborhood itself. Commute times, proximity to major employers, and access to growing business districts can all shape how well a community fits into everyday life. In Bastrop, continued growth along SH-71 and the surrounding corridors is creating an increasingly connected landscape for professionals working across a wide range of industries.
Located along the SH-71 corridor west of Downtown Bastrop, The Colony offers access to employment centers in Bastrop County, Del Valle, the SH-130 corridor, and East Austin. From technology and advanced manufacturing to healthcare, education, hospitality, and government, residents can stay connected to several important employment areas while coming home to the space, amenities, and natural surroundings of The Colony.
Major Employers Close to Home in Bastrop
For professionals who work locally, some of Bastrop County’s major employers and employment centers are approximately 5 to 10 minutes from The Colony.
The area’s technology and manufacturing presence has grown significantly in recent years. The Bastrop-area campus along FM 1209 is home to The Boring Company and SpaceX operations associated with Starlink. SpaceX has continued investing in its Bastrop footprint, adding to the advanced manufacturing and technology opportunities developing nearby.
Bastrop also supports employment across several other industries. Major local employers include Bastrop ISD, Bastrop County, Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Ascension Seton, and Hyatt, according to City of Bastrop employment data.
For residents working in education, healthcare, research, hospitality, utilities, government, or technology, having so many different industries represented locally can make Bastrop an appealing place to build both a career and a life.
Connect to Del Valle and the SH-130 Corridor
Heading west along SH-71 opens the door to another major concentration of jobs. Approximately 15 to 20 minutes from The Colony, the Del Valle and SH-130 area has become an important center for manufacturing, aviation, logistics, and other industries.
One of the corridor’s most recognizable employers is Tesla. Gigafactory Texas covers 2,500 acres along the Colorado River and includes more than 10 million square feet of factory floor. The facility serves as Tesla’s global headquarters and a major U.S. manufacturing hub for the Model Y and Cybertruck, with employment spanning manufacturing, engineering, operations, and other specialties.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport also anchors a significant employment area along the corridor. Beyond aviation itself, the surrounding area supports jobs in hospitality, freight, distribution, logistics, and related services. The combination of SH-71, SH-130, and proximity to the airport has helped make Southeast Austin and Del Valle an important part of the region’s employment landscape.
For someone searching for homes near Tesla Gigafactory Texas or homes near the Austin airport, The Colony offers the opportunity to live farther east in Bastrop while maintaining access to these growing employment areas.
East Austin Is Within Reach
Continue west on SH-71, and residents can reach the employment districts of Southeast and East Austin in approximately 25 to 30 minutes, depending on destination and traffic.
The MetCenter area and surrounding Southeast Austin office parks include a mix of businesses, government operations, and professional services. Farther into East Austin, commercial districts along East Riverside, Springdale Road, and Airport Boulevard have grown to include technology companies, creative businesses, mixed-use developments, and regional offices.
Oracle’s Austin campus near Lady Bird Lake is another major destination in this direction. Together, these districts expand the range of professional opportunities accessible from Bastrop and give residents connections to Austin’s broader employment market.
For households with two working adults, that access can be particularly helpful. One person may work locally in Bastrop while another commutes west toward Del Valle or Austin, allowing both to reach different employment areas from the same home base.
A Location That Supports Work and Life
A convenient commute is valuable, but what waits at the end of the workday matters just as much.
Living at The Colony gives residents access to Bastrop’s growing employment landscape while offering plenty of ways to shift gears after work. Walking trails, green spaces, outdoor recreation, and neighborhood amenities make it easy to step away from the workday and spend time outside, gather with family, or enjoy being home.
Weekends offer another chance to enjoy the location. Downtown Bastrop’s restaurants, shops, and community events are nearby, while the area’s parks and outdoor destinations make it easy to get out and explore. When plans take you west, Austin’s dining, entertainment, airport, and other attractions remain accessible along the same general corridor.
That combination creates a lifestyle where career opportunities and everyday quality of life can exist side by side.
Find Your Home Base at The Colony
Bastrop’s employment landscape continues to evolve, with established employers and growing opportunities in technology, manufacturing, healthcare, education, hospitality, and the public sector. The Colony’s location along SH-71 puts residents within reach of many of those opportunities while keeping them connected to the greater Austin area.
Whether your workday takes you a few minutes down the road in Bastrop, west toward Del Valle and SH-130, or farther into East Austin, The Colony provides a welcoming place to come home to.
Explore homes at The Colony and discover a Bastrop community that keeps you connected to work, recreation, and everything in between!