Regional Partner Highlight: Converse

greater:SATX visited with Elan Vallender, a regional partner representing the City of Converse, a community just East of San Antonio.

Tell us a little about Converse.

The City of Converse has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade. Converse continues to be a great landing spot for the influx of people moving to our region, as well as the younger generation looking to start a family. Being located on the far Northeast side of Bexar County, Converse has the land available to build not only thriving neighborhoods but commercial opportunities that support our residential growth.

Tell us a little about the City of Converse?

The City of Converse has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade. Converse continues to be a great landing spot for the influx of people moving to our region, as well as the younger generation looking to start a family. Being located on the far Northeast side of Bexar County, Converse has the land available to build not only thriving neighborhoods but commercial opportunities that support our residential growth. Our community has strong ties to the military as JBSA-Randolph touches much of our city limit to the North and JBSA-Fort Sam Houston is only minutes away. Many of our residents are either active duty or fell in love with Converse when stationed nearby and have decided to retire here. This diverse population mix makes the City of Converse a premier destination to live, work, and play.

What makes Converse unique within the San Antonio region?

Converse is the second largest city in Bexar County, behind San Antonio, with an estimated population of about 35,000 residents. Many people describe Converse as a big, small town with the feel and closeness of a small town but with access to many amenities you would find in a major metropolitan.

If you could highlight one major statistic or project, what would it be?

At a time where costs are rising, Converse provides a great quality of life by having a lower cost of living compared to not only the San Antonio MSA, but the central Texas region. Median home prices are around $275,000 which is far below the Texas average of $305,000. Also, the City of Converse boasts one of the lowest property tax rates in the area. Couple those statistics with the average household income of $95,618 and you can see why there is great opportunity in Converse.

What makes your community a great place for people and jobs?

A key component of what makes Converse attractive is quality of life. Our community members enjoy great city services highlighted by a Fire Department with an ISO Class 1 rating. We have beautiful large parks and miles of walking trails that connect our neighborhoods. The affordable and diverse nature of our housing market make it ideal for young families or those living on a fixed income. Our location is ideal as a city that sits along Loop 1604, which has easy access to Interstate 35 going toward Austin or Interstate 10 going toward Houston.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Converse may be most well-known for our perennial powerhouse high school football team the Judson High School Rockets. The six-time state champion football team is something that brings our community together and gives us a sense of pride.