San Antonio Neighborhoods
Live Oak,
Northeast San Antonio
A Bexar County city of 4.8 square miles near the I-35 and Loop 1604 junction, about 15 driving miles northeast of downtown San Antonio and about 4 driving miles from JBSA-Randolph's main gate, with established neighborhoods, newer subdivisions, and a 75-acre city park.
Questions about Live Oak? Call me at (919) 800-9870
Live Oak is a separate city of about 15,800 people at Interstate 35 and Loop 1604 in northeast Bexar County, with its own police and fire departments. Most addresses are in Judson ISD, and the city's west side, including the Woodcrest subdivisions, is in North East ISD. Homes range from houses built in the 1960s and 1970s near Main City Park to subdivisions built since 2000. The average homestead taxable value for 2026 is $219,563, and Randolph's main gate (the Lindsey Gate) is about 4 miles from City Hall.
Tiffany Reed, REALTOR® | MRP · Data current as of October 2026 · Sources: City of Live Oak · City of Live Oak 2026 tax rate notice · U.S. Census Bureau- About 200 houses have gone up in Live Oak since 2020, mostly in Skybrooke and nearby streets on the North East ISD side, so a nearly new home is possible without leaving the city.
- Two school districts split the city: Judson ISD covers most of it, and North East ISD covers the west side. To see which one a home is in, pull up its record on bcad.org.
- For 2026, a home inside the city pays a combined rate of $2.140539 per $100 of taxable value in Judson ISD, or $2.136339 in North East ISD, across seven taxing units.
- About 44% of the houses in Live Oak were built before 1980, and roughly 1,700 have been built since 2000.
- The City of Live Oak's own homestead exemption is 20% of a home's value (at least $5,000), on top of the $140,000 school district exemption.
What makes Live Oak
different?
Live Oak incorporated in 1960 near the junction of Interstate 35 and Loop 1604, which the city's founders saw as a good location among gently rolling hills. It sits about 15 driving miles northeast of downtown San Antonio. Live Oak first showed up on the U.S. Census in 1970 with 2,779 people, and the 2020 Census counted 15,781 on about 4.8 square miles of land. The city provides its own police and fire protection, water and wastewater service, and trash pickup.
Location is the practical draw. Universal City sits just to the east, and JBSA-Randolph lies right beyond it, so Randolph's gates are only a few miles from Live Oak City Hall. Interstate 35 runs south toward Fort Sam Houston and downtown, and Loop 1604 carries you west toward the north side of San Antonio.
The homes reflect more than six decades of building. The streets around Main City Park filled in during the 1960s and 1970s, the first Woodcrest sections followed in the 1980s, and Bridlewood Park and later Woodcrest units went up after 2000. About 200 houses have gone up since 2020 alone. That spread means price, size, and condition vary a lot from one street to the next, so judge each house on its own record, not on the neighborhood name or the decade it was built.
PCSing to JBSA-Randolph and comparing the northeast side?
The free San Antonio Relocation Guide covers neighborhoods near each JBSA installation, cost of living, and how to research school districts, so you can weigh Live Oak against the rest of the northeast side.
Get the Free Relocation GuideIs Live Oak a good fit for you?
Live Oak is a good fit if you want:
- Randolph's Lindsey Gate about 4 miles from City Hall, with Fort Sam Houston's BAMC/I-35 Gate about 9.5 miles south on I-35
- A choice between Judson ISD and North East ISD, decided by which side of the city the home is on
- An established home from the 1960s or 1970s, and you're comfortable checking roof, systems, and foundation history carefully
- A newer home in Bridlewood Park or Woodcrest, built mostly after 2000, without leaving the city limits
- A big city park with a lake, ball fields, and disc golf, plus a 32-acre nature park on the west side
- City services, including police, fire, and water, from a city government of its own
Which neighborhoods should you know
in Live Oak?
Bridlewood Park
One of Live Oak's newer subdivisions, built in phases from about 2005 to 2021 and served by Judson ISD. Floor plans are more current than in the older parts of the city, and most homes sit on lots a little under a fifth of an acre. If you want a newer house without moving farther out, start here.
Woodcrest and Auburn Hills at Woodcrest
The largest group of homes on Live Oak's west side, built from the early 1980s through the 2020s and served by North East ISD rather than Judson ISD. That district line matters if schools are part of your decision. Woodcrest Nature Park, created alongside the Auburn Hills of Woodcrest development, sits right inside the neighborhood.
The original streets around Main City Park
The oldest part of Live Oak, on streets like Lone Shadow Trail, Welcome Drive, and Lost Forest Street, built mostly between the mid-1960s and the mid-1970s and served by Judson ISD. Expect homes from that era, mature trees, and the city pool and Main City Park close by. Condition varies widely at this age, so plan for a thorough inspection and a realistic repair budget.
Skybrooke and other recent builds
Live Oak's most recent construction is on the North East ISD side, where Skybrooke and nearby streets were built between about 2019 and 2024. These are the closest thing to new construction inside the city today.
How much do homes cost
in Live Oak?
Live Oak's average homestead taxable value for 2026 is $219,563, down slightly from $221,398 in 2025. Keep in mind what that number is: the value a homestead is taxed on, after the state's limit on yearly increases, not a sale price. Because of that cap, it often runs below what homes actually sell for. Further down this page, I've put current listings and recent sales for Live Oak, so you can see what homes ask and sell for today.
Price swings with a home's age, size, and condition, and with the school district it sits in. Having a pre-approval letter before your first tour means you can move quickly when a good one shows up.
How much are property taxes in Live Oak?
A home inside Live Oak's city limits is taxed by seven units. Together, their 2026 rates come to $2.140539 per $100 of taxable value in Judson ISD, or $2.136339 in North East ISD. That's roughly $2,140 for every $100,000 of value before exemptions.
| Taxing unit | 2026 rate per $100 | General homestead exemption |
|---|---|---|
| Judson ISD (most of the city) | $0.979600 | $140,000 (plus $60,000 if 65 or older or disabled) |
| North East ISD (west side) | $0.975400 | $140,000 (plus $73,330 if 65 or older, or $60,000 if disabled) |
| City of Live Oak | $0.398755 | 20% (at least $5,000) |
| Bexar County | $0.285963 | 20% (at least $5,000) |
| University Health (Bexar County Hospital District) | $0.276235 | 20% (at least $5,000) |
| Alamo Community College District | $0.166650 | 1% (at least $5,000) |
| San Antonio River Authority | $0.019300 | 4% (at least $5,000) |
| Bexar County Road and Flood | $0.014036 | $3,000 and 20% |
| Combined 2026 rate | $2.140539 (Judson ISD) or $2.136339 (NEISD) | Each unit applies its own exemption |
A home pays one school district, not both. To check which units apply to a particular house, search it at bcad.org, the Bexar Appraisal District's website.
Once you live in the house as your main home, put in your homestead exemption application with Bexar Appraisal District. File by April 30 for that tax year. If you close after January 1, you can still be exempt for the share of the year after closing, as long as the prior owner hadn't claimed it for that year. Missed the deadline? You can still file up to two years after that year's taxes become delinquent, and a veteran the VA has awarded 100 percent compensation for a service-connected disability can be exempt from tax on the entire homestead.
Data current as of October 2026 · Sources: City of Live Oak, Notice of Meeting to Vote on Tax Rate (2026) · Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector, 2026 Official Tax Rates and Exemptions · Texas Comptroller, Form 50-114 · Bexar Appraisal District (bcad.org).
(OCT 06, 2026 - NOV 05, 2026)
Which schools serve
Live Oak?
Live Oak is split between two school districts, and the address decides which one. Most of the city is in Judson Independent School District. The west side, including Woodcrest, Retama Hollow, and Skybrooke, is in North East Independent School District.
Each district assigns elementary, middle, and high school campuses by attendance zone, so confirm the campuses for a specific home with Judson ISD or North East ISD. Every campus gets its own report card from the Texas Education Agency at tea.texas.gov, so check the specific schools rather than the district as a whole.
Before you tour Live Oak: what to decide early
Live Oak homes span several decades and two school districts, so a few decisions up front help.
- What you'd pay monthly. Settle on the payment you're comfortable with, not just the amount you're approved for, since the two can differ and tax rates change between districts.
- Judson ISD or NEISD. Two homes a few blocks apart can be in different districts. Decide whether it matters, and confirm it on bcad.org for the address.
- Near the park or a creek. Main City Park doubles as a flood control project. If a home is near the park, the lake or a creek, decide how you feel about flood risk and look at the FEMA map.
- After this assignment. Decide whether the house would become a rental or go up for sale at your next PCS.
- Must-haves. Know your list and your deal-breakers: one story, a garage, a fenced yard, room for a boat.
- Your drive. If you know where you'll work, try the drive to that gate or office at the hours you'd make it.
Can you use a VA loan in Live Oak?
Yes. If your VA entitlement is fully intact, there's no VA ceiling on the loan; the amount you can borrow comes down to your lender's approval. The VA appraisal checks the home against the VA's minimum property requirements. In an older Live Oak house, an independent inspection tells you the age and condition of the roof, heating and cooling, and electrical panel, however you finance it. Check your entitlement with a VA-approved lender before you shop. The free VA loan guide walks through the steps.
How far is Live Oak
from JBSA installations?
Randolph is the closest installation by a wide margin, and I-35 gives a straight run south to Fort Sam Houston. Lackland and Camp Bullis sit on the far side of San Antonio. Miles below are approximate driving distances from Live Oak City Hall (8001 Shin Oak Drive).
| JBSA-Randolph | ~4 miles to the Lindsey Gate via Loop 1604 and FM 78 |
| Fort Sam Houston and Brooke Army Medical Center | ~9.5 miles via I-35 (BAMC/I-35 Gate) |
| Camp Bullis | ~23 miles to the main gate via Loop 1604 and I-10 |
| Lackland AFB | ~26 miles via I-35 and US-90 |
For more on living near Randolph, see the Randolph AFB housing guide and the military relocation overview.
What is daily life like
in Live Oak?
Most weeks in Live Oak revolve around the highway and the park. The big-box stores sit near the I-35 and Loop 1604 interchange, so errands rarely take you far from home, and both Randolph and the run south on I-35 start nearby. After work, the lake trail and ball fields are a short trip for much of the city, and the city pool opens for the summer.
The city also runs a calendar of events through the year, from a spring Easter celebration to a Christmas event in December. The trade-off is that Live Oak is suburban and car-dependent. You'll drive to most restaurants and to downtown, about 15 driving miles away on I-35.
Parks and outdoors
- Main City Park, 18001 Park Drive: about 75 acres, created in 1971, with a football field, three lighted baseball fields, a basketball court, the Oaks Plaza skate spot, playgrounds, disc golf, and picnic sites with barbecue pits
- Lakeside at Main Park, 7800 Lazy Forest Drive: a lake stocked with fish twice a year, two accessible fishing piers, and a trail of nearly 2 miles around the lake
- Woodcrest Nature Park, 11021 Forest Pass Court: about 32 acres, mostly wooded, with looped walking trails, opened in 2009
- Live Oak City Pool, 7901 Shin Oak Drive: a six-lane pool and a shaded wading pool, open in summer
Shopping
- IKEA Live Oak, 1000 IKEA RBFCU Parkway, inside the city near I-35 and Loop 1604
- Retail along the I-35 and Loop 1604 corridor
City events
- Shindig on Shin Oak, the city festival
- Armed Forces Day Parade, EGGstravaganza with a movie in the park, Junior Fishing, Arbor Day, and Down Home Christmas
Data current as of October 2026 · Sources: City of Live Oak Parks · City of Live Oak Parks and Recreation · IKEA Live Oak
What buyers ask about
Live Oak.
What school district is Live Oak in?
Two. Judson ISD serves most of Live Oak, and North East ISD serves the west side, including the Woodcrest neighborhoods. The bcad.org record shows which district a home is in, the district confirms the campus, and that campus's report card is on tea.texas.gov. Settle all three before you write an offer.
How far is Live Oak from Randolph and Fort Sam Houston?
From Live Oak City Hall, Randolph's Lindsey Gate is about 4 driving miles away by Loop 1604 and FM 78. It's about 9.5 miles south on I-35 to Fort Sam Houston's BAMC/I-35 Gate, at Brooke Army Medical Center. Drive times vary by time of day, traffic, and gate. Check current conditions for your route before deciding.
What are home prices in Live Oak?
For 2026, the average homestead taxable value in Live Oak is $219,563. That's a tax figure, not a sale price, and it usually trails the market. For what homes are listing and selling for right now, scroll up to the live section I keep on this page.
How does Live Oak compare to Universal City near Randolph?
JBSA-Randolph borders Universal City, which sits between the base and Live Oak, so how close you are to a gate depends on where in either city the home is. The cities' tax rates differ: Live Oak's city rate for 2026 is $0.398755 per $100, and Universal City's is $0.530000. In both cities, the school district depends on the address, so check each home on bcad.org. See the Universal City neighborhood guide to compare.
Is there new construction in Live Oak?
Some, but not much. About 200 homes have been built in Live Oak since 2020, mostly in Skybrooke and nearby streets on the North East ISD side. If new construction is the priority, the Schertz and Cibolo guides cover builder communities there.
What is the property tax rate in Live Oak?
For 2026, a home inside the city pays a combined $2.140539 per $100 of taxable value in Judson ISD, or $2.136339 in North East ISD, across seven taxing units. Homestead exemptions lower the taxable value unit by unit, including the city's 20% exemption. Confirm the units for any property on bcad.org.
What working with me looks like
for Live Oak buyers.
A Randolph assignment or a move from another state can put a Live Oak purchase on a tight, long-distance schedule.
- Prep work comes first. I ask for the seller's disclosure and any earlier inspection reports and look up the ages of the roof, HVAC and water heater. If a home has a deal-breaker, you'll find out before you give it an afternoon. If there's an HOA and one of its rules would make the house a no for you, let me know and I'll check before the tour.
- You can see a Live Oak home without flying in. I'll take you through it room by room on video, so you can make an offer from anywhere.
- New construction too, from first visit to last walkthrough. Bring me in before your first visit to a builder, since some won't let an agent join later on. I go to the model homes with you, handle the negotiation with the builder, and walk through with you at every stage, final walkthrough included. To learn how the new build process works, head to my new construction page.
- I can help with a lender, including lenders who do VA loans every day.
- When you've found your Live Oak home, I'll write the offer and negotiate it.
- Afterward, I keep everything moving. I coordinate inspections, keep track of the appraisal and closing steps, and do the final walkthrough with you before you sign.
Thinking about
Live Oak?
Tell me your report date or move date, your budget, and whether the school district matters, and I'll get you into the Live Oak homes you'd like to tour. Want to look first? Browse Live Oak homes for sale.
Let's Talk About Your Next MoveTiffany Reed, REALTOR® | MRP | Real Broker LLC
(919) 800-9870 | tiffany@tiffanyreedtx.com | tiffanyreedtx.com
FEATURED LISTINGS
Live Oak Homes for Sale
