Abilene, Texas is the County Seat of Taylor County in the center of West Texas. The area is serious about preserving its Old West heritage while advancing its identity as a modern city. Abilene is a close knit and patriotic community, proud of its centuries-old military tradition. The town's western heritage comes through in the revitalized downtown district. Now containing boutiques, museums and galleries, these original buildings still maintain the feel and character of the frontier days, creating a charming contrast.

The city has a strong sense of civic involvement and is a regional hub for commerce, industry and transportation. While maintaining an affordable cost of living, Abilene offers its residents an excellent public school system for school-aged children. Abilene is also home to three universities and a major air force base, and is a leading center for the state's oil industries.

Abilene maintains a number of artistic and cultural venues, some geared specifically toward children. Here you will find the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature. This unique museum offers a variety of free art activities for children each month and hosts a number of family events throughout the year. The venue opens a minimum of three new exhibits per year, featuring the work of leading children's writers and illustrators from around the world.

The city is also home to the Elks Art Center, which sponsors the Abilene Performing Arts Company. This is a nonprofit musical theater program for young people, and a popular after-school activity. This center is also home to the town's barbershop quartet called the Abilene Memory Men. Many of the town's male residents take a great deal of pride from performing at a range of well received community events.

Some of these annual community events include the Western Heritage Classic Festival held every May. The Summer Music Festival is held each June, and the all-time favorite West Texas Fair and Rodeo is held in September. This event alone draws thousands of guests from around the region to participate in a tradition that dates back to the first folks in the area.

Newcomers to Abilene will be delighted to discover that Abilene maintains an affordable cost of living, which extends to its real estate market. Real estate in Abilene is versatile, meaning that buyers in all price ranges will find something to suit their tastes, budgets, and lifestyles. At the same time, Abilene's popularity contributes to a strong housing market, where home owners have experienced a steady appreciation of their homes' values each year.

Recent real estate reports indicate that the lower end of Abilene's real estate market currently starts at a very affordable $25,000 for a single-family "starter" or "fixer-upper" style home. A typical three-bedroom, two-bath single-family home in Abilene currently starts at a listing price of just $45,000. The median listing price for this style home is approximately $179,000.

For those seeking a truly impressive executive-style estate, Abilene, Texas offers some fantastic dream homes as well. Real estate prices in Abilene currently top out at approximately $1,400,000 for a fantastic estate home. There is truly something for everyone here in Abilene!