Williamson County Judge Steve Snell is steering one of the fastest-growing regions in Texas, and in a recent episode of the Rock Solid: Round Rock Business Leaders Podcast, he detailed the challenges and opportunities ahead. The episode, titled "Judge Steve Snell | Williamson County's Explosive Growth," was published on September 15, 2026, and hosted by Bryan Eisenberg. Williamson County, home to roughly 760,000 residents today, is projected to reach 1.6 million by 2055 and 3 million by the end of the century.
Snell, who has 31 years of experience in public education, including leadership roles in Hutto ISD and as superintendent of Liberty Hill ISD, explained that the role of county judge is more akin to a CEO and emergency manager than a traditional courtroom judge. He oversees roughly 30 to 35 departments, from fleet services and animal shelters to the juvenile justice center and Sheriff's Office.
The interview covered the county's response to historic July floods and lessons learned from Kerr County, as well as economic development wins tied to major employers such as Dell, Samsung, Compal, Apple, Firefly, Kalahari, Nebraska Furniture Mart, and the incoming Scheels in Cedar Park. Snell emphasized the need for long-range transportation, water, and energy planning across cities including Round Rock, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Liberty Hill, Florence, and Jarrell.
On the growth challenge facing unincorporated neighborhoods and Municipal Utility Districts, Snell said, "When you build 1,000 homes next to an old two-lane road and all the construction trucks tear it up, we need to come and fix that for mobility and safety, or we need to expand it." He also reflected on his motivation: "at the end of the day, it's not about me. It's about service and it's about Williamson County."
Snell pointed to the county's designation as a spaceport in partnership with the City of Cedar Park, its geographic position between Fort Hood and joint commands in downtown Austin, and Firefly Aerospace as the anchor of a rapidly expanding space sector. The conversation also touched on trade education, workforce development, veteran employment as service members transition out of Fort Hood, and entrepreneurship classes in Liberty Hill high schools, where a chamber president now teaches students. Snell praised Round Rock ISD, Leander ISD, Cedar Park's Plug and Play, and partnerships with Precinct 2 Commissioner Cynthia Long on land acquisitions for future schools and parkland.
The Rock Solid podcast, produced by Round Rock Studio and hosted by bestselling author and keynote speaker Bryan Eisenberg, spotlights the entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and civic leaders driving one of America's fastest-growing regions. The Steve Snell episode is available now wherever podcasts are heard.
