Editing Williamson County, Texas (section)

===Modern growth===
Williamson County's fast growth rate is due in large part to its location immediately north of [[Austin, Texas|Austin]] coupled with Austin's rapid expansion northward; Austin's city limits cross into Williamson County. Most of the growth has been residential, but large employers, such as [[Dell]]'s international headquarters, have also changed Williamson County from a bedroom community into a community where citizens can live and work in the same general vicinity. This has transformed the county over recent years into a dynamic, self-sustaining community with less dependency on Austin. Major retail and commercial developments began appearing from 1999 to present, including the Rivery in Georgetown, and the [[Premium Outlets|Premium Outlet Mall]], the [[IKEA]]-area retail, and the [[La Frontera (Round Rock, Texas)|La Frontera]] mixed-use center in Round Rock. Health care and higher education have also become major factors in the county's growth. Two new colleges and two new hospitals have opened since 2015. Another significant factor has been the opening of the North [[Loop 1]] and [[Texas State Highway 45]] toll roads, which have made Williamson County more accessible to Austin.