Round Rock is a city in Travis and Williamson counties in the U.S. state of
Texas. It is part of the Austin–Round Rock–San
Marcos metropolitan area. The 2009 census estimate places the population at 105,412. Located about 20 miles (32 km) north of downtown Austin, Round Rock shares a common border with Austin at SH
45. In August 2008,
Money magazine named Round Rock as the seventh-best
American small city in which to live. In a CNN article dated July 1, 2009, Round Rock was listed as the second-fastest growing city in the country, with a population growth of 8.2% in the preceding year. Round Rock is perhaps best known as the international headquarters of Dell, which employs approximately 16,000 people at its Round Rock facilities. The presence of Dell along with other major employers, a strong economic development program, favorable
tax rates, and major retailers such as
IKEA and a Premium Outlet Mall have turned Round Rock into a "super suburb".