Hideaway, Texas
A gated lake-and-golf community north of I-20
Hideaway is a small town in Smith County, Texas, in East Texas, about 13 miles northwest of Tyler as the crow flies, with a population of about 3,402.
Median home $335,100 · Median rent $1,548/mo · Household income $109,712/yr Cost of living →
Updated October 2026 · Population: U.S. Census Bureau estimate for July 1, 2024. Land area (2.1 sq mi) and coordinates: U.S. Census Bureau. · Hideaway on Wikipedia
Coming up near Hideaway
All events →- Oct29First Monday Trade Days
Canton · ~24 mi · Oct 29 – Nov 1
- Nov6Winnsboro Art & Wine Festival
Winnsboro · ~33 mi · Nov 6 – Nov 7
- Nov11REEL East Texas Film Festival
Kilgore · ~35 mi · Nov 11 – Nov 14
- Dec3First Monday Trade Days
Canton · ~24 mi · Dec 3 – Dec 6
- Apr16East Texas Gusher Days
Gladewater · ~30 mi · Apr 16 – Apr 17
Dates confirmed on each organizer's site. Check the link before you drive.
Hideaway from our research
What we've verified about Hideaway, one line per topic. Each links to the full page and its sources.
- History
- Once the plantation land of Texas governor Richard B. Hubbard, developed in 1967 into a gated lake-and-golf community and incorporated as a city in 2001. Details →
- Schools
- 21 public schools within 12 miles, across 6 districts and charters, mainly Tyler ISD, Lindale ISD and Van ISD. Details → Source: Texas Education Agency AskTED directory — open campuses, enrollment as of Oct 2025
- Utilities
- A deregulated electricity market on the Oncor grid, Crystal Systems water, and internet options in the gated Smith County lake community. Details →
- Outdoors
- Nearest state parks: Tyler (10 mi), Purtis Creek (33 mi), Lake Tawakoni (39 mi). Nearest lakes: Lake Hawkins (15 mi), Lake Holbrook (15 mi). Details → Source: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department — park locations
- Contractors
- 1 licensed plumber, 2 licensed HVAC contractors and 1 licensed electrician serve Hideaway. Details → Source: TSBPE and TDLR license records, checked business by business
Hideaway City Limits
The official city boundary and the major highways through Hideaway.
Major roads: I-20
Boundary & roads: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line).
Hideaway is exactly what the name suggests: a gated residential community tucked into northwestern Smith County. The Handbook of Texas puts it north of Interstate 20, about thirteen miles northwest of Tyler. Lindale is the nearest town, about four road miles away. Tyler is roughly 18 road miles, or 25 to 30 minutes, depending on traffic. The Census Bureau counted 3,201 people here in 2020. The same census put the median age at 62.8, and 46.4% of residents were 65 or older. So it skews older, but the Hide-A-Way Lake Club describes its residents as a mix of families, retirees and people who like the small-community feel. The community is built around three man-made lakes, with homes arranged around them. Hideaway is a real city, incorporated in 2000. Day-to-day amenities and security are run by Hide-A-Way Lake Club, Inc., the homeowners' organization, which has a 12-member board of directors.
How Hideaway Came to Be
Before it was a lake community, this land was part of a large plantation that future Texas governor Richard B. Hubbard Jr. and his parents settled on in the 1850s, according to the Handbook of Texas. More than a century later, developer James Fair started the community, and the Hide-A-Way Lake Club dates its launch to 1967. The plan covered more than 1,300 acres and over 1,900 authorized lots, built around three small man-made lakes.
Two corporations ran the development at first. Hideaway Homeowners, Inc. and Hideaway Lake Club, Inc. were both incorporated in 1969. They merged in 2000, and the city incorporated under the organization of Hideaway Lake Club, Inc. Today Hideaway has a mayor-and-aldermen city government alongside the club's board. The Handbook also notes that a volunteer fire department serves the community.
Lakes, Golf and the Club
The lakes are the centerpiece. According to the club, Hideaway has three stocked lakes totaling about 233 acres. They come with boat ramps, docks, fishing piers, a beach and an active lake and fisheries management program. There is also RV and boat storage.
Golf is the other big draw. The club runs a 27-hole course, laid out as three nines, with a golf shop and driving range headed by a PGA professional. The pool complex has lifeguards on duty during family open swim and opens for the season on Memorial Day weekend. The club also lists community buildings that residents can use free of charge for parties, reunions, classes and club activities.
These are member amenities rather than public parks. The golf and club services are run for Hide-A-Way Lake Club members, and the community sits behind manned gates.
The Practical Stuff
It's gated. The club runs manned access-control gates and roving security patrols around the clock, and the City of Hideaway's own site notes that club-employed security staff man the gates and patrol the streets.
Schools: the club lists Lindale ISD as the district serving Hideaway.
Errands: Lindale is the closest town for everyday stops, and Tyler is about 25 to 30 minutes away for bigger shopping and the regional hospitals. Plan on driving.
Club dues and assessments are a cost on top of property taxes. The club doesn't publish its rates, so ask Hide-A-Way Lake Club directly at (903) 882-6151 before you buy. With three lakes inside the city limits, it's also worth checking the FEMA flood maps and getting insurance quotes for any lot near the water.
FAQ: Hideaway, Texas
Smith County. The U.S. Census Bureau's 2020 place-by-county list places all of Hideaway in Smith County.
Yes. Hide-A-Way Lake Club, Inc. runs manned access-control gates and roving security patrols 24 hours a day, according to the club. The City of Hideaway's site likewise notes that club-employed security personnel man the gates and patrol the streets.
There are three stocked lakes totaling about 233 acres, according to the Hide-A-Way Lake Club. They have boat ramps, docks, fishing piers and a beach, and they're amenities of the gated community, not public lakes.
The club doesn't publish its rates online. Call Hide-A-Way Lake Club, Inc. at (903) 882-6151 for current dues and assessments before you buy.
Lindale ISD, according to the Hide-A-Way Lake Club. Lindale is about four road miles from the main part of the community.
The Handbook of Texas puts Hideaway about thirteen miles northwest of Tyler, north of Interstate 20. By road it's roughly 18 miles, or about 25 to 30 minutes.
Not officially, but it skews older. In the 2020 census the median age was 62.8, and 46.4% of residents were 65 or older. The Hide-A-Way Lake Club describes its residents as a mix of families, retirees and people who like the small-community atmosphere.
Sources
- Handbook of Texas — Hideaway, TX (Smith County)
- Hide-A-Way Lake Club — About Us
- Hide-A-Way Lake Club — Amenities
- Hide-A-Way Lake Club — Pool
- Hide-A-Way Lake Club — home (contact, three nine-hole courses)
- City of Hideaway — official site (gates/security)
- Texas State Directory — City of Hideaway (mayor-alderman government)
- Wikipedia — Hideaway, Texas (2020 census population and age, citing Census Bureau)
- OSRM public router — drive distances/times
East Texas guides
Region-wide guides that put Hideaway in context — where to go, what things cost, and how people actually live here.
Moving to East Texas: What You Need to Know
Thinking about moving to East Texas? A fact-checked guide to healthcare, schools, getting around, weather, and daily life in Tyler, Jacksonville, and the towns around them.
Read Guide →Things to Do in East Texas
What to do in East Texas, checked against official sources: Tyler's Rose Garden and Caldwell Zoo, Canton's First Monday Trade Days, the Texas State Railroad, state parks, museums and festivals.
Read Guide →Cost of Living in East Texas
What it costs to live in East Texas, using Census figures: home values and rents in Tyler, Jacksonville and Athens compared with Texas and the big metros, plus taxes, utilities, healthcare and driving.
Read Guide →Retiring in East Texas: Why Retirees Love It Here
Retiring in East Texas: Tyler's trauma-designated hospitals, Texas 65+ school-tax exemptions, lake towns like Gun Barrel City and Hideaway, and sourced drive times and weather.
Read Guide →Business Owner?
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