Elon Musk's Texas Empire: How the World's Richest Person is Transforming a Sleepy Texas Town

Bastrop, Texas was once a quintessential small Texas town, known for its frontier-style main street, cowboy culture, and slow pace of life. But in the last few years, that quiet way of life has been upended by the arrival of Elon Musk and his growing business empire.

Musk's companies, including SpaceX, the Boring Company, and the newly renamed X (formerly Twitter), have all set up major facilities in the Bastrop area, making them some of the largest employers in the region. From a 500,000 square foot Starlink satellite manufacturing plant to the future headquarters of X, Musk's imprint is spreading across the county.

This rapid expansion has brought both excitement and anxiety to the residents of Bastrop. On one hand, there are new jobs, economic growth, and an influx of younger, wealthier residents. But on the other, there are concerns about rising home prices, the environmental impact of Musk's operations, and a lack of transparency from the billionaire's companies.

"I've been saying for months that it's like a flying saucer landed…and a bunch of people got out," says local attorney Kay Rogers, capturing the sense of bewilderment many long-time Bastrop residents feel.

The scale and pace of Musk's development projects have been staggering. The Boring Company, for example, had its president personally show up at the county commissioner's office demanding to know why a septic tank variance hadn't been approved yet. "Their culture is 'Time is money,'" the commissioner said.

This breakneck speed is transforming not just Bastrop, but the surrounding region. Dozens of new residential and commercial projects are underway, drawn by the growth of Musk's companies. The population of the broader county is projected to nearly double by 2050.

Yet, despite Musk's massive investments, there's a sense that the billionaire hasn't fully engaged with the local community. Residents complain about a lack of transparency and public outreach from his companies, particularly around issues like environmental impact.

"I don't see where they have engaged," says Cheryl Lee, a member of the Bastrop City Council. "They're not making any effort to connect to the community."

As Bastrop grapples with this rapid transformation, the big question is: what is Elon Musk's ultimate plan for the area? So far, the details remain murky, leaving locals to wonder how their once-sleepy town will be forever changed by the world's richest person.