New Ulm's housing stock is dominated by rural single-family homes, with some historic nineteenth-century houses near the community center and newer homes on acreage in the surrounding countryside. Properties tend to be spread out, with many residents holding larger rural parcels. The community's unincorporated status and its agricultural setting mean development is limited and low-density. Housing is oriented toward ownership, and the market reflects the area's character as a small German-settled farming community rather than a growing suburb.

New Ulm does not have a conventional neighborhood structure. The community is a loose collection of homes, historic buildings, and farms clustered around the junction of Farm Roads 109 and 1094, with residential properties spreading into the surrounding countryside. The surviving nineteenth-century buildings near the center give the community a sense of its early history. This dispersed, rural pattern is typical of the small German settlements of Austin County and is central to New Ulm's character.

New Ulm offers the lifestyle of a quiet, historically rooted country community. Its German settlement heritage is a point of local identity, reflected in the community's nineteenth-century buildings and its long-standing rural character. Daily life is unhurried, centered on the surrounding farms and the community's churches, with residents traveling to Bellville, Columbus, or Houston for larger services and employment. The rolling Austin County countryside and the community's German-Texas traditions give New Ulm a distinctive sense of place among the small settlements west of Houston.

Public education for New Ulm is provided by the Austin County school districts that serve the area, with campuses in the nearby communities. Students attend the elementary and secondary schools of the district serving this part of the county. For higher education, Blinn College has a campus in Brenham within driving distance, and Prairie View A&M University and the institutions of the Houston area are accessible along the region's highways.

New Ulm sits at the junction of Farm Roads 109 and 1094 in western Austin County. State Highway 71 lies a short distance to the south, connecting the area east toward Houston and west toward La Grange and Interstate 10. Bellville and Columbus are each within a short drive, and Houston lies roughly seventy miles to the east. The community's farm-to-market roads keep it connected to the surrounding towns and the region's highway network.

Recreation around New Ulm is tied to the open countryside of Austin County. The rolling farm and ranch land offers rural scenery, hunting, and space, and the nearby Brazos and Colorado river valleys provide additional outdoor access. The community's historic buildings offer a glimpse of its nineteenth-century past. For larger recreation, Stephen F. Austin State Park near Sealy and the attractions of the Houston area lie within reasonable driving distance, and the region's country roads are suited to cycling and scenic drives.