Austin, Indiana, 2016
Austin’s story
173 years in pictures
Census counts: 321 in 1870, 4,064 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2016 and 3 maps from 1947 on.
- 1853Austin is settled
Photo: Chris Flook · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
4,254
2025 Census estimate · +4.9% since 2020
Typical home
$162K
−3.1% in a year
Household income
$32K
median
Median age
45.2
years
Jobs based here
419
A commuter town
TownGrade
C−
#546 of 585 in IN
Is Austin a good place to live?
Austin gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $162K for a typical one, or 2.9 years of the county’s $56K median household income. It grades C− overall, ranked 546th of 585 in Indiana. The low prices come with trade-offs. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 94% of the country, and the median household income is $32K, and 27% of residents live below the poverty line. 27% of residents live below the poverty line in Austin, above both the Indiana town median (10%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). On history, just 83 of Indiana’s 1,098 towns do worse. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 84% of U.S. towns.
What makes Austin stand out
Where Austin beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
A commuter town
95% of working residents leave Austin for work
Where Austin’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
419jobs based in Austin
5%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Austin grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Indiana), ordered by how far Austin is from typical.
HealthNorton Scott Hospital 2.8 miles awayDOpen →Jobs & incomeC−Open →Cost of livingA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.3 of 20; 3.2% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →SchoolsBehind 77% of Indiana districts on tests and graduationC−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 35% of U.S. communities; tornadoes tops the listBOpen →SafetyBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksCOpen →History1 notable person born hereC−Open →Civic life3.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market$162K typical home, down 3.1% in a year; 66 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 45.2; 12% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Austin: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Austin, and how to reach them.
PowerDuke Energy15.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterStucker Fork Water UtilityNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpStreet/Sanitation Department recyclable dumpsterTown pickupTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Indiana you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereScott County Circuit Court ClerkScott County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2017
ZIP code4710247102 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Austin.
Austin trades lower home prices for longer drives to work and is healthier than towns with similar incomes, but it has poverty well above the Indiana rate.
HealthD
Austin stands out in Indiana and nationally, with more of its adults who smoke cigarettes
Against the 729 U.S. towns with household incomes like Austin’s, it is healthier than 57%, so its D isn’t only a matter of income.
22% of Austin adults smoke cigarettes. Austin beats the Indiana average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 16. 39% of Austin adults sleep under 7 hours.
6%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Austin | Indiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 17% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 17% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 39% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 26% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Indiana
0 better16 too close to call16 worse
| What stands out | Austin | IN |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 25.2% | 15.4% |
| More smokers | 22.4% | 15.7% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.3% | 8.1% |
Norton Scott Hospital
2.8 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
4th
percentile among IN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade A−
For cost of living, Austin earns an A−
Homes are within reach (about $162K for the typical one, A− for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 22 miles. Values fell 3.1% in the past year while the Indiana typical home rose 3%.
Austin’s median rent is $677 a month. The typical Austin home is worth about $162,000, 37% below the Indiana typical home. 66% of households own their home in Austin.
$162KZillow home value
| Austin | Indiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $677 a month | $947 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 66% | 76% | 73% |
Typical home value
Austin$162K
Indiana$257K
Market temperature
66
days on market
100%
sale-to-list price
−3.1%
value change, 1 year
5
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
The median household income in Austin is lower than in most of Indiana or the rest of the country
Jobs based here fell from 648 in 2013 to 419.
Only 1 of the 593 Indiana towns we compare have a lower median household income than Austin. Jobs based in Austin fell to 419 in 2023, 229 fewer than in 2013. Most working residents leave Austin for work: only 5% work in town.
5%work in town
| Austin | Indiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $32,000 | $71,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.3% | 11% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Austin5%
Scottsburg15%
Jennings Township10%
Crothersville7%
Indianapolis7%
22 mi
median commute distance
419
jobs based in Austin
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 16% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Austin, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Austin has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Austin is 87°F.
12″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter25–43°
Spring43–66°
Summer64–85°
Fall45–68°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 18
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Low risk in Austin, with tornadoes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 65% of U.S. communities. Since 1993, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Austin.
35risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
TornadoesInland floodingEarthquakes
3
paid flood claims since 1993
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SafetyB
Austin reports less crime per resident than 62% of U.S. towns
Reported crimes fell from 66 to 37 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings. Violent crime is rare: 2 reported in 2025, 0.5 per 1,000 residents.
62%of U.S. towns report more crimeBSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Austin0.5
Indiana3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Austin8.4
Indiana12.5
U.S.15.5
62nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
60th
percentile among IN towns
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
35
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Austin
19pages on Austin
The big questions
SchoolsC−Behind 77% of IN districtsSafetyB0.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than IN on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA−$162K typical home · down 3.1% in a yearWork & commuteC−$32K median household income · 419 jobs hereNatural hazardsBFEMA risk higher than 35% of U.S. communities · tornadoes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Austin; the nearest are
Hanover CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Hanover19 mi$44,638 tuitionIndiana University-SoutheastUniversity or college · Public · New Albany27.3 mi$8,424 in-state tuitionJefferson Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Louisville, KY34.3 mi$4,808 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Austin residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Indiana.
About Austin
City in Indiana, United States
Austin is a city in Jennings Township, Scott County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 4,064 at the 2020 census, at which time it was a town; Austin became a city on January 1, 2008. The population was 4,064 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1853
- Area
- 2.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 558 ft
- ZIP code
- 47102
- Area code
- 812
Austin’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Austin.
Jennings TownshipVienna TownshipAustin
How the neighbors grade
| Town | IN rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | #546 | C− | A− | B | C− | D |
| Jennings Township | #570 | D | B+ | — | C− | D |
| Vienna Township | #556 | C− | B | — | B− | D |
Jennings Township and Vienna Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Austin with a neighbor →
Questions about Austin
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Austin, IN a good place to live?
Austin grades C− overall, better than 20% of U.S. towns and #546 of 585 in Indiana. It grades D for health, B for safety and C− for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Austin, IN expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.