With 1.0 million people, Austin can't be summed up by one letter: its C averages neighborhoods that are worlds apart. Within Texas, that puts it 294th of 640. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 87% of the country and it is more walkable than 93% of U.S. towns. What weighs on its grade: the typical home is worth about $492K, 4.9 years of the Austin metro’s $100K median household income, and its police reported 4,185 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 90% of U.S. towns. 65% of working residents work locally in Austin, where Texas’ towns sit at 8.3% and U.S. towns at 8%. Its National Register listings include Texas State Capitol and Governor's Mansion. On the outdoors, just 24 of Texas’ 1,000 towns do better.

StrongestAWalkability AOutdoors AHealthWeakestDCost of living DSafety

What makes Austin stand out

Where Austin beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

Texas State Capitol

HistoryB⁺

Settled in 1835

207 places on the National Register

A history going back 191 years.

Biggest of 9

College	Students
The University of Texas at Austin	52,820
Austin Community College District	23,672
Saint Edward's University	2,999

Colleges in town

9 colleges

82,083 students on campus

Students are 8% of residents.

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Austin4.2

Texas3.5

U.S.3.3

Worth knowing · SafetyD

20% more violent crime than TX

FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.

Texas State Capitol · National Register of Historic Places

Austin’s story

191 years in pictures

Texas State Capitol is one of 2 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1835, comes before those of 96% of the Texas towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 629 in 1850, 961,855 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1800 and 4 maps from 1954 on.

207 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1835Austin is settled

Explore the history →

How Austin grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Austin is from typical.

How grading works

Cost of livingDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 11.8 of 20; 7.1% of households have no car; 5.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitAOpen →SafetyDOpen →HealthAscension Seton Medical Center Austin 0.7 miles awayAOpen →Jobs & income$94K median household incomeB⁺Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 40% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →SchoolsB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors18% conserved landAOpen →History20 notable people born hereB⁺Open →Civic life3 library visits per resident; 4.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

ClimateMild winters, 97° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market47 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 34.7; 60% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium and 44 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Austin. Close and well known come first.

All 54 attractions →

Big drawin town Stadium & arenaDarrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium

in town Stadium & arenaMoody Center

in town LakeLady Bird Lake

in town Park & preserveCOTALAND

in town LakeLake Travis

in town LakeLake Austin

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium: Brint03, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Moody Center: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0 · Lady Bird Lake: Arvindn on en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · COTALAND: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0 · Lake Travis: Trey Perry, CC BY 3.0 · Lake Austin: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0

Getting set up

Moving to Austin: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Austin, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerAustin Energy13.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterCity of Austin Water & Wastewater1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet7 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpBy addressTown pickup · day by addressTown site

SchoolsAustin Independent School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteIn personTexas has no online registration; you can register in person until 30 days before Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereTravis County Early Voting ClerkTravis County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Mar 2024

ZIP codes78745, 78753, 78748, 7875878745 6% · 78753 6% · 78748 5% · 78758 5%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 draws workers from Round Rock and beyond and has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns, but it reports more crime than West Lake Hills and its other graded neighbors.

OutdoorsA

Austin has set aside 18.3% of its land for conservation

533 miles of trail in 356 parks and preserves. Austin’s trail density is 1.6 miles per square mile. Walter E. Long Metropolitan Park, at 3,603 acres with 1.5 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.

#33for trails in TX

18.3%

conserved · 38,715 of 211,488 acres

533 mi

of trails · 1.6 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Barton Creek Wilderness Park	28.2 mi	1,112
2. Circle C Ranch Metropolitan Park on Slaughter Creek	19.2 mi	596
3. Barton Creek Greenbelt	17.2 mi	826

Full pageAustin’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map533 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk28.2 miles of trail · Barton Creek Wilderness Park Conserved land18.3% conserved · 38,715 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Austin?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SchoolsB⁻

On state tests, Austin’s schools beat 52% of Texas districts

Its public schools are run by Austin ISD. Three of its 295 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

52%of TX districts it outscoresB⁻School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Gorzycki MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8	Grades 6–8	1,305	A
Bowie H SLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	2,876	A
Lasa H STop results in townGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	1,616	A⁺

Full pageAustin’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsAUSTIN ISD Vs. the neighborsBehind its 8 graded neighbors Every school295 schools · Blazier El Questions“Are Austin’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation

HousingCost of living grade D

For cost of living, Austin earns a D

The typical value, about $492K, is 27% below its June 2022 peak. At about $492K, home values are down 15% in five years, against a rise of 10% across Texas.

43% of households own their home in Austin. The typical Austin home is worth about $492,000, down 3.2% in a year, 66% above the Texas typical home. The median rent in Austin is $1,729 a month.

$492KZillow home value

	Austin	Texas towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	43%	69%	73%
Median rent	$1,729 a month	$1,206 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Austin$492K

Texas$296K

Market temperature

days on market

97.7%

sale-to-list price

−3.2%

value change, 1 year

960

homes sold in May

Full pageAustin’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsDown 3.2% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 5.3 years of income Rents$1,729 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 3 of its 8 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Work & commuteJobs & income grade B⁺

About two in three of Austin’s working residents work in town

803,922 jobs are based in Austin, 1.8 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. Jobs based here grew from 564,985 in 2013 to 803,922.

31% of Austin workers work from home. Since 2013, Austin has added 238,937 jobs, to 803,922 in 2023. The top destinations are Houston (3%), Round Rock (3%) and San Antonio (3%).

65%work in town

	Austin	Texas towns	U.S. towns
Work from home	31%	9.6%	11%
Median household income	$94,000	$69,000	$80,000
Average trip to work	24 minutes	25 minutes	25 minutes
Below the poverty line	12%	12%	9.6%

Where working residents work

In Austin65%

Houston3%

Round Rock3%

San Antonio3%

Dallas2%

8 mi

median commute distance

803,922

jobs based in Austin

A job hub

jobs vs. working residents

Walkability grade: more walkable than 93% of U.S. towns

Full pageAustin’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here803,922 jobs based here · A job hub Where people work65% work in Austin Commute times24 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 8 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

SafetyD

For safety, Austin earns a D

Each of the 3 graded towns on its borders reports less crime per resident, from West Lake Hills (C−) to Cedar Park (B−). Reported crimes fell from 37,241 to 34,862 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.

Austin reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 90% report less.

10%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade

	Austin	Texas towns	U.S. towns
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	30.7 per 1,000 residents	10.7	9.9
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	4.2 per 1,000 residents	1.9	1.6

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Austin4.2

Texas3.5

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Austin30.7

Texas18.1

U.S.15.5

10th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

6th

percentile among TX towns

4,185

violent crimes reported in 2025

30,677

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageAustin’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type4.2 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Vs. the neighborsBehind its 4 graded neighbors Questions“Is Austin, TX safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

HealthA

A smaller share of adults in Austin have high blood pressure than in the typical Texas or U.S. town

Its widest gap with Texas is stroke: 2% of its 775,434 adults have had a stroke, against 3.2% statewide.

Only 6 of the 641 Texas towns we compare have a lower share of adults who have high blood pressure than Austin. Austin beats the Texas average on 23 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 2.

87%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade

	Austin	Texas towns	U.S. towns
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	24%	35%	35%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	10%	15%	14%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)	8.1%	13%	12%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)	20%	17%	16%

31 measures vs. Texas

23 better6 too close to call2 worse

What stands out	Austin	TX
Fewer adults who have had a stroke	2%	3.2%
Fewer adults with diabetes	8.1%	12.7%
More binge drinkers	20%	17%

Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin

0.7 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

88th

percentile among TX towns

Full pageAustin’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsFewer adults who get no exercise Hospitals & doctors nearby0.7 miles to an ER · Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin How adults are doingFewer adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than TX on 23 of 31

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Climate

In Austin, expect mild winters and hot summers

The Austin-camp Mabry weather station records that about 123 days a year reach 90°, more than in 98% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 96.2°, hotter than in 98% of U.S. towns; January nights average 38°.

Austin has mild winters and hot summers. Snow is almost unheard of.

97°summer high

	Austin	Texas towns	U.S. towns
July high	96°F	95°F	85°F
January low	38°F	37°F	22°F

Typical low → high °F

Winter40–64°

Spring57–80°

Summer72–95°

Fall57–81°

Dec 3

typical first frost

Feb 20

typical last frost

+1.0°

vs. the 20th-century average

97°

typical summer high

Full pageAustin’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 96°, January lows 38°Rain & snow36″ of rain a year · Snow is almost unheard of Heating & coolingBoth heating and cooling Then and now+1.0° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B

Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Austin

2,221 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 319 properties have flooded more than once.

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 60% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 2,221 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Austin.

40risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingTornadoesHail

2,221

paid flood claims since 1978

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageAustin’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesModerate risk Flood claims2,221 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters13 federal disasters · Paid out in Austin Get ready5.3 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Austin

20pages on Austin

The big questions

SchoolsB⁻Beat 52% of TX districts · 295 schools SafetyD4.2 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than TX on 23 of 31 CDC measures Cost of livingD$492K typical home · down 3.2% in a year Work & commuteB⁺$94K median household income · 803,922 jobs here Natural hazardsBFEMA risk higher than 40% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA533 mi of trails · 18% conserved land PlacesAttractions54 nearby · Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium under 1 mi LibraryB3 library visits per resident CollegesAOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine, in town

The story

HistoryB⁺Settled 1835 · 207 on the National Register Famous people20 born in Austin Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 61 residents Climate97° summer highs

Day to day

News14 recent stories about Austin WeatherHandbookZIP code 73301, 73344, 78701 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

11 within 15 miles of the center of Austin

The University of Texas at AustinUniversity or college · Public · AustinIn town$11,688 in-state tuition AOMA Graduate School of Integrative MedicineUniversity or college · Private for-profit · AustinIn town Saint Edward's UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · AustinIn town$51,384 tuition

About 8 of every 100 Austin residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Texas.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A growing town

Austin has grown 27% since 2010

790,390 counted in 2010 and 961,855 in 2020; an estimated 1,002,632 in 2025.

790,3902010

961,8552020

1,002,6322025 est.

U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025

Landmarks

207 places in Austin on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Texas State CapitolBuilt 1885 · National Historic Landmark

Governor's MansionBuilt 1854 · National Historic Landmark

Driskill HotelBuilt 1886

French Legation

Famous people from Austin

20 notable people were born in Austin.

See all 20 →

Ethan HawkeAmerican actor and writer · born 1970

Dakota JohnsonAmerican actress and model · born 1989

Stone Cold Steve AustinAmerican professional wrestler and actor · born 1964

Carly FiorinaAmerican businesswoman and politician · born 1954

Tom FordAmerican fashion designer and filmmaker · born 1961

Steve KlovesAmerican screenwriter · born 1960

About Austin

Capital city of Texas, United States

Official town website ↗

Austin ( AW-stin) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. With a population of 961,855 at the 2020 census, it is the 12th-most populous city in the U.S., fifth-most populous city in Texas, and second-most populous U.S. state capital (after Phoenix, Arizona), while the Austin metro area with an estimated 2.55 million residents is the 25th-largest metropolitan area in the nation. Austin is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it has been one of the fastest-growing large cities in the United States since 2010. Located in Central Texas within the greater Texas Hill Country, …

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1835
Area: 320 sq mi
Elevation: 489 ft
ZIP code: 73301, 73344, 78701
Area code: 512

Austin’s neighbors

10 towns share a border with Austin.

Explore the map →

All 5 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its C; Barton Creek (B) is closest.

How the neighbors grade

Town	TX rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Austin	#294	C	D	D	B⁻	A
Cedar Park	#57	A⁻	D	B⁻	A⁻	A
West Lake Hills	#79	B⁺	D⁻	C⁻	A⁺	A⁺
Barton Creek	#114	B	D⁻	—	B⁻	A⁺
Rollingwood	—	—	D⁻	C⁺	A⁺	A⁺
Wells Branch	#111	B	D	—	B⁺	A⁻
Brushy Creek	#26	A⁻	D	—	A⁻	A
Lost Creek	—	—	—	—	—	—

Rollingwood has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Barton Creek, Wells Branch and Brushy Creek report no FBI crime data of their own. Lost Creek isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Austin with a neighbor →

Questions about Austin

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Austin, TX a good place to live?

Austin grades C overall, better than 32% of U.S. towns and #294 of 640 in Texas. It grades A for health, D for safety and B− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Austin, TX expensive?

Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.

What is Austin, TX known for?

20 notable people were born here, including Ethan Hawke and Dakota Johnson.

Post to Austin

Check your email

AustinTX

What is it like to live in Austin?

What makes Austin stand out

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

191 years in pictures

How Austin grades

Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium and 44 more within 40 miles

Moving to Austin: who provides what

The data

Austin has set aside 18.3% of its land for conservation

On state tests, Austin’s schools beat 52% of Texas districts

For cost of living, Austin earns a D

Typical home value

About two in three of Austin’s working residents work in town

Where working residents work

For safety, Austin earns a D

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

A smaller share of adults in Austin have high blood pressure than in the typical Texas or U.S. town

In Austin, expect mild winters and hot summers

Typical low → high °F

Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Austin

Everything we know about Austin

Colleges nearby

Austin has grown 27% since 2010

Landmarks

Famous people from Austin

About Austin

Austin’s neighbors

Questions about Austin