TOP 5 REASONS TO LIVE IN AUSTIN
Austin is a place where the best of many worlds collide - trends meet rich culture and big business thrives in a laid-back atmosphere. There are many great reasons to make Austin your home, but don't take our word for it. Judge the following facts for yourself about what makes Austin such a great place to live.
#1 - Quality of life
For its economy, affordability and variety of fun things to do, Austin consistently ranks among cities with the highest quality of life . In fact, Austin has been named the best city for the next decade by Kiplinger's Personal Finance! On top of that, Austin maintains its status as a "fit" city and one of the greenest in the nation.
#2 - Great jobs
You can find comfort in knowing the city holds great employment potential, ranking first in job growth in 2010. Historically, the Austin-area unemployment rate has remained below state and national rates, while Austin wages have grown faster than anywhere else in Texas. From 2002 to 2007, Austin had the largest median family income of all Texas cities, according to the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University. The Austin metropolitan area is expected to grow to more than 2.7 million by 2025.
#3 - Smart people
Austin is home to the University of Texas and seven other public and private universities, as well as 29 public school districts, 17 charter schools and 69 private schools. Among Austinites ages 25 and older, 40 percent have a bachelor's degree or higher. Austin is also a town of innovators and among the top cities for entrepreneurs. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reported that about 2,900 patents were assigned to Austin innovators between 2009 and 2010. In addition, Forbes recognized Austin as the second most innovative city in the United States in May 2010.
#4 - Entertainment
Coined "The Live Music Capital of the World," Austin is home to two of America's largest music festivals, Austin City Limits Music Festival and South by Southwest, which also includes popular film and interactive portions of the festival. In 2010 Austin was named a favorite music destination by readers of Budget Travel and one of the best cities for film by MovieMaker. Those seeking fun outside the music and film scene can take advantage of Lady Bird Lake and its hike-and-bike trails, Lake Travis and the beautiful hill country surrounding the city, offering terrain and activities for outdoor enthusiasts of every type.
#5 - Something for everyone
Regardless of what you're looking for in a city and its people, the Austin area has something to offer everyone. While Austin remains a great city for young adults and singles, its suburbs have been noted among the best places to raise a family. Travel + Leisure Magazine took notice of Austin in its study on "America's Favorite Cities" in 2008. The city came in second place for friendliness and athleticism and third place for intelligence and attractiveness. It comes as no surprise that Austin is one of the top cities to which people choose to relocate.
MORE ABOUT AUSTIN
Austin is the Capital of Texas, the seat of Travis County and with more than 200 live music venues it’s no wonder Austin also holds the title of the Live Music Capital of the World!
Outdoor recreation is just a short drive away in Austin with Lady Bird Lake, Zilker Park, McKinney Falls State Park and a wide selection of hike and bike trails throughout the city.
Shop your heart out at the Round Rock Premium Outlets or drive south on I-35 and hit the San Marcos Tanger Outlets or San Marcos Prime Outlets! Discover something one-of-a-kind off SoCo (South Congress) or in the 2nd Street District.
Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels is a great summertime destination and soon a new Cedar Park location will be even more convenient for Austin area residents!
University of Texas Austin, home of the Longhorns, offers a broad curriculum to a diverse group of more than 50,000 students and 2,900 faculty members.
LET'S PLAY
Austin boasts an average of 300+ days of sunshine per year! What are you going to do? Click the links below and I'll help you get started....
100 Things To Do in Austin
Top Ten Swimming Holes
Lake Travis Marinas & Parks
OTHER STATS & FACTS
AUSTIN IS 15TH largest city in America
POPULATION 1.5 million in the metropolitan area; 735,000 within city limits.
AREA Austin envelops a 2,705-square-mile metro area; 232 square miles in city limits.
ELEVATION Austin sits 425-1,000 feet above sea level. The highest point is Mt. Barker at 840 feet.
WEATHER 300+ days of sunshine over the city annually, with an average year-round temperature of 68.5°F. Austin receives an average of 32” annual rainfall.
HISTORY Founded in 1839 by Jacob Harrell along the Lower Colorado River, the city is named for Texas colonist Stephen F. Austin.
TAXES 8.25% sales tax; 15% hotel-motel tax; no state income tax
LIVING IN AUSTIN The median family annual income is $66,900; average price of a family home is $223,000
SMOKE-FREE Austin bans smoking in all public places, including the airport, municipal and other government offices, as well as private office buildings. Smoking is prohibited in most restaurants, bars and music venues.
AIRPORT A $15 taxi and $10 SuperShuttle ride take you the quick 7.5 miles from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to downtown.
HOTEL ROOMS Austin boasts 25,000 hotel rooms with more than 5,500 rooms in the downtown area.
STATE CAPITAL The seat of government for the Lone Star State, Austin is home to the State Capitol, built from 1882-88 out of “Sunset Red” granite and measuring 302 feet high—14 feet higher than the nation’s capitol in Washington, D.C.
LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD® On any given night, live music plays at any of the nearly 200 venues throughout the city. Austin is also home to such famed personalities as The Dixie Chicks, Willie Nelson, Asleep at the Wheel, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Spoon, Ghostland Observatory, Okkervil River and more.
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS Located just north of downtown, UT is one of America’s largest public universities with nearly 50,000 students. Hook ‘em Horns!
SILICON HILLS One of the country’s top technology cities, Austin is headquarters for Dell Computer Corporation and major operations for IBM, Samsung, Freescale and Advanced Micro Devices.
FILM CAPITAL Austin is the top location for moviemaking in Texas. Grindhouse, The Alamo, Spy Kids, Sin City, The Rookie, Miss Congeniality, Hope Floats and Texas Chainsaw Massacre were filmed in Austin.
A LITTLE BATTY Austin is home to North America’s largest urban bat population, with up to 1.5 million Mexican freetailed bats roosting under the Congress Avenue Bridge from April through November.
ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS Sixth Street, South Congress Avenue, the Warehouse, Second Street and Red River entertainment districts are among the “hot spots” for listening to live music, dining and taking in the nightlife scene.
EAST AUSTIN The hip, up-and-coming area is home to restaurant row on Manor Road, featuring Mexican cuisine at Vivo, homemade pies at Red House Pizzeria and organic greens at Eastside Café, as well as the ultra hip Progress Coffee and
The Good Knight.
OUTDOORS Recreational opportunities abound with 220 parks, including 360-acre Zilker Park and a 10.1 mile hike and bike trail around Lady Bird Lake. Barton Springs Pool welcomes swimmers to 68-degree, spring-fed waters year-round.
LAKES Total water surface area of the Highland Lakes comprised of Lake Travis, Lake Austin and Town Lake is 20,693 acres; combined shoreline for the three is 405 miles.
CULINARY TRAILS At the heart of the Texas Hill Country, Austin is at the hub of more than 20 wineries on the Texas Wine Trail and part of a network of cities making up the Texas BBQ Trail. Austin is also world headquarters of Whole
Foods Market.