Austin, TX
Census place 4805000 · pop 979,539
The 'Live Music Capital of the World' and host of the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
43.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.49 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$555,300 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
15.1% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.44% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
12.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+3.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
24 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
16.9% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,595/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
79/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
93.8% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$93,658 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.2% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
30.1% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
20.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
9.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
59.6% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Not measured for Austin: Crime, Air, Bad air, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Austin, TX a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Austin scores 54/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 18 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is bachelor's degree or higher and its weakest is homeownership. Texas overall ranks #38 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Austin, TX expensive to live in?
- Austin has a median home value of $555,300 and typical rent around $1,595/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Austin, TX?
- Its weakest measured area is homeownership (43.4%) — 7/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Austin, TX best at?
- Its strongest measured area is bachelor's degree or higher (59.6%) — 90/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: The 'Live Music Capital of the World' and host of the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.