9 Things To Know BEFORE Moving to Austin TX {2022 Guide}

Cost of Living
Compared to Houston, San Antonio, and most of Texas, Austin is on the expensive side. However, the city offers low prices in comparison to New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and beyond. The average rent in Austin increased to around $1,700 for a one-bedroom apartment, while the average rent on a two-bedroom rose to around $2,100. The average income in Austin is around $80,800, which was reported by the Austin Chamber of Commerce. While the median household income is around $64,000 in the rest of Texas. There’s also no state income tax so your take-home pay will be much higher. This is a huge reason so many are flocking to Austin, and Texas in general. It’s important for homeowners to know that buying is cheaper than renting in Austin. While prices may be on the higher side, living in Austin is still much less expensive compared to living in San Francisco or New York.

Weather
It depends on who you ask, but most people will say the weather in Austin is great. Austin got the nickname, “Violet Crown City”, for its light purple gliding over the rolling hills as the sun sets in the winter. Weather in Austin tends to be more moderate compared to other Texas cities like Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas. The gentle rolling hills around Austin help curb the heat compared to Texas’ notoriously flat landscape. You can expect relatively moderate seasons in Austin, except for the scorching summer heat. Some will say it feels like Summer between the months of April through September, but others will tell you it’s just June through August. The Fall is perfect for being outdoors while dressing in layers in anticipation of a chilly night. September can still feel like summertime with temperatures in the 90s and lows dipping into the 50s by November or late October. Winters are very warm in most of Texas with averages in the mid to high 60s. Lows will only dip into the 40s on average. In the Fall and Spring, Austin locals make sure to always bring a jacket and umbrella with them. The weather is highly unpredictable. The day could start warm and humid before a cold rainy night. Spring is humid with averages from the low-70s to high-80s. Again, always bring layers and a lightweight jacket in case the weather unexpectedly changes. Summer is really hot and humid, you won’t need layers during this season. Expect temperatures to be in the upper-90s and up to 110. Whether you love the summer heat or can only tolerate it if you must, plan on finding a home with air conditioning. Fortunately, most Austin homes offer air conditioning to beat the heat.

Food Scene
Austinites love their food. If you want to learn (and eat!) about Austin’s food culture, there’s a place everywhere you turn. Countless restaurants and food trucks are all around the city. If you’re not moving to Austin just for its barbecue, consider it a huge bonus. The two places to kick off your barbeque adventure should be Franklin and the Salt Lick. Don’t stop there though. There are dozens and dozens of spots that locals will claim to be the best. The next staple in Austin is Tex-Mex and margaritas. You have to try Matt’s Famous El Rancho, Chuy’s, Maudie’s, and Trudy’s. Again, don’t stop there though. Locals all across the town will tell you where to go next, and probably try and sell the fact that it’s the best in town. While Austin may have hundreds of delicious restaurants to dine at, the locals love a good food truck too. Food trucks are a popular element in the Austin food scene. There are more than one thousand food trucks throughout the city that residents will line up for. From tacos to Asian, to Halal, to vegan, you can discover your favorite food truck anywhere in Austin.

Driving
Driving is the norm in Austin, although it has quite a reputation for traffic. Austin is frequently voted one of the worst cities for traffic. It can be compared to New York and Los Angeles. Depending on where exactly your neighborhood is in Austin, you can double or triple your trip time. There’s some traffic relief with public transit options that make it easier to get around. Hop on the Capital Metro for downtown and the greater Austin area. Single rides start at $1.25. Although, as stated before, driving is definitely the norm. You won’t catch many people choosing to use public transportation in Austin. The constant inflow of people moving to Austin is causing damage to the city’s infrastructure. With there only being two main highways for commuting (I-35 and MoPac), peak hours are really really bad. At some points in the day it will take you 20 minutes to go two miles. If possible, find a job before finding a place to live and you’ll be helping yourself out a ton. Although, a lot of Austinites work remotely, so maybe you’ll get lucky too! Many residents will take the commute out of the equation and work remotely at their favorite coffee shop.

Live Music Capital of the World
Austin is known as the Live Music Capital of the World with the longest-running music series in TV history, Austin City Limits at Moody Theater. Besides the Moody Theater, South Congress has the Continental Club. It opened in 1955 for a smaller music experience with only 200 people. Austin’s status as the Live Music Capital of the World will hardly surprise anyone. It’s been the city’s popular slogan since 1991, once it was discovered that Austin has more live music venues per capita than anywhere in the United States. Austin’s 250 live music venues host more than 1,900 bands and artists who live in Austin and for anyone who wants to come in and play from out of town. Austin has helped grow the careers of many major artists including Willie Nelson, Janis Joplin and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Austin also hosts major music festivals as well! SXSW (or “South by Southwest”) is a 10-day event that celebrates music and film. Over 100,000 people will make it for the festival. Another major Austin festival includes the Austin City Limits Festival, which draws over 450,000 people each October. The most famous artists in the world play at this two weekend long event. A newer festival that was founded in 2013, JMBLYA, has grown into one of the nation’s most popular rap music events as well.

College Town
Austin isn’t just a place for millennials and young adults. It’s also a town for those who want to pursue a college degree. The city is home to the notorious campus of the University of Texas at Austin. If you live and work in neighborhoods that aren’t close to the campus, you’ll often forget that Austin is a college town. Consistently ranked among the Top 10 public colleges in North America, the University of Texas enrolls more than 50,000 graduate and undergraduate students each semester. UT-Austin offers about 400 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, with around 12,400 courses and 400 study abroad programs. Many will argue that Austin is the best college town in the country. UT-Austin isn’t the only choice in Austin too. Students also have their choice between St. Edward’s University, Huston-Tillotson University, and more. With a respected education and a gorgeous backdrop, Austin is a great choice to obtain a college degree. Whether you’re a student or just a resident, the Texas Longhorns sports teams get a lot of attention, and are easy to root for. Many believe that as long as you live in Austin, you’ll always be a college kid.

Pet-Friendly
Austin is a great place for all pets! The city is known for being ranked as one of the most pet-friendly cities in the U.S. You can leave the house with your pet, with countless activities to enjoy. Enjoy the beautiful Austin weather with your pet by going to any of the numerous dog-friendly parks, including Town Lake, Red Bud Isle, or West Austin Neighborhood Park. Your options don’t stop there! Austin is known for having plenty of restaurants and stores that don’t mind furry friends. Many are surprised to find out that dogs are welcome in stores across town, including West Elm, Pottery Barn, Urban Outfitters, and Apple. For the restaurants, stop for a bite to eat at one of Austin’s many dog-friendly options, with some of the favorites being Kerbey Lane Cafe, Elizabeth St. Cafe, and Perla’s.

Tech is Booming
Austin has a thriving tech scene and it’s not slowing down; its status as a major tech city continues to rise. The city is home to about 6,750 startups and established companies. Some of the biggest include Atlassian, Dell, HP, Intel, Cisco, IBM, eBay and Oracle. Austin, nicknamed “Silicon Hills” based on its counterpart in California, is emerging as a cheaper alternative to Silicon Valley and the Bay Area. Many businesses are choosing to relocate to Austin from California to save money. The job market in Austin is thriving and has also been a top destination for recent college graduates looking to start their careers. Even Hewlett Packard opened up a brand new campus in Austin in the beginning of 2022 which brought even more jobs to the area. While technology may be the biggest industry in the city, other big industries in Austin include healthcare, education, and government services. If you are moving to Austin in search of a job, you’re in luck because this is the best place to look for one. Welcoming all types of professionals, moving to Austin may be the best decision you can make for your career.

It’s a Green City
Austin is the most environmentally friendly city in Texas. It’s also in the top 20 of the greenest cities in the United States. Austin has been leading the way in encouraging change and encouraging a healthier environment all in all. Many new buildings in and around Austin are built according to LEED green building standards. All of the city’s public buildings are also powered by renewable energy. The City of Austin dedicates about 15 percent of its total land area to parks and other green spaces. The city is also home to several lakes, including Lady Bird Lake, Lake Austin, and Lake Travis. With the goal to lower and minimize its carbon footprint for the future, Austin is building energy-efficient LEED residential homes too. To learn more about sustainability in the city and Austin’s goals for the future, you can visit the official website of the office of sustainability in Austin.

If you’re thinking of moving to Austin or potentially want to learn more about the area contact us so we may help!