The 5 Things to Know Before Moving to Austin
More than 150 people move to Austin, Texas every day. It is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States for its vibrant culture, job market, and energy. Here are the 5 things you should know before moving to Austin.
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1. Expect to pay high prices for living expenses
The median home price in Austin is $369,000, as opposed to the $195,000 median price in the rest of Texas. At the same time, the median annual income in Austin is $76,925, which is a bit larger than the $60,629 that the rest of Texas sees. Austin ranks higher than the national average for almost every living expense, aside from health care and groceries.
2. Austin has a reputation for traffic
The infamous Austin traffic can really be as bad as you may have heard. Austin ranks among the worst cities for traffic in the western hemisphere, and comes right behind cities like New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
According to Austin Texas Insider, ‘an Austin commuter with a 30-minute trip to work will endure 83 hours of traffic delays each year. During rush hour, traffic delays add about 34 minutes to a one-hour trip.’
When moving to Austin, you should plan every trip you make with traffic in mind, and also try to choose an area to move to that sets you up to avoid the worst of Austin traffic.
3. The University of Texas plays a big role in Austin culture
The University of Texas at Austin’s campus is near the center of the city, and plays a large role in Austin’s culture. Since Austin has no professional sports teams, the UT Longhorns college sports have massive amounts of support in the city, and some sources label Austin as the number one college town in the country. Other colleges in Austin and nearby include St. Edwards University, Huston-Tillotson University, Austin Community College, Concordia University, and more.
UT Austin has a total undergraduate enrollment of 40,163, and is ranked #42 in national universities by US News.
4. Austin is the Live Music Capital of the World
Austin natives have no shortage of live music performances and nightlife to choose from. Austin is home to the longest-running music series in TV history, Austin City Limits at Moody Theater. The Austin City Limits music festival is wildly popular, bringing hundreds of thousands of people to Zilker Park each year for the two-weekend festival.
Though live music can be found almost anywhere in Austin, South Congress, or SoCo, is a hub for the best music, restaurants, and shopping. The street is filled with vibrant art and local Austinites looking to enjoy the best music and food that Austin has to offer.
5. Austin is a great city for Homebuyers
According to a study done by WalletHub, Austin ranks as the top large city in the U.S. for homebuyers. This study evaluated over 300 different cities across dozens of different metrics to quantify the best cities for homebuyers, and Austin topped the list. Austin has a wide variety of different neighborhoods to choose from, including in the surrounding areas. (Using Make a Nest can help you get a new home in Austin at a 2% rebate! Sign up for a free account here)
