The Town FilesAustin, Texas
City in Travis County · population 961,855 (2020 Census) · spans 4 counties
- Median home
- $555,300
- Household income
- $93,658
- Jan low / Jul high
- 42° / 97°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 34
- Median age
- 34.7
Austin is a city of 961,855 people in Travis County, Texas. The median home is worth $555,300, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for young professionals than 99% of Texas towns, better transit than 99% of Texas towns, hipper than 98% of Texas towns.
How Austin ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Austin is worth $555,300, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 5.9 times the median household income of $93,658, which is more affordable than 3% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,729 a month. 43.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Austin | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $555,300 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,729 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $93,658 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.9× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 43.4% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Austin
| People | Austin | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.7 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.4% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.6% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.0% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 3.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 18.7% | — |
| Work from home | 30.7% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.8% | 89.2% |
Weather in Austin
July highs average 96.6°F and January lows 41.8°F. About 36.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 123 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 12 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Austin since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 10, 1959 about 2.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 23, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 247 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on May 14, 2008.
Severe weather in Travis County since 1996
Travis County has been included in 37 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 6, 2025 | Flood | DR-4879: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| April 21, 2023 | Winter Storm | DR-4705: Severe Winter Storm |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
Jobs and pay in Travis County
Travis County had 903,333 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $96,267 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Austin itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Public schools in Austin
258 public schools with 155,906 students, about 14.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAKE TRAVIS H S | 9-12 | 3,677 | 17.8 |
| BOWIE H S | 9-12 | 2,899 | 18.8 |
| WESTLAKE H S | 9-12 | 2,811 | 14.3 |
| WESTWOOD H S | 9-12 | 2,792 | 17.0 |
| AKINS H S | 9-12 | 2,542 | 16.0 |
| MCNEIL H S | 9-12 | 2,533 | 16.6 |
| VANDEGRIFT H S | 9-12 | 2,522 | 15.1 |
| AUSTIN H S | 9-12 | 2,296 | 18.2 |
| ANDERSON H S | 9-12 | 2,167 | 17.6 |
| MCCALLUM H S | 9-12 | 1,861 | 18.2 |
| JOHN B CONNALLY H S | 9-12 | 1,817 | 14.5 |
| NAVARRO EARLY COLLEGE H S | 9-12 | 1,714 | 15.7 |
Towns near Austin
- West Lake Hills, TX3.6 mi · 3,444 people · home $1,664,500
- Barton Creek, TX7.0 mi · 3,356 people · home $2,000,001
- Steiner Ranch, TX9.6 mi · 16,713 people · home $826,500
- Hornsby Bend, TX10.6 mi · 12,168 people · home $314,900
- Wells Branch, TX10.9 mi · 14,000 people · home $401,100
- Shady Hollow, TX11.3 mi · 4,822 people · home $755,900
- Manor, TX12.3 mi · 13,652 people · home $347,900
- Bee Cave, TX12.5 mi · 9,144 people · home $776,400
Austin questions
Is Austin, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Austin scores better for retirees than 27% of Texas towns and quieter than 11%. 10.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.7).
How much does a house cost in Austin?
The median owner-occupied home in Austin is valued at $555,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $93,658, so homes cost about 5.9 times income. Median rent is $1,729 a month.
What is the weather like in Austin?
July highs average 96.6°F and January lows 41.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Austin get tornadoes?
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Austin since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 10, 1959. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)