Austin, TX
Austin, TX scores 66/100 (Good) on Your Area Score. It is a large city with a relatively expensive cost profile, a mixed safety profile, and a manageable climate. Whether it is a good place to live will depend heavily on your budget, neighborhood choice, and priorities.
Based on affordability, safety, climate, infrastructure, schools, grocery access, and risk.
At a Glance
Why Austin, TX scored 68/100
Top strengths
- Grocery Access is one of the strongest categories for this city.
- Infrastructure also helps lift the overall score.
- Austin, TX may appeal most to people who want convenience.
Main trade-offs
- Cost of Living is one of the weaker categories here.
- Safety may be a deciding factor depending on your priorities.
- Neighborhood choice still matters because citywide averages never tell the full story.
How Austin, TX compares inside Texas
Austin, TX sits inside a larger comparison set across Texas. Use the state-level ranking pages to see how this city stacks up for overall livability, affordability, safety, and lifestyle-specific moves.
Category Scores
This city is on the more expensive side for many households, median gross rent is about $1,729, median home value is about $555,300, and the city is large enough to support a broad mix of jobs, services, and retail. See cheaper cities in Texas.
The main risks here include heat, hail, storms, and localized flood risk. Conditions can vary significantly by neighborhood and property type. Compare safer cities in Texas.
The climate in Austin, TX is generally hot with mild winters. This can be a positive or negative depending on your tolerance for heat, humidity, cold, rain, or seasonal swings.
Larger cities usually score better here because they support more services, access, and everyday convenience.
School quality is mixed to solid overall. Some districts and attendance zones perform better than others, so neighborhood-level research is important.
Grocery access is a major strength, with a broad mix of chains, specialty stores, and convenient everyday options across much of the city.
Living in Austin, TX
This section turns the score into day-to-day reality: housing, comfort, family fit, convenience, and the main trade-offs you would notice after moving.
Cost, housing, and daily setup
This city is on the more expensive side for many households, median gross rent is about $1,729, median home value is about $555,300, and the city is large enough to support a broad mix of jobs, services, and retail.
- Median rent: $1,549
- Median home value: $461,500
- Best fit: people who want convenience
Bottom line
Austin, TX is currently rated Good with a MoveScore of 68/100. Its strongest areas are Grocery Access and Infrastructure, while the biggest trade-offs are Cost of Living and Safety.
Climate and comfort
The climate in Austin, TX is generally hot with mild winters. This can be a positive or negative depending on your tolerance for heat, humidity, cold, rain, or seasonal swings.
Risk and drawbacks
The main risks here include heat, hail, storms, and localized flood risk. Conditions can vary significantly by neighborhood and property type.
Schools and family fit
School quality is mixed to solid overall. Some districts and attendance zones perform better than others, so neighborhood-level research is important.
Errands and convenience
Grocery access is a major strength, with a broad mix of chains, specialty stores, and convenient everyday options across much of the city.
Entertainment & Things To Do
Austin, TX has at least some nearby venue access, which can add entertainment value even if it is not one of the region’s main event hubs.
Best Fit For
- People who want strong convenience, errands, and day-to-day access.
- Families who want a workable mix of schools, services, and convenience.
- Sports fans and people who enjoy concerts, events, and a more active city feel.
- People who can handle warmer weather in exchange for broader city amenities.
Less Ideal For
- People expecting a uniformly quiet feel across the entire city.
- People seeking quiet, low-density living away from major city activity.
Neighborhood Reality
Austin, TX is not uniform. Some areas perform significantly better than others across safety, schools, and overall livability. Where you choose to live within the city will have a major impact on your experience.
What stands out
- Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium — about 1.7 miles away
- Moody Center — about 1.8 miles away
Relocation takeaway
People who care about weekend options usually want to know whether a city feels quiet, convenient, or event-driven. Austin, TX currently leans toward moderate entertainment access with some major venue support.
Crime & Safety Reality
This is a practical interpretation of the city-level safety score. It should be treated as a broad relocation signal, not a substitute for neighborhood-level research.
What the current score suggests
Austin, TX has a mixed safety profile. Some areas will feel more stable and residential, while others may require more careful neighborhood selection. The main risks here include heat, hail, storms, and localized flood risk. Conditions can vary significantly by neighborhood and property type.
What movers should do next
- Compare neighborhoods, not just city averages.
- Check commute routes after dark, not only daytime convenience.
- Look for trade-offs between affordability, access, and perceived safety.
Traffic & Commute Reality
Traffic quality is not just about how many roads exist. It is about whether the city gives you enough route options to handle daily commuting, errands, and regional travel.
How travel may feel here
Austin, TX has strong regional access and is built around moving people efficiently across a larger metro area. A few strong road connections help with local and regional travel, but commute quality will still depend heavily on where you live and where you work.
Why this matters
Cities with stronger access routes usually feel easier for airport runs, cross-town errands, and commuting to job centers. That does not eliminate congestion, but it does improve flexibility when one corridor slows down.
Primary Access & Connectivity
These are some of the main road connections near Austin, TX. They help show how easy it is to move around locally, reach job centers, and make longer regional trips.
MoPac Expressway
Useful for local connectivity, everyday errands, and shorter regional trips.
Loop 1
Useful for local connectivity, everyday errands, and shorter regional trips.
State Highway 71
Useful for local connectivity, everyday errands, and shorter regional trips.
Nearby Stadiums & Event Venues
Nearby venues can make a city more appealing for sports fans, concerts, and large events, but they can also increase traffic and activity on event days.
Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium
Nearby venue that can improve access to sports, concerts, and major events.
Moody Center
Nearby venue that can improve access to sports, concerts, and major events.
Keep exploring Texas
This city profile is only one node in the larger Texas cluster. Move up into ranking pages when you want broader comparisons, or into the full state hub when you want more city options and stronger crawl paths through the site.