Market Overview for Austin
There are 3,940 active listings in Austin with a median list price of $580K and a median sold price of $605K.
Homes average 59 days on market.
Over the past 30 days, 837 homes have sold, with 8770 sales in the past 12 months.
The average price per square foot is $380.
About Austin
Austin is the capital of Texas and the county seat of Travis County, located in Central Texas along the Colorado River. The city covers approximately 326 square miles and has a population exceeding 1 million residents, making it the 11th-largest city in the United States. Austin sits at the eastern edge of the Texas Hill Country, with elevations ranging from 400 to 1,000 feet. The city is bisected by I-35, with MoPac Expressway (Loop 1) running north-south on the west side and US-183 serving the east.
Home prices in Austin range from $250K for condos and older east-side bungalows to $2M+ for properties in Westlake, Tarrytown, and Barton Creek. The median home price is approximately $525K. The central core neighborhoods like Travis Heights, Bouldin Creek, and Zilker typically list between $600K and $1.2M. North Austin subdivisions in the 78727 and 78729 zip codes offer homes from $350K to $550K. New construction is concentrated in areas like Mueller, Whisper Valley, and Easton Park with prices from $350K to $700K.
Austin ISD serves roughly 75,000 students across 129 campuses. Notable high schools include Austin High (founded 1881), Anderson High, and LASA (Liberal Arts and Science Academy), a magnet school consistently ranked among the top 50 nationally. Eanes ISD covers the Westlake area with approximately 8,200 students and produces consistently high test scores. Round Rock ISD and Pflugerville ISD serve portions of northern Austin. The University of Texas at Austin enrolls over 51,000 students.
Austin's economy centers on technology, with major employers including Tesla's Gigafactory (employing 10,000+ workers), Apple's $1B campus in northwest Austin, Samsung's chip fabrication plant in northeast Austin, and Dell Technologies in Round Rock. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) provides direct flights to over 70 destinations. The city's transit system includes Capital Metro bus routes and the MetroRail Red Line running 32 miles from downtown to Leander.
Living in Austin
Austin has a population exceeding one million, making it the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 10th-largest in the United States. The city is notably diverse in age, ethnicity, and income. The median age is in the low 30s, younger than most major U.S. metros, driven in part by the University of Texas student population of over 50,000 and a steady influx of workers in technology and professional services. Median household income is around $80,000 as of recent Census estimates. Rising housing costs over the past decade have pushed some lower-income residents outward toward the suburbs.
Daily life in Austin varies by neighborhood, but some patterns hold across the city. Traffic congestion is a persistent issue, particularly on I-35, MoPac (Loop 1), and US-183 during rush hours. Grocery options include H-E-B, Whole Foods Market (headquartered here), Trader Joe's, Sprouts, and Central Market. The city supports over 300 parks, 30 miles of urban trails along the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail, and public swimming at Barton Springs Pool and Deep Eddy Pool. Live music is embedded in the culture, with venues ranging from small clubs on Red River Street to large amphitheaters. Children attend one of more than a dozen ISDs depending on location, including Austin ISD, Eanes ISD, Round Rock ISD, Leander ISD, and Pflugerville ISD. The cost of living has risen sharply since 2019 but remains below San Francisco, New York, and Seattle.
Things to Do in Austin
- Barton Springs Pool: 68-degree natural spring-fed swimming pool in Zilker Park, fed by Main Barton Spring at a rate of 27 million gallons per day. The pool is 1,000 feet long and open year-round with a $5 admission for adults.
- Lady Bird Lake Hike-and-Bike Trail: 10.1-mile paved loop trail encircling Lady Bird Lake (a dammed section of the Colorado River), used by approximately 2.6 million visitors annually for running, cycling, and kayaking.
- South Congress Avenue: Mile-long commercial strip south of the Congress Avenue Bridge featuring local shops, restaurants, food trucks, and live music venues. The Congress Avenue Bridge is also home to 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats from March through October.
- The Blanton Museum of Art: University of Texas art museum housing over 21,000 works, including one of the largest collections of Latin American art in the U.S. General admission is $12 for adults; free on Thursdays.
- Mount Bonnell: 775-foot summit in west Austin accessible via 102 limestone steps, offering panoramic views of Lake Austin and the Hill Country. The site is a City of Austin park open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Mueller Lake Park: 30-acre park in the Mueller redevelopment on the former Robert Mueller Municipal Airport site, featuring a 6-acre lake, splash pad, trails, and a farmers market on Sundays.
Major Employers in Austin
- Tesla (Automotive/Manufacturing): Tesla's Gigafactory Texas in southeast Austin employs over 10,000 workers on a 2,500-acre site producing the Model Y and Cybertruck.
- Apple (Technology): Apple's Austin campus in northwest Austin employs approximately 7,000 people, making it the company's largest office outside Cupertino.
- Samsung Austin Semiconductor (Semiconductor Manufacturing): Samsung operates a chip fabrication plant in northeast Austin employing about 3,000 workers, with a $17B expansion announced for Taylor, TX.
- University of Texas at Austin (Higher Education): UT Austin employs over 24,000 faculty and staff across its 431-acre main campus, making it one of the region's largest employers.
- Ascension Seton (Healthcare): Ascension Seton operates 11 hospitals and over 100 clinical sites in Central Texas, employing approximately 10,000 healthcare workers.
Austin Schools
Austin is served by Austin ISD. Based on MLS listing data, homes attend O Henry Middle School, Lamar Middle School (Austin ISD), Murchison Middle School, Covington Middle School, Westview Middle School, Austin High School, McCallum High School, Anderson High School, Akins High School, Crockett High School.
School District: Austin ISD
Public Schools
Austin Independent School District
- Williams Elementary
- Travis Heights Elementary
- Joslin Elementary
- Harris Elementary
- Barrington Elementary
- Webb Middle
- Burnet Middle
- Lively Middle
- Kealing Middle
- Mendez Middle
- Travis Early College High School
- Anderson High School
- Navarro Early College High School
- Northeast Early College High School
- Eastside Memorial echs
Del Valle Independent School District
- Baty Elementary
- Smith Elementary
- Hillcrest Elementary
- Del Valle Elementary
- John P. Ojeda Middle
- Del Valle Middle
- Dailey Middle
- Del Valle High School
Round Rock Independent School District
- Canyon Creek Elementary
- Kathy Caraway Elementary
- Anderson Mill Elementary
- Spicewood Elementary
- Jollyville Elementary
- Noel Grisham Middle
- Canyon Vista Middle
- Pearson Ranch Middle
- Deerpark Middle
- Cedar Valley Middle
- Westwood High School
- McNeil High School
Leander Independent School District
- River Place Elementary
- Rutledge Elementary
- River Ridge Elementary
- Steiner Ranch Elementary
- Four Points Middle
- Canyon Ridge Middle
- Vandegrift High School
Manor Independent School District
- Decker Elementary
- Blake Manor Elementary
- Bluebonnet Trail Elementary
- Oak Meadows Elementary
- Pioneer Crossing Elementary
- Decker Middle
- Manor New Technology High
- Manor High School
Eanes Independent School District
- Cedar Creek Elementary
- Forest Trail Elementary
- Bridge Point Elementary
- Hill Country Middle
- West Ridge Middle
- Westlake High School
Pflugerville Independent School District
- River Oaks Elementary
- Copperfield Elementary
- Parmer Lane Elementary
- Northwest Elementary
- Ruth Barron Elementary
- Westview Middle
- Dessau Middle
- John B Connally High School
Pre-Schools
- Stepping Stone Schools - Locally owned chain with 20+ Austin-area locations providing infant through pre-K care with a STEAM-based curriculum.
- Austin Eco Bilingual School - Nature-based preschool in East Austin offering Spanish-English immersion for ages 2 through 5 with an outdoor classroom model.
- Bright Horizons at Domain - Corporate-backed child care center near the Domain serving infants through pre-K, often used by employees of nearby Apple and Amazon offices.
Private Schools
- St. Stephen's Episcopal School - Boarding and day school on a 370-acre Hill Country campus west of Austin, enrolling about 690 students with a 7:1 student-teacher ratio.
- St. Andrew's Episcopal School - Independent school in west Austin enrolling approximately 900 students across two campuses, with average class sizes of 15 students.
- Regents School of Austin - Classical Christian school in southwest Austin serving about 800 students with a liberal arts curriculum and Latin instruction beginning in 3rd grade.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average home price in Austin TX?
The median home price in Austin is approximately $525K as of recent data. Prices range from around $250K for condos and east-side starter homes to over $2M in Westlake, Tarrytown, and Barton Creek neighborhoods.
What are the best school districts in Austin?
Eanes ISD (Westlake area) consistently posts the highest test scores in the region. Austin ISD offers magnet programs like LASA, ranked among the top 50 high schools nationally. Round Rock ISD and Lake Travis ISD also serve portions of the metro area.
Is Austin a good place to live?
Austin offers a job market anchored by Tesla, Apple, Samsung, and Dell, with an unemployment rate typically below the national average. The city has 300+ parks, no state income tax, and a median household income around $85K. The trade-off is rising housing costs and traffic on I-35.
How far is Austin from other Texas cities?
Austin is approximately 80 miles north of San Antonio (about 1 hour 15 minutes via I-35), 165 miles south of Dallas (about 2 hours 45 minutes), and 165 miles west of Houston (about 2 hours 30 minutes via SH-71 and I-10).
What is the weather like in Austin TX?
Austin averages 228 sunny days per year. Summers are hot, with July highs averaging 97 degrees F. Winters are mild, with January lows averaging 39 degrees F. Annual rainfall is approximately 34 inches, mostly concentrated in May-June and September-October.
Does Austin have public transportation?
Capital Metro operates bus routes throughout Austin and a 32-mile MetroRail Red Line from downtown Leander. Project Connect, a $7.1B transit expansion approved by voters in 2020, will add two light rail lines and a downtown tunnel by the early 2030s.