City profile · Texas · Census ACS 2023

Austin, TX

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Austin - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

967,862
Residents
$91,461
Median income
$512,700
Median home
$1,852
Median rent (state)

Austin - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Austin lands in the 72nd percentile for household income and the 9th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

72nd
percentile, household income
85th
percentile, home value
78th
percentile, median rent
9th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Austin, TX

967,862 people live in Austin, Texas - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Austin brings in $91,461 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.1%. Austin's housing stock carries a median value of $512,700, and the median resident age is 34.5 years. 58.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 71.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 9,444 residential building permits were authorized in Austin (Construction Slowdown), down 36% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Austin's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 3708.8 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Austin's yearly average temperature at 67.4°F with 33.0 inches of precipitation per year.

Texas tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Texas scores 97.1 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,852 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $223 across Texas, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 17.4 minutes, with 58.8% driving alone and 27.5% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 97.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

967,862 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Texas

Median Household Income

$91,461 /yr

Poverty 8.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Texas average

How does Austin compare to other US cities?

Where Austin sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 72% higher than other cities
Home value 85% pricier than other cities
Median rent 78% pricier than other cities
Safety 9% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Texas and the picture shifts: Austin ranks #592 of 624 Texas cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Austin against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Texas only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Texas-relative analysis

Median Home Value is Austin's strongest outlier among Texas cities

Among the 1,505 Texas cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Austin ranks #75 - the 95th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Austin only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#319 of 1,520
79th percentile in Texas
Median Gross Rent
#139 of 1,663
87th percentile in Texas
Median Home Value
#75 of 1,505
95th percentile in Texas
Poverty Rate
#876 of 1,663
47th percentile in Texas
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#83 of 1,663
95th percentile in Texas

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Texas only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

72ndIncome percentile
9thSafety percentile

72nd percentile nationally for median household income · 9th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Austin's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Austin's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 33 Avg. percentile National median
Austin's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Austin's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$512,700 15th percentile more affordable than 15% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Austin $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Austin, TX Austin, TX's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Austin, TX-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Austin, TX median $91,461/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Austin, TX's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Austin, TX. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 58.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 71.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
967,862
Median Income
$91,461
Median Home Value
$512,700
Median Age
34.5
Poverty Rate
8.1%
Labor force participation
71.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
58.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3708.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
466.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3241.9
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
67.4°F
Annual Precipitation
33.0"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
262
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
940,000 residents960,000 residents980,000 residents1,000,000 residents1,020,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 962,163 residents 1,002,632 residents ▲ +4.2%
Austin's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
9,444
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1,946
detached homes
Multifamily
7,498
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
9.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 14,709
2020 17,690
2021 18,722
2022 18,446
2023 13,684
2024 9,444

Permit volume decreased 36% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
17.4 minutes
Drive Alone
58.8%
Carpool
6.9%
Public Transit
2.1%
Walk
2.4%
Work from Home
27.5%
Other
2.3%

Based on 568,845 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Texas - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$45
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$223
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Texas state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Texas state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Austin sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,852/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Texas

Fort Worth
941,311 people
El Paso
678,147 people
Dallas
1,299,553 people
San Antonio
1,458,954 people
Arlington
394,769 people
Corpus Christi
317,383 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Austin's 967,862 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Jacksonville, FL
961,739 people
San Jose, CA
990,054 people
Columbus, OH
906,480 people
Charlotte, NC
886,283 people
Indianapolis city (balance), IN
882,043 people
San Francisco, CA
836,321 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Austin's $91,461 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Alba, MI
$91,458 median income
Zumbro Falls, MN
$91,458 median income
Marion, UT
$91,458 median income
Rossville, MD
$91,469 median income
Jones Valley, CA
$91,471 median income
Kula, HI
$91,476 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Austin, TX Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Austin, TX - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 59.9% 7.5% 8.6% 7.7% 15.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 32.2% White 59.9% Black or African American 7.5% Asian 8.6% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 7.7% Two or more races 15.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Austin compares to nearby Texas cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Austin (this city) 967,862 $91,461
Fort Worth 941,311 $76,602
El Paso 678,147 $58,734
Dallas 1,299,553 $67,760
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TX FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Austin, TX?

What is the population of Austin, TX? +

Austin, TX has a population of 967,862 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Austin, TX? +

In Austin, the typical household earns $91,461 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Austin? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Austin; the closest available measure is the Texas state average, a cost of living index of 97.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Texas vary by metro area.

Is Austin, TX safe? +

Austin has a total crime rate of 3708.8 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Austin, TX? +

A typical home in Austin is worth $512,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Austin? +

Austin has an average annual temperature of 67.4°F, 33.0 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.