The Austin metro area: Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson counties · Population 2,426,592 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in the Austin area
Household size in the Austin area
| Period | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.69 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.79 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.83 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.55 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.14 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in the Austin area run a little small, averaging 2.55 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has dropped from 2.69 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the center.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in the Austin area
| Period | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.0 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.2 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.3 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.2 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.3 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of the Austin area is 37.2 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 34.0, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the south, the oldest in the west.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in the Austin area
| Period | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.2% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.8% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.7% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in the Austin area than nationally: 9.7%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. The Austin area has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five large metro areas.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in the Austin area
Renters in the Austin area
| Period | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 42.1% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.8% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 41.7% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is more common in the Austin area than nationally: 41.7% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 33.8% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has edged up 1.0 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Few large metro areas have a higher share of renters: only seven of 100.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in the Austin area
| Period | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.3% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in the Austin area: 5.9% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 2.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 100 large U.S. metro areas, only eight have a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in the Austin area
| Period | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1990 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1992 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1995 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2000 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +8 | +6 |
Much of the housing in the Austin area is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 2000, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1990 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center has the oldest housing. The Austin area has the newest homes of any large metro area.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in the Austin area
| Period | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,064 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,155 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,428 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,911 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$847 | +$639 | +$606 |
A typical rental in the Austin area costs $1,911 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $847 a month since 2006–10, up 80%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 31.0% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southeast; the highest are in the west.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in the Austin area
Bachelor's degrees in the Austin area
| Period | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.3% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.3% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.2% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 50.4% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.1 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in the Austin area: 50.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 12.1 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 100 large U.S. metro areas, only seven have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in the Austin area
| Period | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.6% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.3% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.9% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.6% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in the Austin area have finished high school (91.6%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.0 points, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in the Austin area
| Period | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in the Austin area runs below the national rate: 4.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 2.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Largest cities in the Austin area
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin area (all) | 2.55 | 37.2 | 9.7% | 41.7% | 5.9% | 2000 | $1,911 | 50.4% | 91.6% | 4.3% |
| Round Rock | 2.81 | 36.6 | 10.2% | 38.6% | 5.5% | 2003 | $2,139 | 49.6% | 94.4% | 3.6% |
| Pflugerville | 2.75 | 35.5 | 10.8% | 35.8% | 5.0% | 2008 | $2,036 | 46.5% | 93.2% | 4.4% |
| Georgetown | 2.64 | 43.2 | 8.6% | 23.6% | 5.3% | 2007 | $1,934 | 50.2% | 94.2% | 4.1% |
| Cedar Park | 2.70 | 37.8 | 8.8% | 35.6% | 2.8% | 2004 | $2,071 | 56.9% | 96.6% | 4.3% |
| San Marcos | 2.43 | 30.4 | 9.8% | 64.3% | 9.3% | 1997 | $1,379 | 38.5% | 89.4% | 5.1% |
| Leander | 2.81 | 37.7 | 8.4% | 24.3% | 3.2% | 2010 | $2,084 | 52.1% | 95.6% | 3.1% |
| Kyle | 2.78 | 34.5 | 14.3% | 30.3% | 3.4% | 2010 | $1,856 | 31.7% | 90.3% | 3.3% |
| Buda | 2.89 | 36.8 | 10.1% | 22.8% | 3.2% | 2009 | $1,915 | 42.3% | 91.6% | 3.4% |
| Hutto | 2.91 | 35.5 | 10.6% | 21.7% | 6.7% | 2013 | $2,173 | 41.3% | 94.8% | 3.9% |
| Manor | 2.78 | 33.4 | 13.2% | 18.5% | 4.9% | 2013 | $1,868 | 35.0% | 85.7% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Metro areas of similar size: Columbus area · Cleveland area · Kansas City area · Cincinnati area · Las Vegas area · Sacramento area · Pittsburgh area · San Antonio area · Charlotte area · Orlando area
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up the Austin area. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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