Austin

United States of America COUNTRY

964,254 CITY POPULATION

Council–Manager GOVERNMENT TYPE

Introduction

Austin is the state capital of Texas, an inland city bordering the Hill Country region. Home to the University of Texas flagship campus, Austin is known for its eclectic live-music scene centered around country, blues and rock. Its many parks and lakes are popular for hiking, biking, swimming and boating. South of the city, Formula One's Circuit of the Americas raceway has hosted the United States Grand Prix.

The city dates back to the 1830s, when the first Anglo-American settlers arrived in the area, then part of Mexico. In 1837, settlers founded the village of Waterloo on the banks of the Colorado River, the first permanent settlement in the area. By 1839, Waterloo would adopt the name Austin and the frontier town would become the capital of the Republic of Texas. The City is named for Stephen F. Austin, the “Father of Texas.”

Austin is known for its outstanding food, great live music venues, and its general weirdness. It's rapidly rising in popularity as a place to live and visit, thanks to a fantastic culture and friendly locals.

Data and facts

The Austin metropolitan area serves as a center for academic, political, research and technological activities.
Austin has a population of 820,611 according to the 2011 U.S. Census.
It's the 13th most populous city in the United States; the fourth most populous city in Texas.
Austin's landmass comprises 280 square miles.
Austin has the largest urban bat colony in North America.
Austin has the only nude beach in all of Texas. Texas has no laws that stop women from going topless in public. However, no other city in the state has a place designated for nudity.
Austin doesn’t have a professional sports team. However, the University of Texas at Austin’s Longhorns are the city’s pride and joy.
Austin is the only city in the world that still operates Moonlight towers. Austin has ordinances in place to protect all 17 standing towers from being taken down.
An average of 20 million people visit Austin every year, This is more than the annual visitors to Rome (4.2 million), Hawaii (8.3 million), and even London (17.4 million).
Austin is the youngest big city in the US per capita with 90,000 total college and university students. Over 50,000 students are at The University of Texas, 33,000 students are at Austin Community College and the rest are spread among the remaining institutions of higher learning.

Administration

The City of Austin operates under a Council-Manager form of government whereby the elected City Council sets policy objectives and the City Manager ensures they are carried out and administered effectively. This form of government can be likened to the private sector relationship between a board of a corporation and its Chief Executive or Chief Administrative Officer.

Economy

The City of Austin's Economic Development Department supports and recruits business to Austin through all our divisions: Cultural Arts, Global Business Expansion, Heritage Tourism, Music & Entertainment, Redevelopment and Small Business. Austin has an unemployment rate of 2.7%. The US average is 3.9%. Austin has seen the job market increase by 3.5% over the last year. Future job growth over the next ten years is predicted to be 47.0%, which is higher than the US average of 33.5%.

Tax Rates for Austin

The Sales Tax Rate for Austin is 8.3%. The US average is 7.3%.
The Income Tax Rate for Austin is 0.0%. The US average is 4.6%.
Tax Rates can have a big impact when comparing the cost of living.

Income and Salaries for Austin

The average income of an Austin resident is $32,672 a year. The US average is $28,555 a year.
The Median household income of an Austin resident is $55,216 a year. The US average is $53,482 a year.

The last measured GDP per capita for Austin Metro Area (TX) was $63,839 in 2017. Austin Metro Area (TX) experienced an average growth rate of 2.21% from our first statistic recorded in 2001. If past trends continue, we forecast the GDP per capita to be $69,052 by 2022.

Infrastructure

Priority Program: Use Green Infrastructure to Protect Environmentally Sensitive Areas and Integrate Nature Into the City. A primary goal of this priority program is to manage Austin’s urban and natural ecosystems in a coordinated and sustainable manner in part by increasing protection of environmentally sensitive land, improving tree cover in every neighborhood, improving the health of the watershed, increasing access to parks, and linking these resources throughout the city. This program seeks to improve environmental, recreational, and transportation functions and improve the connection between people and the environment.

Policies to improve local infrastructure are also linked to the city’s cultural priorities. There are currently several mobility initiatives underway aimed at improving public transport and roads and proposed bond funding to improve existing and secure additional City-owned creative facilities.

Technology

Its information technology organization provides and empowers the City's business partners and Austin's residents, visitors and businesses with sustained, reliable and efficient technology services, infrastructure and telecommunications. Leveraging state-of-the-art tools, innovative methods and strategic partnerships, we are at the center of shaping the City of Austin's IT strategy. In the quest to become the best-managed city in the country, the IT principles are unified with the City’s comprehensive plan, Imagine Austin. This alignment has enabled us to continue to positively impact the growing and diverse community in such areas as IT service operations and delivery, open government, sustainability, citizen access, public safety and public health.

While this explosion in hardware and broadband has been happening, a software revolution has occurred where companies can develop new businesses seemingly overnight. When Austin voted out Uber and Lyft in 2016, there was a vacuum in the market for ride-sharing. In less than 2.5 months, residents launched a non-profit alternative called RideAustin. Its mobile interface is quick and intuitive and even prompts users to consider giving back to other non-profit organizations. Successful applications are built in months rather than years.