Austin, TX Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Austin, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Austin →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Austin's population is about 958,202. On income, the typical household clears $86,556 a year, running above the median household income across the cities we cover (+20%).
Expect a median home value of $461,500 in Austin, which runs above what we see across other cities (+41%). Median rent lands at $1,549/month — a useful baseline before comparing mortgage payments to rent.
At roughly 5.3 times median income, Austin's home values sit in a balanced range compared to the cities we track. Buyers may find a bit more room to negotiate in Austin, where prices have dipped about 1.7% year over year. FEMA's National Risk Index puts Austin at Relatively High for overall natural-hazard risk, a factor that can push home insurance costs up.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,549/mo in Austin would take 21.5% of your income.
$615/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($461,500) would take 34.2% of your income toward principal & interest.
$444/mo over the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Austin
Median home value is $461,500 and median gross rent is $1,549/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Travis fell 1.7% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,852/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Austin's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Austin reported a violent crime rate of 422.6 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Austin
Planning a move to Austin? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Explore neighborhoods in Austin →
Cost estimates for moving between Austin and nearby popular destinations:
- Moving from Austin to Dallas
- Moving from Austin to Miami
- Moving from Austin to New York
- Moving from Austin to Houston
- Moving from Austin to San Antonio
- Moving from Austin to Los Angeles
- Moving from Austin to San Francisco
- Moving from Austin to Chicago
- Moving from Austin to Denver
- Moving from Austin to Raleigh
- Moving from Austin to Phoenix
- Moving from Austin to San Jose
- Moving from Austin to Detroit
- Moving from Austin to Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance)
- Moving from Austin to Oklahoma City
- Moving from Austin to Boston
- Moving from Austin to Philadelphia
- Moving from Austin to San Diego
- Moving from Austin to Washington
- Moving from Austin to Atlanta
- Moving from Austin to Charlotte
- Moving from Austin to Salt Lake City
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Austin, TX?
- Housing drives most of the cost-of-living picture in Austin — median home value of $461,500, median rent of $1,549/month — set against a median household income of $86,556 (US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022)).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Austin?
- At Austin's median rent of $1,549/month, the 30%-of-income guideline suggests an annual income around $61,960 to stay comfortably housed. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Austin.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Austin?
- With a median home value of $461,500 and median rent of $1,549/month, renting comfortably in Austin takes about $61,960/year (the 30% guideline), while buying at the median price takes roughly $105,589/year in principal-and-interest alone (assumes 20% down, a 30-year fixed loan, and current mortgage rates). The right call depends on how long you plan to stay and your down payment.
- Is Austin safe?
- The most recent FBI figures (2025) show a violent crime rate of 422.6 per 100,000 residents in Austin.
See the full salary breakdown for Austin →
Compare Austin to similar cities
- Austin vs Dallas: Cost of Living & Housing Comparison
- Austin vs Miami: Cost of Living & Housing Comparison
- Austin vs New York: Cost of Living & Housing Comparison
- Austin vs Houston: Cost of Living & Housing Comparison
- Austin vs San Antonio: Cost of Living & Housing Comparison
- Austin vs Los Angeles: Cost of Living & Housing Comparison
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Austin's.