Austin is a city of rich culture, unique traditions, gorgeous people, and fantastic food and drinks. It is a haven for music and food lovers and young professionals. Though it has its bad points, Austin’s crime rate is lower than most cities of a similar size, making it ideal for everybody. Read on for more facts about Austin, Texas.
1. Austin Has a Strong Multicultural Presence
If you’re new to Austin, prepare yourself to meet someone who speaks a foreign language. In a recent survey, more than 50% of its population is a mix of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Pacific Islanders (Web Archive).
2. It Has Bad Traffic
Austin has one of the worst traffic in the US. If you’re in a hurry, you’ll have to move at least an hour early to avoid getting late, depending on your location. Avoid I-35 as much as you can because of the congested highway. According to a study conducted by Texas A&M University, the city lost nearly $288 million in 2019 because of this traffic condition (Austin American Statesman). The city has several public transport routes to help with traffic conditions.
3. It is a Green City
Despite its poor traffic condition, Austin is a green city. WInd farms supply about 15% of their energy requirement. Many new buildings follow the LEED green building standards, while public buildings use renewable energy to keep up with the green city campaign. Austin is among the top 20 greenest cities in the US.
4. It is a Great City for Buying a House
Austin is a great city to own a house. According to SmartAsset, a financial advisory firm, Austin ranks third in their 2019 study of the best housing markets, citing the growth in home value up by 242% over the 24 years before the survey. Because the city supports the green building standards, you also save on electricity by using renewable electricity like solar power.
5. Austin is a Rising Tech Haven
Austin is also a relocation site for nearly a hundred tech companies. It is the proud location of companies like Apple, Google, HP, Dell, Cisco, Intel, eBay, IBM, Oracle, Facebook, and Paypal. Austin’s Silicon Hills is home to thousands of startup businesses that hire creative and tech-savvy fresh graduates to develop software, apps, and websites with millions of followers and users. Some startup companies work with established brands like Tinder, Goldman Sachs, and Pepsi.
6. It is a Haven for Music Lovers
Music plays a huge influence in the Austin scene. Austin is home to live music festivals, hosting hundreds of artists in one event. The festivals also show the city’s rich cultural heritage and feature Celtic, reggae, blues, Brazilian, Latino, and Americana music. The Austin crowd seems to find a reason to host a live music festival all year round. Austin’s New Year and Free Week (the first week of January) kicks off the string of festivals and ends with the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar. Visit this calendar to learn more about Austin’s rich music tradition.
7. It is Known for its Food and Beer
Austin is not for dieters! With many cheap places (and food trucks) all over Austin serving large portions, you’ll have trouble keeping up with your diet. Austin cuisine is a combination of cultures, evidenced by the vast selection of Asian, Latin, and European food, most of them served in generous portions.
Austin has 37 breweries. It is home to Live Oak, one of the country’s best lager brewers, and produces Grodziskie, a Polish brew that Live Oak gave new life after it went out of commercial production toward the end of the 20th century. Some of Austin’s breweries also won several distinctions in the US beer scene.
8. It Has Mild Winters and Crazy Hot Summers
Retirees find Austin a great city to live in with mild winters (60 to 70 degrees during the daytime and 40 degrees during nighttime). Summers are also crazy, though. Temperature can hit up to 100 degrees, and droughts are not uncommon. Austin has 7 months of sun, so invest in a good air conditioning unit and a pool to cool off during these hot days.
9. It Offers Excellent Healthcare
Austin has some of the world’s best healthcare establishments, not only for its residents but for medical tourists as well. The facilities are world-class, the doctors and other medical and non-medical personnel are very polite, and the services are at par with more expensive hospitals.
Before You Head to Austin
Austin is an excellent place to move to, especially if you’re avoiding the cold winters from your previous hometown. Before you move to Austin, though, a vital tip is to book your moving truck’s parking space beforehand. Austin requires an approved temporary parking space for your moving truck before they allow you to park your truck anywhere near the road. For other tips on planning your long-distance move to Austin, be sure to check out our post!