Austin, Texas is a wonderful place to both live and visit. If you were not lucky enough to have been born in this magnificent city then you might be considering moving there just so you can say you are from there. Don’t worry, lots of people transplant themselves to Austin so you will not be the only ‘newbie’ in town, and after a few years you will no longer be a ‘newbie’.
I was born and bred in Texas so I think living in Austin is a great idea, well; all except the fact that Austin is a big old city, and I like the smaller towns of East Texas, close to Lake Sam Rayburn, good deer hunting, and the Texas beaches close to Galveston.
Other than that, Austin is one of the places I would choose to move to. The music they have, the food they have, and well, let’s take a look at all the good reasons to move to Austin. We will even take a look at the reasons why people say Austin is not the perfect city, just to keep things fair.
Do you know, why Austin becomes the capital of Texas? This article will help you for sure: Why is Austin the Capital of Texas.
Austin At a Glance
| Population | 950,715 (2017) |
| Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Mayor | Steve Adler |
| Nicknames | Live Music Capital of the World, Silicon Hills, ATX |
| Counties | Hays, Travis, Williamson |
Reasons You Might want to Live in Austin, Texas
Food
The food, especially the barbecue. You will find barbecue places around Austin that are so good that people will wait in line for hours to get some of the food. The food can be found in sit-down restaurants, in fast-food restaurants and sold from food trucks. The tacos and Tex-Mex choices you have are simply delightful! The food is a great reason to move to Austin. Just be careful that the food does not also become a con to living in Austin. Sometimes we get caught up in the great food and before we know it we have gained ten pounds.
Weather
The weather can be brutally hot in the summer in Austin but there are plenty of places where you will find cool water to swim in. If you are thinking about public pools and the cost of swimming in them then think again, because Austin has plenty of places like the magnificent Barton Springs where everyone can go enjoy the natural cool water and not worrying about paying a yearly membership fee to go. Anyway, swimming pools just get hot under the sun. You want to swim where Mother Nature has created the perfect place. There are also activities planned for the summer months so that the kids stay busy and you have the most fun in the water.
Music Scene
The music is one of the biggest reasons to move to Austin. Live music can be found in the majority of bars and restaurants around the city. There are theaters established for live music performances and outdoor music events. You could go to a musical performance every day of the week and you would not have to see the same artist twice a month.
Fitness Lovers
Austin is home to some serious-minded fitness lovers. People take advantage of the beautiful scenery and they jog along the river trail and there are gyms of all types, as well as park programs that offer different types of fitness activities. The prices of joining scheduled fitness activities in Austin are far less than the prices you will find in a lot of major cities around the country.
No State Tax!
This is a part of Texas so no state taxes will be held out of your income.
Friendly People
Austin is causal and laid back. The residents of the city are in less of a hurry and they are less uptight than the residents of most major cities. The people are friendly and they have a live and let live attitude that makes it possible for you to pursue your own interests without making anyone upset or creating any difficulties with friends, coworkers, or neighbors.
Festivals
There are a lot of festivals held in Austin each year. You will certainly be able to find a festival that offers something you love at least once a year.
Lakes
Austin has a lot of lakes and that means a lot of fishing opportunities. Austin is a haven for anglers of all types.
Reasons you might NOT want to Live in Austin, Texas
Hot and Humid
Austin is in Texas. Texas is known to be hotter than hades at certain times of the year, so if you live in Austin you must have air conditioning in your home and in your car.
You simply cannot survive the Texas heat of Austin in August without an air conditioner, unless you are an old-timer who grew up in the area. The old-timers from Texas seem impervious to the heat and humidity.
Need Cars
You really need to own your own car in order to be able to travel around Austin. Some cities like San Francisco, New York, and other metropolitan areas have public transportation that is so reliable the residents of those cities often live their whole lives without getting a driver’s license or owning a car.
Texas is a big old place, and if you live in Austin you are quickly going to discover that public transportation is less than desirable and you are going to need a car in order to get to work on time, do your shopping, and go to entertainment venues around the city.
Insects and Bugs
Everything in Texas is bigger and that includes the bugs. The mosquitos, roaches, gnats, and other pesky insects are definitely large inhabitants of the city and I do not mean just large in size, the bugs are more than plentiful. You do not move to Austin without learning to grow mosquito plants, burn citronella candles, and wear bug repellant all year round.
Don’t even think about throwing open your patio doors from dusk till dawn, because the vampires (aka mosquitos) are worse than the ones in the horror film of the same name.
Education
Austin has the this wonderful University of Texas at Austin campus that offers great educational opportunities, great employment opportunities, and some real challenges that you will find come with college campuses and large numbers of college students. These problems are most noticeable when you are in close vicinity to the campus area.
Worst Traffic
Traffic can be deplorable. Traffic can be a nightmare. Traffic can be slow-moving and frustrating. Traffic is one of the worst things about Austin and one of the reasons why I love small town life. Learn to listen to books on tape or something like that to occupy your mind while you sit in the traffic. You can also choose to live closer to where you like to work and shop and then your commute will be shorter.
Limited Sports Activities
The sports facilities and sporting venues in the city are limited. If you really like to attend professional sports games you will have to leave town to do so, but the drive to Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio can be quite pleasant. Also in 2021 professional soccer is coming to Austin.
Final thoughts
Living in Austin is a little different than living in the majority of places around the country. The people of Austin, like most of the people of Texas are different from the people of other areas. It will take you a little time to get use to the quirks the people have, but in a short period of time you will discover that you are happier than you have ever been before.
