What to know before you move: cost, market timing, who it fits.
If you're considering a move to Austin, TX, the most important variables are the local housing market, the cost structure (taxes, insurance, utilities), and how well the city fits your day-to-day life. This page summarizes the housing market read; pair it with the cost of living page for the full picture.
Austin is a city in Travis County, Texas, with an estimated population of 993,588. It anchors the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown metro area. The population grew 0.8% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Austin is $511,264 as of 2026-04, down 5.7% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged -0.4% annual growth, and the market currently sits about 26% below its 5-year peak. Rents in Austin average $1,567 per month, down 2.5% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 34 of 100 (Cooling). Buyers may find more room to negotiate; sellers should price realistically.
Prices have come off recent highs (-26.2% from peak). Buyers may have more room to negotiate; sellers should price realistically.
Reasons people move here
- Scale = optionality: 993,588 population gives you airports, hospitals, a deep job market, and a real cultural scene.
- The data is the data: Austin has at least 5 years of Zillow tracking, full Census identification, and is included in the 2-criteria momentum score on this page.
Things to know first
- Prices actively falling: down 5.7% in the last 12 months — buyer sentiment has flipped. Sellers competing on price.
- 26% off the 5-year peak. That's not a healthy correction — that's a market that ran too far and is still digesting.
More about Austin
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.