Austin, Texas has an overall cost of living index of 98.3, which is 1.7 points below the US average of 100 — making it about average versus most American cities. Renters pay a median of $1,729 per month, while the typical home is valued around $555,300. Households earn a median of $93,658 per year, leaving rent at a manageable share of income for many residents. Air quality is moderate, with an average AQI of 65. Below: housing costs, local wages by occupation, neighborhoods, climate, jobs and major industries, and healthcare access — all drawn from US Census, BEA, BLS, HUD, EPA, and NOAA data.
$93,658
Median Income / yr
Census ACS
$1,729
Median Rent / mo
Census ACS
$555,300
Median Home Value
Census ACS
98.3
Cost of Living Index
Studio FMR
$1,474
HUD · FY2024
1BR Fair Market Rent
$1,562
HUD · FY2024
2BR Fair Market Rent
$1,852
HUD · FY2024
3BR Fair Market Rent
$2,347
HUD · FY2024
Fair Market Rent is the 40th percentile of gross rents in the metro area · HUD FY2024
Each category indexed to the US average of 100. Below 100 = cheaper than average.
Overall
98.3
Goods
92.9
Rents / Housing
126.4
Services
89.2
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities (metro-level)
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Software Developer | $139,390 |
| Registered Nurse | $93,060 |
| Elementary Teacher | $59,000 |
| Electrician | $58,740 |
| Accountant | $91,920 |
| Plumber | $64,210 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $291,680 |
| Civil Engineer | $104,250 |
| Operations Manager | $141,810 |
| Market Research Analyst | $88,270 |
| Health Services Manager | $127,550 |
| Truck Driver | $58,240 |
| Physician Assistant | N/A |
| Surgeon | N/A |
| Data Scientist | N/A |
| Computer Engineer | $141,730 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2023 (metro-level data)
Population
979,539
Latest estimate
Median Age
34.7 yrs
Census ACS
65.0
Moderate0 = clean · 50 = moderate boundary · lower is better
Source: EPA AirNow
Total Neighborhoods
53
Tracked in our database
Avg Walk Score
N/A
0–100 scale
Avg Median Rent
$1,709
Per month
Avg Home Value
$506,053
Census ACS
| Neighborhood | Walk Score | Median Rent | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZIP 78610 | — | $1,540 | $346,700 |
| ZIP 78612 | — | $1,386 | $217,400 |
| ZIP 78613 | — | $1,646 | $416,000 |
| ZIP 78617 | — | $1,366 | $222,100 |
| ZIP 78641 | — | $1,788 | $395,700 |
| ZIP 78652 | — | $2,248 | $435,300 |
| ZIP 78653 | — | $1,685 | $288,500 |
| ZIP 78660 | — | $1,631 | $335,500 |
| ZIP 78681 | — | $1,781 | $418,900 |
| ZIP 78701 | — | $2,574 | $609,800 |
Showing top 10 of 53 tracked neighborhoods.
January Avg
52°F
July Avg
85°F
Sunny Days / Year
244
Annual Snowfall
—
Climate category: Temperate · Source: NOAA/NCEI 30-year normals.
Healthcare Score
30.4
poor
Hospitals
15
Doctors per 1,000
1.00
Insurance Coverage
87.6%
Austin has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 98.3. The US national average is 100, so Austin is 1.7 points below the national average.
The median gross rent in Austin is $1,729 per month according to US Census ACS data.
The median household income in Austin is $93,658 per year.
The median home value in Austin is $555,300 based on the latest Census ACS survey.
Austin has an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 65.0, which is rated "Moderate" by the EPA. Lower AQI values indicate cleaner air.
Tax data for Texas is not yet available.
Data last updated: June 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
