Austin Real Estate Market Analysis

Austin is the capital city of the state of Texas. With a population of over 981,000 people, it is the 4th most populous city in Texas and the 11th most populous city in the US. The Austin real estate market benefits from the fact that the population growth rate in the city is over three times the national rate, as estimated by PWC. Thanks to a strong annual net migration, Austin is the fastest growing large city in the US. And with more than half of the population (54.8% according to NeighborhoodScout) renting rather than owning a home, Austin rental properties enjoy particularly high demand and occupancy rates.

Austin was recently named the #1 place to live in America by Forbes for the third year in a row, based on affordability, job prospects, and quality of life. Many people flock to the city hailed for having not only the best business climate, but also the best quality of life in Texas and a relatively low cost of living. In fact, Austin has a heavy concentration of highly educated millennials and enjoys a diverse economy that is mainly based on the government, education, and technology sectors which draws people in. 

Given the nickname “Silicon Hills”, Austin is a major center for high tech and innovation. It is home to nearly 6,500 high tech companies, including Apple Inc., Google, Facebook, Dell, Amazon, eBay, and many others. Apple Inc. has plans to open a new $1 billion campus in North Austin with the capacity for 15,000 employees, making it the largest private employer in the city. The University of Texas at Austin is a major contributor to the city’s economy, with thousands of Engineering and Computer Science graduates each year finding employment in the technology and defense industry sectors. Austin is also a recognized hub for startups and is one of the most significant cities in the US for entrepreneurship. It ranked #4 of the best large cities to start a business last year in WalletHub’s annual survey. Several federal agencies, including the US Federal Government, are based in the Austin area and are some of the largest employers in the city. Austin is also emerging as a hub for biomedical and pharmaceutical companies, with about 85 of such companies located there. Other major industries in Austin include telecommunications, manufacturing, electronics, food processing, and tourism. 

The Austin real estate market was named the 6th most important US Market to Watch by PWC in its annual Emerging Trends in Real Estate: United States and Canada 2019 report. According to the report, Austin is particularly attractive to real estate investors for its booming economy, demographic growth, and attractive cost structure. Despite the attractive affordability rates, a lack of affordable housing was listed as an issue, due to sheer demand.